Out with the Old & In with the New: The Evolution of Cinema Dining

There was once a time, believe it or not, when your only food choices at the movie theatre were popcorn, soda pop and a box of Jujubes. Going out for “dinner & a movie” meant stopping at a restaurant for a bite to eat before making your way to the multiplex. Today, cinemas are moving towards a different way to dine. Over the years, movie cuisine has developed into more fast-casual options. Hot dogs, soft pretzels and nachos are just some of the options that have graced movie theatre menus. But now those days are falling farther and farther behind us. The future of cinema foodservice is here and rewriting the whole script!

Imagine walking into your local theatre and being greeted with the enticing smell of freshly prepared food, instead of popcorn. The food options in front of you are items like garden salads topped with freshly fried coconut shrimp, prosciutto and pear flatbreads, and roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and a maple mayo for dipping. Suddenly your trip to the movies becomes a culinary showcase! So, you pick out the delicious items you plan to devour during the film and head to your seats. To your amazement, the seats are much bigger than you remember, and now include a fold down tray to make eating even easier! You find the perfect seat, turn your cell phone to silent, and dig in.

This scenario isn’t too good to be true. This is the new rising reality of cinema dining. But, how is it possible? How can theatres add these extensive menus and still increase their profits? The answer is simple, with the right equipment. At Motion Technology Inc., we have spent nearly thirty years perfecting our ventless fryers and ovens to meet the needs of our clients. The AutoFry and MultiChef XL require no hood installations, saving owners from costly renovations, and can fit in just about any location. All operators need to do is plug in and start cooking.

The menu possibilities are as endless as the end credits! Not only can cinemas serve up all the delicious items mentioned above, they can create just about anything they can dream up! And while each piece of our equipment shines bright all on their own, combining our oven and fryer arms any business with a powerhouse of a kitchen.

There is no denying cinema dining has come quite a long way since its beginnings. There is also no denying that cinemas need to keep up with the culinary trends! Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be difficult, as long as the AutoFry and MultiChef XL are on your team!