People confused about reserved seating at movie theters

[TheTylerDurden]

I'm in Toronto, and virtually every movie I got to is reserved seating.

I don't understand why people wouldn't prefer this. You only need to arrive a short time before the movie starts, and you don't need to stand in a line and show up extra early to get a decent seat.

You go, your seat is waiting.

I've never had an issue of someone already sitting in my seat, but to be fair I arrive a little bit early usually, not at the very last minute.

 

[TheTylerDurden]

My friend sat in someone else's seat. He's a pretty big dude. This timid looking guy asked for his seat. He just brushed him off. The guy went and sat somewhere else.

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Your friend sounds like a really great guy.

 

[Deleted member 2085]

Damn why you guys letting gaogaogao troll you so hard

Lmao

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lol so he was arguing in bad faith? that's bannable lol

 

[Shadybiz]

My friend sat in someone else's seat. He's a pretty big dude. This timid looking guy asked for his seat. He just brushed him off. The guy went and sat somewhere else.

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Your friend is a dicknose.

 

[Yasuke]

No ones confused.

They're trying to steal seats and hoping the seat they pick wasn't reserved.

 

[IDreamOfHime]

People do this on fucking planes too. People suck.

 

[gaogaogao]

lol so he was arguing in bad faith? that's bannable lol

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not trolling, not arguing in bad faith, but I am going to sleep.

 

[zeioIIDX]

I always wondered...if I didn't use Fandango and just bought a ticket at the theater (haven't done that in ages), would my ticket I get at the theater have a seat number on it or do I get to choose a seat at the window when purchasing it? Because if not, that's kinda fucked up since using Fandango let's you choose your seat. Meaning anyone showing up to the theater and buying their ticket at the window pretty much thinks they can sit wherever if their ticket doesn't tell them a seat number.

 

[WhySoDevious]

I love reserved seating and I love buying my tickets online.

I still remember the old days and I don't ever wanna go back.

 

[TheDestructiveSquirrel]

I always wondered...if I didn't use Fandango and just bought a ticket at the theater (haven't done that in ages), would my ticket I get at the theater have a seat number on it or do I get to choose a seat at the window when purchasing it? Because if not, that's kinda fucked up since using Fandango let's you choose your seat. Meaning anyone showing up to the theater and buying their ticket at the window pretty much thinks they can sit wherever if their ticket doesn't tell them a seat number.

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If it's like theatres in Canada they'll have a touch screen where you select your tickets when you buy them, similar to online

 

[metsallica]

One of my favorite current things is to go to a well-attended documentary in an assigned seat theater in NYC. The yelling, the hearing aids, the staff screaming in futile assistance... It is the most fun zoo imaginable. You ever want to see a ton of 90-year-olds throw down? RBG at the Landmark 57th is your main event.

 

[LiK]

Reserved seating was a thing in Asia and I love that it's here now. Still, it's rather annoying if someone is trying to steal seats. At least wait until the movie has started first.

 

[Reinhard]

If the theater has other screenings without reserved seating that are cheaper, it is often people who pay for the cheaper movies and then sneak into the more premier sound/screen showing such as the Dolby or lie-Max screens. Otherwise, it is people who bought shitty seats and hope that people wont confront them over taking better seats.

 

[Josh5890]

It's happend probably 3-4 times when i have gone and I go on average every other week. There was one time when my GF and I were seeing La La Land, and an elderly couple were in our seats. I could tell they genuinely didn't know what was going on so I helped them find their seats. The other times...... yea no comment. Luckily no one has ever made a fuss or tried pushing back. They just get up and take the L.

 

[Nostremitus]

Where are you from? There are still many places in the world where the concept is still new, personally where i live it's not even a feature in all the cinemas in town, just some of them (the bigger ones).

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Yeah, but even the very first time I encountered it I knew I had a specific seat because you have to choose your seat when purchasing your ticket. There's no way a person can claim they didn't know. It's 100% people not liking that the good seats were already claimed and feeling entitled enough to sit in them anyway and feining ignorance when confronted about it. It's the same shit that happens on airplanes when assholes decide they don't like the seat they purchased.

 

[DopeyFish]

It happened once to me

I don't say anything to the person, just go to an usher and let them figure it out

I remember overhearing the people go "oh no our tickets aren't for today" lel

 

[Qvoth]

this happens often in planes, never experienced such a thing in a cinema though

 

[Brazil]

Reserved seats have been the standard here for about 10 years now. This shit is becoming less and less common because people don't tolerate it at all.

I've seen people who tried to steal seats, didn't budge when confronted, and ended up having to leave while booed by the entire room.

If you try to pull this shit you should go live with wild animals, away from the benefits of organized society.

 

[M. Wallace]

Most people (on a weekend when it's actually busy) just sneak in to another movie, and keep moving seats until they have no option to leave. It happens, they know they are wrong and will leave. Just be polite.

