Ahhh the movies. I remember back in the day when dinner and a movie was the cheapest date you could go on. Man shit has changed. Long gone are the days when you and your buddy could half-ass mow your neighbor’s lawn and get paid a $20 spot just in time to make it to the movies by 6 p.m.. Twenty bucks bought two tickets (six if you slipped into two more movies without getting caught), two drinks and a popcorn big enough to choke your sister. Now $20 will barely get you in the door.
Last Friday, my wife and I went out with another couple for dinner and a movie. Dinner was great. We had sushi and a few drinks and spent a little over $40 with tip (We’re in a college town, food and alcohol are cheap). After a quick stop at the liquor store for a couple pints of Black Velvet and Captain Morgan, we were off to see Sex Drive. After two tickets, two large drinks and a large popcorn, our bill totaled $36. WTF? I could barely bring myself to pour out half my drink in the bathroom so I could squeeze every last drop of Black Velvet into the cup.
I’ve replayed the night’s events over and over in my mind trying to figure out a way to beat the system. After telling the story to my mom, she reminded me of a trick that my nephew learned at the age of 10. Boys and girls, get ready to stick it to the man.
Here’s how to go to the movies and get drunk for less than $10.
First thing you have to do is wrangle up a free ticket. Go to Fandango.com and find the movie you want. At the purchase screen, there’s a button that says “want a free ticket.” Clicking that button takes you to the “Trial Pay” screen. This is one of those things where if you take one of the Trial Pay “alternate” offers, Trial Pay will pay for your ticket. The offers range from FTD flowers to Netflix. Choose the Netflix one. You’ll have to sign up for a FREE two week Netflix trial. As long as you cancel within two weeks you won’t be charged. Finish the Fandango process and viola, free ticket.
Now that you have your free ticket, you need to pull a Fear and Loathing move and wrangle up some supplies. Swing into your local liquor store and grab a pint of Jim Beam or anything less than $10. When you get to the movie theater, stick said pint into your back pocket, jacket, purse, etc. and proceed with collecting your free admittance.
Now you need some popcorn and a drink. Pass the concession stand and go directly to the theater your movie is showing in. Now listen closely—this next part is important. You need to show up early so you can be waiting outside the door before the previous showing gets out. Once the initial rush of people passes, be sure to get in before the ushers can have a chance to do any sort of cleaning. Quickly find a large popcorn tub and a large drink that someone left behind. Grab them and sit down. Ninety-nine percent of movie theaters give free refills on large drinks and large popcorn.
After a few minutes, make your way to the garbage can and pour all the drink and most of the popcorn into the garbage. Be sure to get some drink down the side of the cup and squeeze the cup at the seam so it looks like you dropped it. Mosey over to the concession stand. Be cool. Tell the guy you were on your way to get a refill on your popcorn and some asshole knocked your drink out of your hand. Ask him if you can get a new cup and a new popcorn tub. If he gives you any shit, ask to see the manager. This worked for my nephew when he was 10.
Now that you have your free popcorn and free drink, go to a bathroom stall and pour enough of the drink out that you can fit your whole pint of Jim Beam in. Then go back to your free seat, eat your free popcorn, drink your free drink spiked with the only $10 you had to spend tonight and enjoy your free movie. You’ll be making loud ass comments about the movie in no time.
October 31st, 2008 at 12:56 pm
That sound amazing, I will definitely be trying this out before my next movie.
November 2nd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Great tips, gotta love those college town sushi prices. I just wish I could figure out how to do this while on a date.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:17 am
That is so brilliant!
November 17th, 2008 at 2:06 am
Wow. Mad props for pulling this off. I’ve gotta give this a shot now.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:49 pm
nice movie reference. i love hunter s.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:32 am
Or say screw that, keep the netflix subscription, rent a movie, drink from your own liquor cabinet. The movie theater is dead.
