That's not okay.

 

What the Hell do you mean you're "out of butter"?  I was so irate the other day that, even with my usually decent Spanish, I simply could not conjure that phrase when I was told by the girl at the concession stand at the theater in Multi-Plaza that I would not be having butter on my popcorn.  So far, of the two places I frequent for movies, Multi-Plaza has always at least had butter (it was always cold, because they wouldn't want to plug in the $400+  heating dispenser, at the risk of shortening it's life...) - even if they do charge me for it and hide it behind the counter so no one can have what they might consider "too much", going along with what seems to be a national, obsessive fear of anyone getting more than their share.  The other theater I go to, in Plaza Mayor, simply does not have butter.  Period.  No explanation, nothing.  What worries me is that they still have the butter dispenser...behind the counter...and it's empty...like the ones at Multi-Plaza are now.  Is that how it happens?  They had butter (and yes, I know it's not butter, but some likely pertroleum-based, butter-flavored slime, like Supur-Kist) and then, one day, they ran out and, rather than continue being bothered by people who aren't satisfied with popcorn just the way it is, they decided not to get any more?  I skipped the popcorn.  I won't eat it without butter.  I'd prefer it if I could pump the butter on myself, rather than beg, fruitlessly, for more from someone who's even hesitant to give me more even when I say I'll pay for each extra pump.  Maybe that's what I'm really paying for when I see a movie in the states for $10.  Maybe I'm just paying $6 extra for free-flowing Supur-Kist?  Well, as it stands, the movies here cost me less and less all the time.  Without popcorn, the outing is even cheaper, but not as satisfying.  Maybe I'll start bringing my own butter.  I wonder is Supur-Kist comes in individual packs?

Comments

[Paul M.]

Popcorn is the only really healthy concession item left in the movie houses these days. When I go to a movie in Florida I will cough up the bazillion dollars to buy some concession stand popcorn (or if I am feeling really reckless, a box of chocolate-covered raisins, and yes that doesn't taste much like chocolate on them) and I ask for the popcorn without butter -or salt for that matter, the latter which always gets an interestng reaction.

I did find a concession manager at one cinema though who said I could get it without salt if I wanted to wait a few minutes while they popped a new batch, since they were getting low. He told the server to just scoop my popcorn out before the new batch was salted.

I never get butter on movie popcorn as before the film is over I manage to transfer at least a couple smudges of it onto my glasses, which makes for blurry viewing of the movie.

I'll bet you can find a squeezable bottle of liquid 'butter' at one of the groceries to take with you, even if you have to put an Rx label on it to sneak it past any scanners on the way in. Then you can revel in the luxury of buttered popcorn again without having to wonder whether the concession stand will ever refill their dispenser.

Cheers,

PM
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[Chris P]

You are a wise man, Paul. I also plan to bring a little shaker of parmesan cheese too. If I'm gonna break rules, I'm ought to go big! ;-)

[chris]

V.I.P. TerraMall. You will never go to another movie theatre again.