I've been coming to the Milford theater for over 20 years, and my family has made countless…read morememories here. We've always loved supporting our local theater, which is why it's disappointing to see some of the recent changes.
We were excited to come for the opening weekend of *Spider Man*, and the experience was frustrating from the moment we arrived. The new concession system created extremely long lines, and it appears that all food orders now have to be placed at the main concession stand. In the past, I always ordered meals from the side concession stands, which made perfect sense since I wasn't purchasing popcorn.
On our visit, I planned to order cheeseburgers, chicken tenders and fries for the kids, and mozzarella sticks. When I went to the side concession stand, the menu screens were turned off, the registers were covered, and signs directed everyone to the already packed main concession line. The area looked closed, and there was no way to order food there anymore.
This new process does not feel like an improvement. Instead of having separate lines based on what customers are purchasing, everyone is forced into one enormous line. Customers buying a full meal should not have to wait behind everyone buying popcorn and drinks just to place an order. Previously, I could quickly order my meal, receive a buzzer, enjoy the previews, and pick up my food when it was ready. Now, I have to wait in a very long line just to get the buzzer before waiting again for the food.
Due to not wanting to miss the beginning of the movie, I ended up skipping food altogether. That is revenue the theater lost, and it was not because I did not want to buy dinner. I simply could not justify standing in such a long line.
I've noticed during my last couple of visits over the past month that the theater seems to be heading in the wrong direction. These changes may have been intended to simplify operations, however, from a customer's perspective, they have made the experience much less enjoyable.
I truly hope this is temporary or that the policy is reconsidered. Otherwise, my family will likely start eating at places like Red Robin, Wendy's, or Gold Star before coming to the movies. I would much rather continue buying our meals inside the theater, as we always have.
I want to continue supporting this theater because it has been a special place for my family for decades. My children have grown up coming here, and we have always enjoyed spending our evenings here. However, forcing every customer into one massive concession line, regardless of what they are ordering, is frustrating, inefficient, and takes away from the overall experience.
I sincerely hope management listens to customer feedback and brings back the convenience of ordering meals at the side concession stands. Loyal customers notice these changes, and I would hate to see such a great local theater lose the community support it has built over the years.