Rachel Mizanty
Staff Writer

You just finished working your shift at McDonalds, getting minimum wage and tired from your long night. Tomorrow is Friday, payday, and you and a bunch of your friends are going to the movies to celebrate the start of the weekend.

Seven dollars and 25 cents for three hours at McDonalds only adds up to a little over 20 dollars ($21.75 to be exact) so you think you have more than enough for the movies tomorrow night, right? Wrong. Movie ticket prices have skyrocketed in the past 10 years dramatically going from four dollars up to the ridiculous amount of thirteen dollars therefore causing middle-income families to struggle just for a night out.

Imagine this: It is date night and the minimum wage worker offers to pay for everything- ticket, popcorn, drink etc. Tickets for two for a 3D movie after 6pm equals 26 dollars, sorry McDonald’s Man the work you did yesterday doesn’t even start to cut the beginning of the night’s expenses. You then stand in line for medium popcorn and two blue raspberry slushies which you then add a rough estimate of around 17 more dollars. You have already spent 43 dollars before even watching the movie therefore causing total bankruptcy on your part. McDonald’s man would have to work a six-hour shift of minimum wage to support that night with only 50 cents left to spare.

Why are these prices so extreme? Ticket revenue for the first week a movie goes directly back to the movie studio, then after the initial opening does the profit start to affect the movie theatre itself. In addition movie theatre now a days are much more intense and complex with better seating, bigger theatres, and more digitally enhanced movies. Still is this fair?
The “starving college students” don’t think the prices are just at all. “…Ridiculous, extremely expensive, too much for a movie…” are just some thoughts around the Marywood University campus about the high prices.

Taking this into consideration it has made companies like Netflix, On-Demand, and other home delivery movie systems to become very popular. It makes sense to stay home and watch movies that are less expensive, but maybe say a little older for the fact of saving money.

Some tips for if you do want to go hit up Cinemark, Marquee or any other theatre are to bring your own food or candy and drink. Or even more simple- eat before you go out! You will be surprised at how much you can save! Nevertheless overall census and conclusion is yes, movie ticket theatre prices ARE too expensive.