Opening Thoughts: More and more movie theaters are adopting the assigned seating only option when you purchase a ticket to see a film. At first glance, that seems like a great idea, but is it truly a great idea. Sporting events, concerts, plays, and more have assigned seating so why shouldn't movies be the same way? A family of four can get seats next to each other and you no longer have to wait. Seems cool.
The AMC Experience: Minus Desert Ridge and Esplanade because those are advertised as a Dine-In experience, which I will cover later under Alamo, Roadhouse, and IPic Theaters Experience.
It's fantastic to get an assigned seat in advance to where I think I will get the best viewing experience. That is why I pay more for front row seats for concerts. Yet the reality is, I'm not trying to be as close as I can to the icons in a theater. So each person's idea of the best seat for viewing experience is different.
With stadium seating I like the middle row and middle seat. Usually I get that, but then here is the catch. I'm now stuck with that seat for better or for worse. This is where the pitfalls of assigned seating come in.
There are filmgoers out there who just don't seem to understand some people don't want someone sitting on either side of them they don't know. Now those people who are uncomfortable with that are ok if it is a sold out show or if that was the only space left for a family of four.
Speaking of a sold out show, you could end up sitting next to a couple making out, a person pulling out their phone during a film, people who their seats are assigned and decide to come late to the film sometimes 25 minutes into the screening, or yet worse someone who drowned themselves in cologne, perfume, or body spray. In unassigned seating, I could get up and move to different area no questions asked.
Is all that potential hassle worth buying an assigned seat in advance? I'd say no in my book. I have had to leave an AMC Theater three times this year as a result in the previews I could tell this seat is not going to work for various reasons. Staff is always nice and gives me a stub to see the film at a later time or tries to find me a new seat if there is one I think is acceptable from what is left. Yet I don't think it should come to that.
The Roadhouse, Alamo, IPic Theater, and Dine-In Experience:
Assigned seating in these theatres falls into a different category for me. Are you really here to watch a film or are you really here to have a nice dinner? One thing is for sure these theatres have more rooms and lend themselves more to a date night or family out for dinner atmosphere. So assigned seating is essential for their type of service and success.
As a result they actually tend to have better customer service in these places, these issues while they happen is not as big, because the staff is watching. The only real inconvenience with these types of theaters is the marathon being ran in front of each row during the film.
Closing Thoughts: A few years back my favorite theater in town, The Film Bar Phoenix, was going to switch to assign seating. The owner Kelly Aubey got talked out of it or just had a Baby Yoda moment of wisdom. I think Kelly made the right decision. The negatives far outweigh the positives unless you are trying to provide that Dine In experience. Those are two totally different type of filmgoers. Unassigned seating sets the tone for a more exciting atmosphere.
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