For almost 100 years, moviegoers had only one option. On Saturday night, they would head to the movie theater, purchase tickets, popcorn and candy and hope that the only remaining seats were not in the front row. Movie theaters have come a long way since then. You can now purchase your tickets online and choose your seat before you even get to the theater and enjoy your popcorn and soda in the luxury of a reclining chair. Some theaters even offer gourmet meals served to you by a waiter as you watch the film. However, despite the makeover that theaters have received, they still can’t compete with streaming platforms.
A major disadvantage of a movie theater is that it can’t provide the massive amount of content that streaming companies offer at the push of a button. For around $10 a month, customers of streaming services have instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows morning, noon and night.
Another distinct advantage of streaming versus traditional movie-going is that these services allow the customer to watch from the comfort of their own home. Multiple viewers under the same plan can watch streaming content for less than the cost of one movie ticket.
Buying movie snacks can also put a huge dent in the moviegoer’s wallet. Since most theaters make their profit off of food sales, moviegoers must suffer the exorbitant cost for junk if they want to eat the buttery popcorn (which many consider hard to resist) from the concession stand. By remaining home, viewers not only save money, but also they don’t feel tempted to waste their calorie count for the day.
Need a bathroom break? Want a popcorn refill? Choosing to do these things may cause you to miss key moments in the film if watching at a theater. Your personal devices have a pause button, and you can use it whenever you want without missing any part of the movie.
Streaming services offer so many more advantages, from saving money to lazing around, than the traditional movie-going experience that one may wonder if theaters will soon go the way of the dinosaur.
(Graphic/Alyssa Herzbrun)