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Many movie theaters count inventory, so every popcorn bucket and drink is kept track of. The manager usually has to refund an item if it is getting replaced. Try to get the replacement stuff when the concessions aren’t too crowded.
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Ha! How does this solve the problem of an expensive DATE. Try that shit with a women and she will instantly know what a loser you are.
Try this one on for size: Get a real job then maybe $36 won’t seem like so much money.
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:34 am
That’s real great and all, but how does that help me kill a dinosaur using an ostrich’s trachea as a dart gun? Oh, it doesn’t because that wasn’t what this post was about. I suppose that’s also why this post doesn’t tell you how to take a date out for $10. Gee don’t I feel like an ass for making a completely unsolicited comment about shit that was never promised in an article. Whew, I hope nobody else made this silly mistake… especially someone named “fuck yo’ mama.” That’d be REALLY embarrassing.
December 5th, 2008 at 8:15 am
tickets at my local theatre cost 5 bucks, together with popcorn or candy and a drink the total is bout 13 dollars.
December 5th, 2008 at 9:26 am
I have seen where some one leave there po on the sink in the bathrooms, I have pick it up a few times and gotten free drinks. Have not seen anyone leave a popcorn bag yet.
December 5th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
How about you just not be a jew?
December 5th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
LOL! ^
December 6th, 2008 at 2:13 am
So you are advocating theft. Way to go. I am sure women are just swarming to be with a loser like you.
December 6th, 2008 at 3:04 am
I tried this at my in-laws on movie night and they busted me! Thanks for nothing!!!!
December 6th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
I’ve been trying it. I dont’ see a “get free ticket” button on fandango
December 12th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Wow, this is pathetic. There’s drunk, then there’s @sshole drunk. Can’t wait to see the fratboy tards trying this crap getting escorted out at my local theater.
December 16th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
There’s nothing pathetic about this. Although you can’t get free drinks and free popcorn at the cinema in the Netherlands you can easily bring your own drinks & food in your pockets or bag.
Also kudos on finding out! I, as a Dutchman find these kind of things good, we like to do cheap stuff.
Second also:
I lol at Fuck yo’ Mama, because I can see from his post that he’s a douchebag…
January 4th, 2009 at 5:12 am
Man I hated people like you. I was stuck working at the movie theater for 2 years in high school to save for college and assholes like you made my life a living hell demanding free things no matter how many times I explained I couldn’t give it to you. We’re not stupid… we remember the people we sell to and know you didn’t buy anything. To make my life more bearable… I always told my manager that you were a total asshole and stole the cup and tub and you got jack shit. I also relished kicking kids out of movies. That’s how us movie theater employees get through our miserable lives at chain cinemas.
January 9th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
You get drunk on a pint?????
What a lightweight.
January 10th, 2009 at 12:15 am
All nitpicking aside. Great idea. Gotta respect a planned out ‘free-gan’ move like that. I’d like to see a video of this pulled off start to finish. To Amanda: Cry me a river. Everyone, everywhere gets treated like shit at their jobs, which is why soo many of us figure out crap like this to do. All in the name of having money to make rent and stay sane.
January 16th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Seems like a pretty good plan. However some insight of my own working at a theater. We wont give new cups, bags or tubs to anyone regardless of the excuse, we had an usher see someone throw away a jumbo drink (jumbo combo is the only thing we give refills for, cheap pricks), and the manager told the lady there was nothing she could do because everything is inventoried, so depending on the theater you’ll either get a stroke of luck and the whole thing will kick off or you’ll be up shit creek. Good luck
January 18th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Fuck all of you HATERS! That sounds like FUN and a pretty badass way to save money! All of us aren’t rich, and some of us can even understand why the movie shouldn’t cost 15 fucking dollars anyway! Rich, Mindless assholes, seriously FUCK YOU! :)
Props man!
February 8th, 2009 at 8:15 am
So does your nephew like Jim Beam or Black Velvet more? I missed that part of the story…..
