Yes, it's been a thing for at least a decade, I imagine it helps with pre-sales online, though it may just be offered as a convenience. It really does help keep the movie from unexpectedly being a lousy experience; if you're stuck in a crappy seat, or your family can't sit together, it's because you picked those seats. As someone else mentioned, it also allows them to bring you dinner and provide that upsell as well.
replyEven our small independent theater in town has reserved seats, some of which are couches.
> it's been a thing for at least a decade
replyMaybe in fancy theaters, but in most places it started during covid (and just never stopped)
I've never been to a theater without assigned seats. Maybe it's a regional difference?
replyAdding on and being specific: AMC in the GSP mall in Paramus, NJ. Assigned seating for sure.
replyRegional where...? Never seen this in the Northeast.
replyOutside North America just about every country I’ve ever lived in or visited had assigned movie ticket seats.
replyAs European, I can tell that it depends on the kind of cinema, and country.
replyMy experience, being discussed in another thread, is that only big commercial multiplex do it, many small cinemas with more alternative content, usually don't do assigned seats, only ticket reservations.
And in some places there are so few movie theaters that, at least on weekends, you have to buy days in advance or you might as well stay home.
replyIt's shifted a lot in the past few years: AMC has assigned seating in most (all?) theaters, for instance. Our regional theater, Harkins, same.
replyPersonally, I like being able to select the exact seats and pre-order popcorn and soda and just have it show up to me right as the trailers end.
I'm also in the northeast (Europe). It is quite normal to have assigned seats.
replyWhen I grew up in LA 20+ years ago, seating was way more casual. Now everywhere seems to want assigned seating. I think this is in part because so many theater chains now offer a "premium" dining experience. It's yet another reason I rarely go to theaters anymore, on top of most of the film offerings being crap.
replyIt’s the only way I’ve ever seen movie tickets sold outside of North America anywhere.
replyYou can find both kinds, in europe especially the cut is very clear, commercial cinemas ALWAYS have assigned sitting. The kind you see at malls and have the Hollywood rotation of marvel shit movies.
replyThen you have smaller cinemas with indie movies, european movie festival rotation, etc, and many of those in at least 4 or 5 countries in Europe I can confirm do NOT have assigned sitting.
I feel like the newer (e.g. post 2010s) theaters with more "premium" comfortable seats tend to assign seats these days. Probably differs by chain.
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replyYes for higher end theaters like imax and the kind where everyone had a recliner chair
replyOr just about any movie theater of any kind outside of North America.
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