Movie theater assigned seats - what if someone is sitting in your seat?

[Anonymous]

I am always surprised by how many dislike pre-selected seating at movies. I love not having to show up until just as movie starts. I dislike having to go early and hope there are seats together - and if going with someone else - the discussion of where to sit happens long before. Wish all movies were pre-selected!

[Anonymous]

Do the "I'm confused, i think that's my seat. I'll get the usher to help us figure out what the mixup is". The person will move or the usher will move them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the theatre isn't packed, we just sit wherever. It's an $8 ticket. Nobody cares. Only the movie theatres seem to like this assigned seating.

If the place is packed then say "Oh, I think this is my seat, but maybe I'm confused - what does your ticket say?"

The people who took the time to buy their tickets in advance for their preferred seat location care

+1

Assigned seats are great.

[Anonymous]

IMO "I think/believe you're in my seat" is much different than "Maybe I'm confused." The former tells the truth--I'm looking at my ticket and I believe that you are in my seat. The latter is self-deprecating in a way and puts you at fault, which apparently many people do not like.

When we saw The Last Jedi, with multiple showings in multiple theaters, there were a few separate people that sat in the wrong seats/wrong theater and had to get up. Not a big deal. In OP's situation, I would have simply said, "I think that's my seat. See, my ticket says E13." If the person refused to move, I'd get an usher.

[Anonymous]

I ask them to move because I don’t want to to worry that I’ll sit in someone else’s seat and that person will come along and ask me to move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don`t goto movies that much and so far we are not a fan of the assigned seating. In this case there were 3 of us and we had 3 seats next to each other. When we got there someone was sitting in one of the seats (the one on the end). I first just stood there while the kids sat in the 2 empty seats. Then I sat on the other side of the group that was in the wrong seat. I did say "these are our seats" and say the seat number but the woman in the wrong seat just sat there. Would you have gone to get someone that works at the theater? Or yell at the woman? I am wondering what the right thing to do here was. It was dark in the theater, but the movie had not started yet. 5 minutes latter the whole group moved over, so it did all work out.

First, you need to grow a backbone.

And then you say something - nicely - to the person in your assigned seat. Show them your ticket.

If they still don't move, you get an usher to handle it.

Exactly this. That's why you have your ticket stub - in cases like these. Most people would be happy to move once they realized their mistake, but if you get an a-hole, then it's time to go to the usher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the theatre isn't packed, we just sit wherever. It's an $8 ticket. Nobody cares. Only the movie theatres seem to like this assigned seating.

If the place is packed then say "Oh, I think this is my seat, but maybe I'm confused - what does your ticket say?"

The people who took the time to buy their tickets in advance for their preferred seat location care

+1

Assigned seats are great.

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the theatre isn't packed, we just sit wherever. It's an $8 ticket. Nobody cares. Only the movie theatres seem to like this assigned seating.

If the place is packed then say "Oh, I think this is my seat, but maybe I'm confused - what does your ticket say?"

The people who took the time to buy their tickets in advance for their preferred seat location care

+1
Seriously. I pick my seats with care because I know exactly where I want to sit. And that's where I'm going to sit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the theatre isn't packed, we just sit wherever. It's an $8 ticket. Nobody cares. Only the movie theatres seem to like this assigned seating.

If the place is packed then say "Oh, I think this is my seat, but maybe I'm confused - what does your ticket say?"

Why position it like you made a mistake? Weird.

"Hi, my ticket says this is my seat. Please move."

Yeah. F that. I am really trying not to apologize for being right. It chips away at you every time you do it.

I agree. I wouldn't apologize, but I don't think I'd add the "please move" unless they actually refused to do so. It's enough to just say, "Hi, my ticket says this is my seat," with a pleasant smile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the theatre isn't packed, we just sit wherever. It's an $8 ticket. Nobody cares. Only the movie theatres seem to like this assigned seating.

If the place is packed then say "Oh, I think this is my seat, but maybe I'm confused - what does your ticket say?"

First, you're a jackass. Sit in your own seats.

Second, can I borrow your time machine? Because, an $8 ticket? Not in the last decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the theatre isn't packed, we just sit wherever. It's an $8 ticket. Nobody cares. Only the movie theatres seem to like this assigned seating.

If the place is packed then say "Oh, I think this is my seat, but maybe I'm confused - what does your ticket say?"

Speak for yourself. I LOVE assigned seating, especially for popular movies. A little planning ahead and I sit exactly where I want without having to show up early to get in line, etc.

+100
I get great satisfaction out of planning ahead and picking the exact seats we like - dead center in the very back row. I love assigned seating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This drives me crazy with my husband's friend/couple-they will just find another seat which then invariably the person for those seats comes and then, instead will hang out in back of theater. I have told my DH I am done with this passivity and now refuse to go out with them - well because we are not with them. When someone has been in my seat I just show my ticket - never a problem except one group was convinced I was wrong and got angry and brought in usher only to be told they were in wrong theater.

That's hilarious! And I would never, ever go to the movies with people like your husband's friends. What doormats!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am always surprised by how many dislike pre-selected seating at movies. I love not having to show up until just as movie starts. I dislike having to go early and hope there are seats together - and if going with someone else - the discussion of where to sit happens long before. Wish all movies were pre-selected!

Amen to that. The only people who dislike reserved seating are those who decide to see a movie at the last minute and are unhappy at their choice of seating. Too bad. Learn to plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the theatre isn't packed, we just sit wherever. It's an $8 ticket. Nobody cares. Only the movie theatres seem to like this assigned seating.

If the place is packed then say "Oh, I think this is my seat, but maybe I'm confused - what does your ticket say?"

First, you're a jackass. Sit in your own seats.

Second, can I borrow your time machine? Because, an $8 ticket? Not in the last decade.

[Anonymous]

I’m fine to say “Excuse me, E13 is my seat” as long as I’m 100% confident that seat is indeed E13. Because I’ve been on the other end when the pushy person is wrong. I admittedly take great pleasure in telling an indignant person “Actually this seat is G13. Your correct seat is somewhere else.”