February 9th, 2009 at 3:24 am
In all honesty, that sounds like far more work than it’s worth. Maybe I’m just lazy, but I’ll pay the money.
February 15th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Or go to the movie on cheap night or a matinee. Pay 6$ (x2 people = $12) for the same movie. Buy pop and snacks at a corner store and sneak them in like everyone else (3-4$).Buy some cheap booze (>$10) and you are only paying about 20-25$ total. Oh and you save a lot of time and hassle.
Also, you can not get drunk, save 10$, and just enjoy the movie.
March 28th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Seriously, everyone needs to chill the fuck out. If you’re getting worked up over a blog on the fucking internet, you need to step outside and smoke a bowl. Shit.
To the people who say that we are cheap for liking this idea, fuck you. Ticket prices are retarded. You shouldn’t have to pay ten bucks to go sit in a fucking seat and watch a movie, I could go to the nearest blockbusters and probably find something just as entertaining and enjoy it at the comfort of my own home for about ten bucks. Oh. and keep it for a week, get drunk without being the obnoxious asshole in the theater and hangout with said date anyways. Everyone isn’t graced with the same opportunities you wealthier fucks are.
Great idea man, stick it to the man indeed.
P.S. Ladies, just because some of us don’t want to spend 40$ just to take you to a fucking movie doesn’t make us cheap. We, or at least I, like to spend our/my money on more practical items, not shoes that sit in the closet and collect dust bunnies. Pretty sure if you saw some fucking lipstick or tampons for 40$ you’d be like “Fuck that” as well.
<(“<) (>”)> <<<its Kirby, dancing.
April 6th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
why not just bring whatever booze drink and food you want, legally they cant stop you from bringing in your own stuff, and just hide the booze, go to a matinee, and only spend 5 bucks, you just been powned
April 12th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
HEY GUYS!……..DO YOU LIKE FISHSTICKS?????
April 14th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
I always snuck food and drinks in. In fact on one date, I made Margaritas and put them in thermal coffee cups to stay cold. I made guacamole and packed it with chips , and the drinks in a tote bag that looks like a big purse. Heck, once long ago my friends and I went to the movies from work. I got a free bottle of wine from work and opened it there. Then we got free cups of ice water at the movies..went to the rest room and dumped it. Got to our seats and poured the wine in the dark when the movie started. Its easy to sneak stuff in.
April 15th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Yea! I lo…wait hold on FUCK YOU
April 28th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
shopped.
June 20th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
defenitley photoshopped, you can see where he did a quick job with the lasso tool, fuckin amatuers
June 20th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
David,
I actually stole the picture from Flickr. You know, nobody likes a dick with nothig better to do than bitch about a photoshopped picture. Asshole.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I’m so high.
January 15th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Does this work in the Netherlands?
February 7th, 2010 at 1:15 am
@Stop Getting Butthurt:
Agree completely, everything you said. Some people will just never understand.
And david, you’re a fucking idiot…..those photoshop claims have nothing to do with this article!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God I HATE people like you…..you’re a waste of energy.
June 21st, 2010 at 4:55 pm
I’m only 24 and I can remember the days when a movie ticket cost under $6. How young is this author? $20 for two back in the day? Ya… maybe like 3 years ago. Maybe if you didn’t load your fat ass with the extremely over-priced food/drinks at the theater you wouldn’t be hurting so badly.
December 10th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
OMG this is awesome! I wanna do this just to see if it will work!!!
December 10th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
OMG “Stopgettingbutthurt” that post was AWESOME!!! I’m STILL laughing!!!!
January 15th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Man I worked at galaxy cinemas for a while, and a lot of the time I knew when someone was trying to pull a fast one. But I didn’t give a shit, it’s not like I loose anything because some some guy getting a free $20 bag of popcorn. I’m sure I’m not the only one out there who doesn’t care. If your trying to pull a stunt like this, just look for a chill looking dude. They’ll get you a refill.