Q&A for How to Sneak Food Into a Movie Theatre

Most theatres do not check bags, but if they do they will likely not move things around inside your bag. If you cover your food with other items, you should be fine.

In most cases you will save money. Movie theatres often charge much more than the grocery store for the same item.

While not against federal law, it is against most movie theater policies to bring in outside food. While you won't get arrested, you may be asked to leave the theater.

They want you to buy the food they have, so that you spend more money. My mom always brings snacks in her purse to the dollar theater. They never check bags there.

Then you don't need to go to all this trouble, since it's not against the rules.

You may be able to hide some food items this way, however, you might not want to eat them afterwards. You would also likely need to go to the washroom in order to retrieve your food, which could be difficult.

They're not going to ask to see a receipt. 90% of people who purchase food at a concession stand do not take a receipt if it's offered to them. Just hide the food in your bag or pocket and you'll be fine.

If they smell the food, either say you just ate at a place that fits the smell, or apologize and hand over the food.

Hide the food on your actual person, like in your pockets.

Chewy candy, gummies, nuts, dried fruits, gum, licorice, and others will be great.

If you get caught, don't sweat it; simply apologize and hand over all of your food. They may let you stay. Some theaters kick you out, and some even call the police, so be careful.

Make sure not to have food with a very powerful scent. Also, make sure your food is thoroughly wrapped and sealed in something like a Ziploc bag to prevent smells from escaping. If they know you are trying to bring food into the theater, they may make you throw it away or ask you to leave.

They will not call the cops unless you get belligerent when you are caught. It's not illegal to sneak food into a movie theater, it's just against policy. The worst thing that could happen is you get kicked out of the theater and/or banned from returning.

I am not completely positive, but I do not think they are. They might be able to tell you to open your bag, but I am not sure if they are able to go through it. I'm not sure, but it might depend on the establishment.

Some people don't want to pay outrageous amounts of money for food at the movie theatre, so they'd prefer to buy cheaper food somewhere else and just bring it in.

You can try sneaking in your own food! Be sure to be discreet about it.

You will likely not be able to sneak food in if this is the case.

It is not against the law, but it is against the theater policies. You wont get arrested for doing it, but you may be removed from the theater, so just be careful.

You could, but there is a risk of it falling out and being seen. Also, you might get hair in your snacks.

They will not do that. They are not licensed to look through your bag.

You could try coming back in 6 months and see how it goes. If they kick you out, wait another 6 months and try again. If there's another theater nearby, you can go there in the meantime (I don't recommend trying to sneak food into it, though).

Since theater food is designed to encourage you to buy more, like salty popcorn leading to a soda purchase, homemade food is generally a healthier option.

You should tell them that it would make you uncomfortable if they did so. If they persist, call security.

They probably won't call the police, but they might ask you to leave. If you refuse, they could contact law enforcement.

They don't usually check bags like purses, but if a bag looks like a lunch or food bag, they might ask what's inside or check themselves. They may just ask you not to bring it inside altogether.

Typically, employees do not check bags unless you appear suspicious.

Yes, many people continue to purchase food from movie theaters despite the high prices. This behavior is often attributed not only to convenience but also to a desire to avoid suspicion when bringing in outside snacks.

Yes, you can bring an emergency energy bar. However, you should conceal it to avoid raising suspicion from movie employees about bringing in outside food.

If you are caught, admitting it to the staff might lead to a lighter consequence.

Theater staff are not law enforcement officers and typically do not have the authority to search patrons or conduct pat-downs. You are unlikely to encounter such measures.