Cineplex Canada is undoubtedly one of the most popular places in the country to catch a movie.
However, even if you're a hardened movie lover, there are some Cineplex hacks that only its employees know.
To get the skinny on what's going down at Cineplex, Narcity spoke with Eric Bizzarri, a former employee with roughly five years of experience working at a location in the Greater Toronto Area.
From knowing how to get the freshest popcorn to getting a refund before the movie starts, here are some of Cineplex's best-kept secrets, according to someone who knows it all.
It's easy to save money
One easy way to save money at Cineplex is by simply asking for water rather than buying it.
Bizzarri lays out the fact that you can actually just ask for a cup of water at Cineplex locations, and employees will generally be happy to oblige.
"Do not get a bottle of water and pay like $5.50 for it," he said. "That's insane. You can always get a cup of water [from the concession]."
He revealed that, if you ask politely, employees will usually just give you a typical concession cup full of water.
Refunds are possible
You can almost always get a refund on your movie ticket, according to Bizzarri.
All you have to do is email guest services (provided you've reserved your ticket ahead of time) and ask politely for a refund.
However, Bizzarri does add that that your window to get a refund closes around 30 minutes after the movie has started.
So, if you've had an unexpected change of plans or are running too late to catch a movie, this is always one to consider.
That being said, this might not be the case for all locations, and is likely up to the discretion of the individual theatre and management.
You can have a theatre to yourself
If you like having the theatre to yourself, there are some specific days and times you can visit to beat the crowds at Cineplex.
"Monday and Wednesday," said Bizzarri when asked about the quietest days of the week.
He even put extra emphasis on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.
"It's because there's nothing really happening on either of those days," he explained, adding that Tuesdays have cheaper movie tickets and Thursdays often have advance screenings.
Get the freshest popcorn
If you love getting the warmest, freshest popcorn, you can actually request it fresh.
When the employees make popcorn, "it can be in the warmer for 15 minutes," Bizzarri revealed, which removes some of that freshness we all love.
"But if you ask them to get it from the fresh batch or if you ask them to actually make you a fresh batch, they have to do it," he said.
"So, if you're willing to wait like 15 minutes, they can actually make you a fresh batch of popcorn."
Is it easy to sneak into a different movie?
We've all heard of that classic trick from when we were kids — buy tickets to the G or PG movie then sneak into the 18A or R-rated one.
But, it's not so easy nowadays and the move can actually get the theatre in a lot of trouble.
Believe it or not, there are "mystery shoppers" whose job is to see if anyone underage is in an 18A movie.
"[For companies like Cineplex] ratings mean quite a bit," explained Bizzarri.
And letting someone into a movie who's not old enough or who's unaccompanied by their parents could mean "serious trouble."
So, they really care about who goes into what movie and are actively checking — so don't even try it!
Are the add-ons worth it?
If you've been mulling over upgrading your movie experience, then it's best to know what's worth it — and what isn't.
Bizzarri said that "AVX Atmos is worth it because Dolby Atmos is an entirely different sound quality."
However, just a regular AVX is not really worth it, he added.
As for IMAX, he said that cinema viewers should do their research before paying extra cash.
"IMAX is worth it only if [the movie] was shot with IMAX cameras," he said, which can apparently be easily researched.
If it's not shot with IMAX cameras, "it's essentially just an expanded image."
Sold out means sold out
Bizzarri told Narcity that loads of people do ask if they can go in and watch a movie even when all the seats have been taken.
"People have asked us 'if I pay $20, can I put a folding chair in the cinema?'"
He's also been asked by a moviegoer if they could sit on the floor, with some people offering $50 for the rule-bend.
And the short answer to those questions is no, it isn't possible.
So make sure you get there early if you really want to catch a film, because cinema employees don't want to decline your bribes!
And, if you are planning on heading to a Cineplex near you sometime soon, be sure to avoid doing any of these things that will make the movie theatre employees hate you!
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
