Debuting this summer are titles like “Twisters,” “Joker: Folie à Deux” and “Despicable Me 4.”
If you haven’t visited the cinema in a while, you might experience some sticker shock. Theaters lost massive attendance during the COVID-19 outbreak and have also seen patrons migrate to streaming platforms. To recoup revenue, ticket prices have risen substantially.
Today, tickets commonly cost between $10 and $15. Add in soda, candy or popcorn, and a trip to the movies becomes pricey fast.
15 Ways to Save Money at the Movie Theater
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to trim the cost of a movie night. Here are 15 tactics to help you spend less at the theater.
1. Attend Matinees
Matinee showings can cut ticket prices by as much as 30%, though you should confirm each theater’s definition of “matinee.”
Whereas shows before 4 p.m. traditionally qualified, some cinemas now charge evening rates for anything starting after 3 p.m.
2. Try Pre-Matinees
Certain theaters run even lower-priced “pre-matinees” for very early screenings.
These usually apply to films beginning before noon.
3. Visit on Tuesday!
The three largest U.S. chains all promote a discount day — Tuesday. You typically need to enroll in their loyalty program to receive the Tuesday price, but membership is often free.
AMC: The nation’s largest chain offers Discount Tuesdays for members of its rewards program, AMC Stubs. Free enrollment is available, though paid tiers exist. Discount Tuesday ticket costs vary by location.
Regal Cinemas: Regal runs Regal Value Days on Tuesdays, where Regal Crown Club members receive reduced ticket prices and 50% off popcorn. The club is free to join. A theater-by-theater list shows most Regal locations charge around $5 or $5.95 on Tuesdays.
Cinemark: Cinemark’s Discount Tuesdays are available to Cinemark Movie Rewards members. There’s a free tier and a $10-per-month option with additional perks. Prices on Tuesdays depend on the theater.
4. Purchase Through Your Warehouse Club — In-Store or Online
Make the most of those warehouse club memberships. If you shop at Sam’s Club or Costco, inquire about movie tickets at customer service; they often sell discounted passes.
Costco also sells movie tickets online, and Sam’s Club does as well.
5. Look on Groupon
Results vary, but Groupon can sometimes list discounted movie tickets. Check their movie deals page for occasional offers on AMC, Regal and Cinemark tickets.
The site LivingSocial is another place to monitor for similar deals.
6. Eat Before You Go
Many cinemas today offer far more than popcorn, Sno-Caps and Raisinets. If you arrive hungry, you’ll likely be tempted by hot dogs, nachos, cheese fries, chicken tenders, pizza…
And those concession items are expensive.
You’ll save by dining at a restaurant before the movie.
To cut costs further, eat at home prior to going to the theater.
7. Share the Snacks
Theaters discourage outside food, but families often bring paper bags to split a large bucket of popcorn among kids.
It’s far cheaper than buying a separate small popcorn for each person. Splitting other snacks can save money too.
8. Take Advantage of Special Discounts
You may qualify for special pricing — and save up to about 35%. Examples include:
- AMC Theatres provides military, senior and student discounts. Exact savings are available at the box office.
- Regal Cinemas lists military discounts, senior discounts and student discounts. These are detailed at the theater.
- Cinemark also offers military, senior and student discounts.
9. Buy Discounted Movie Gift Cards
You can purchase discounted theater gift cards from various online marketplaces. For instance, AMC gift cards appear on sites like Raise with discounts up to 25%.
Use these for matinees and your outlay might be far less than an evening ticket.
10. Visit Discount Theaters
Also called late-run cinemas, discount theaters show the same films at reduced prices. Why not wait a few months and pay less?
Search “discount theater” plus your city name to find cheaper movie options.
11. Enroll in Loyalty Programs
Most cinemas run membership programs that offer savings. Examples include:
AMC
AMC’s loyalty program, AMC Stubs, has three levels.
- Insider is free and includes perks like Discount Tuesdays plus $5 back for every $50 spent.
- Premiere costs $15 monthly and allows free online ticket reservations and upsized popcorn and drinks. It may not be worth it for most people.
- A-List lets members see up to three films per week for $20 a month — ideal for heavy moviegoers.
Regal Cinemas
The Regal Crown Club is free and grants access to Regal Value Days on Tuesdays, featuring reduced tickets and half-price popcorn.
Cinemark
Cinemark offers Movie Fan (free) and Movie Club ($10 monthly), which includes one movie per month and 20% off concessions.
12. Try a Drive-In Theater
Visit DriveInMovie.com to find nearby drive-ins among the dwindling number still operating.
Check for discount nights or per-car pricing where you can take the whole family or split costs with friends. Also consider tips for making the outing more fun.
13. Attend Advance Screenings for Free
Studios sometimes offer complimentary tickets for advance previews. If you snag one, arrive early — screenings are often oversold.
Sites to monitor for available screenings include:
14. Buy in Bulk to Get a Discount
On BulkTix.com you can save up to $5 per ticket at some theaters when purchasing more than four at once. At Costco, 10-packs of tickets sold in-store also reduce the per-ticket price.
15. Opt for Late Shows
Certain theaters offer cheaper tickets for late-night screenings — sometimes the same price as matinees.
These showings often begin around midnight. If you’re a night owl, you can avoid crowds and spend less.
Michael Bramwell is a senior writer at Savinly. Steve Gillman is a former contributor to Savinly Readers.
