AMC and Regal Fight For the Show

Logo from official AMC website

Logo from official AMC website

Excitement is in the air as winter break rapidly approaches. Plans of sleeping in, eating tons, and gathering with close ones plague the minds of students everywhere. So much free time, so many options.

One undying activity is a visit to the movies. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “The Polar Express” are accompanied by new releases, such as “Love the Coopers and “The Night Before”, starring Seth Rogan. But before you decide on a movie, consider your theater of choice first. Here is a comparison between two popular, local two theaters.

 

Theatre: AMC Hawthorn (Vernon Hills, IL) Regal Cinema (Skokie, IL)
Ticket Price: $9.66 (1:40 showing) $7.30 (2:40 showing)
Small Popcorn/Small Drink $6.99/$4.09 $6.50/$4.50
Appearance Immense amounts of space for both sitting and waiting in line; Really cool digital signs that display each theater’s number and the movie showing in it; Generally clean, aside from the popcorn I spilled on my way to theater 6. Kind of small, but in a cozy way; Generally clean; Each theater is marked with a large, swirly number (doesn’t compare to digital signs, but still pretty cool)
Additional Info: *The seats recline, allowing for a more homely movie experience*Each row rises above the other, so when seated, the viewer feels as if it’s only them and those beside them. Personally, this was my favorite part. I didn’t have to fuss over the person behind me kicking my seat.*There are no student discounts. Only Child, Senior and Adult ticket pricing. *$1 off student discount; applies only to showings after matinee*Regal offers a rewards program where theatre goers earn points on movie ticket and food purchases and can redeem them later for discounted food or even free tickets– enrollment is free.
Student Opinions: “There are more people, [and] it’s more lively than Regal.” – Senior Kelly Vander Ploeg“That’s where we always go. It feels like family movies.” -Junior Emily Meister “I like the membership, and the prices are better.” – Senior Darwin Harms
My Opinion AMC steals the show. I enjoy the personalized seating and large expanse of space. While Regal provided a nice experience as well, nothing stood out to me that made my trip to the movies any more memorable than any other movie visit. Both theaters offered exceptional service, but it’s clear that AMC may be generally more preferable than the other.