Man complains about high prices at movie theatre, PVR responds

A journalist recently criticised the high costs of food items and beverages offered at multiplex chains. PVR has now adressed the issue.

Due to the steep prices, cinemagoers often face a dilemma when purchasing snacks and beverages at movie theatres. This unfortunate situation hampers their ability to fully indulge in their favourite treats while watching a film, significantly affecting the overall cinema experience. Recently, a journalist who visited PVR Cinemas in Noida encountered the same issue. After paying high prices for popcorn and a beverage, he took to Twitter to raise concerns about the exorbitant prices of snacks and beverages, in addition to the movie ticket by multiplex chains. He even compared the amount he paid for snacks at the theatre and the cost of an entire year’s subscription to an OTT platform. Now, PVR has acted on his complaint and slashed the prices of their food and beverages.

The journalist shared this invoice after he paid ₹820 for regular cheese popcorn and Pepsi at a PVR in Noida. (Twitter/@tridipkmandal)

“ ₹460 for 55gm of cheese popcorn, ₹360 for 600ml of Pepsi. Total ₹820 at @_PVRCinemas Noida. That’s almost equal to the annual subscription of @PrimeVideoIN. No wonder people don’t go to cinemas anymore. Movie watching with family has just become unaffordable,” tweeted journalist Tridip K Mandal along with a picture of the invoice. It shows that Mandal spent ₹820 for regular cheese popcorn and Pepsi.

Take a look at the invoice he tweeted below:

The tweet, shared by Mandal, soon went viral, amassing over 2.7 million views. It also received a flurry of responses from netizens, with one saying, “Took my parents out for a movie in Guwahati. Spent almost one year of Hotstar premium subscription price on food.” “The more interesting thing is that there is only Rs. 10 difference between medium and large. It becomes a life changing decision to decide for which to go when considering calorie intake as well,” posted another.

Ten days after Mandal’s tweet, PVR Cinemas slashed the prices for various food items and beverages. They shared a picture and wrote, “We at PVR believe that every opinion matters and it must be respected. We have this update for you and for every moviegoer in India #PVRHeardYou.”

Here’s how people reacted to PVR Cinema’s tweet:

“Asked the PVR staff at @VegaCitySocial mall in Bangalore and they said it’s just for ‘display’. Ended up paying 300 for the burger. What a sham,” posted a Twitter user. To this, the company apologised and requested the person to share the details. Another added, “(The offer) not showing online.”

“Do share terms and conditions,” commented a third. A fourth posted, “Amazing. PS - I sometimes watch movies at PVR only for Caramel Popcorn.” “Is this offer applicable for all PVR screens?” enquired a fifth.