Pilot Movie Theater Ups the Dining Quotient

Movie theater giant AMC Entertainment, Inc., has launched its Fork & Screen premium entertainment/dining pilot at the Studio 30 theater in Olathe, KS. A newly renovated wing of the theater complex now offers separate auditoriums with casual and upscale dining and entertainment services, while the rest of the theater retains the traditional moviehouse menu and seating.

Both the casual Fork & Screen and the upscale Cinema Suites sections of Studio 30 offer Seat-Side Service, which lets patrons order from a diverse menu of appetizers, sandwiches, entrees, desserts, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine and cocktails, as well as traditional theatre concessions. Food prices range from $5.29 to $11.59 a plate.

The casual Fork & Screen section, with soft, comfortable seating and table-top dining, encompasses eight auditoriums reserved for guests 18-years-old and over and minors accompanied by a parent or guardian. Guests 21-years-old and over can also upgrade to one of the three upscale Cinema Suites auditoriums featuring reserved seating, where they can dine from an extensive menu on unique swivel tables while sitting in plush, reclining seats with eight-foot row spacing.

Another feature of Fork & Screen is the MacGuffins bar/lounge, reserved for those who hold tickets to any of Studio 30’s auditoriums. McGuffins offers alcohol service and a menu of appetizers and desserts.

Menu offerings across Fork & Screen, Cinema Suites and MacGuffins emphasize fresh, quality ingredients and in-house preparation. Selections include grilled gourmet burgers, hand-pulled flatbread pizzettas, roasted chicken quesadillas and fresh salads.

The intent of the new concept is to draw more older and more affluent customers to the movie theater. Surveys show older customers are often turned off by the limited food and beverage choices, uncomfortable seats and loud crowds of youngsters and teens typically found in most movie theaters.