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Uhh, not being polite. Have a brain.

 

[ApexPoogie]

They're not confused; most of them are theater hopping. People used to be able to just buy a ticket for a movie in the morning, then just stay at the theater all day and watch whatever. Now with reserved seating, they do the same thing, but they just hope no one will kick them out of the seat.

 

[SABO.]

My girlfriend and I always reserve the couple seat (more room, no gap in the middle) so naturally its always taken by another couple.

We tell them they're in our seats and they move on.

People do it on purpose. Just gotta give them the good old sorry buddy but thats my seat.

 

[Curler]

Uhh, not being polite. Have a brain.

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Have a brain to be polite and tell the person sitting in your seat to move?

??

 

[Absoludacrous]

They're not confused; most of them are theater hopping. People used to be able to just buy a ticket for a movie in the morning, then just stay at the theater all day and watch whatever. Now with reserved seating, they do the same thing, but they just hope no one will kick them out of the seat.

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I did that once a long time ago. It was like 12 hours of movies.

I couldn't bring myself to go back to a theater for like two years afterwards.

Probably didn't help that one of the movies was League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

 

[tokyostomp]

I did this one. My gf's mother bought tickets way in advance. We went and our seats were taken.

Turns out we went on the wrong day. Theater was cool and gave us passes for the next showing.

 

[SneerfulOwl]

People have done this to my seats in the past. So I just went to other reserved seats instead. Others did the same as soon as they saw me seating on their seat. And the cycle continued and the funny thing is, the theater didn't give a shit about it because there were just too many people seating on wrong reserved seats.

 

[Dynamite Cop]

Where are you from? There are still many places in the world where the concept is still new, personally where i live it's not even a feature in all the cinemas in town, just some of them (the bigger ones).

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But it's like going to a sporting event. Even glancing at the ticket for a second, the row and seat numbers are clearly visible.

 

[the_bromo_tachi]

It could be a problem with the ticket machine. I remember way back I ordered a ticket for a certain seat but an error occurred despite it already taking my money. So the manager guided me to that seat only for someone to tell me I took their seat. So I informed the manager about it and she got me a seat no one has taken yet.

 

[haimon]

We've had reserved seating for years so none of this shit ever happens.

 

[ResetGreyWolf]

Never ever seen this in Sweden or Japan, but then I've never seen cinemas with unreserved seats. Didn't even know that was a thing.

 

[Deleted member 15326]

Reserved seats are only "new" in America where people think being a loud asshole makes you a good leader

 

[Raysoul]

It looks like the problem is not reserved seating, but assholes taking your reserved seats. We haven't encountered any assholes like that here in the Philippines, so is it an "American" problem? Reserved seating is the best.

 

[NFinity]

A few times, when according to the online seating chart, they're should be people sitting right next to my group, the seats remain empty.

 

[MrKlaw]

What is with people who sit in the wrong seats at a movie theater with reserved seating? Your row and seat number is right there on your ticket. They act so surprised by somebody telling them they are in the wrong seat. I see this every time I go to a theater with reserved seating, I just don't get it.

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I can understand them perhaps missing some random numbers on a ticket. But they would have conciously selected those seats at point of purchase, so they should know to look for them

Cinemas could do better at labelling seats though - if we get there a little late and the ads/trailers are on, we struggle to see the tiny labels on each row

 

[TCi]

Never ever seen this in Sweden or Japan, but then I've never seen cinemas with unreserved seats. Didn't even know that was a thing.

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Yea. Never knew that was a thing myself until a few years ago. There have always been reserved seatings in Norway. At least as long as I can remember (30+). Not having that seems like a bad idea.

Though I have had people going into the wrong room , claiming wrong seats because of that. I guess for some, reading and following directions is hard.

 

[Deleted member 25108]

.

 

[Sacul64]

This actually happened to me earlier this year -- I had the wrong seat. I was looking at the seat numbers wrong. Turns out I was supposed to be one seat over.

I still end up reserving the wrong seat on the graphic they present at the register. It's flipped around! I think I'm reserving a seat far away from the screen, but it ends up being close to the screen. Hate reserved seating.

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Yup this exact thing happened to a friend and I the first time we were at a theater that did assigned seating.

 

[MrKlaw]

So you're ok to make time ahead of the movie to queue up to get a good seat, but not ok to make time ahead of the movie in the comfort of your own home to select a seat, or get to the same cinema early like you would when queueing up and choose a seat when buying your ticket?

What's the difference?

 

[BADMAN]

I noticed this once at the Black Panther premier. Some old white guy and his grandson changed seats for the kid's viewing convinence. The black guys that had seats noticed and didn't say anything to them and sat a few rows back.

 

[joylevel11]

Don't know but doesn't bother me. If I've picked a seat and someone is sitting in it then I would just let them know. Not gonna get upset or mad about it.

We have reserved seats here but never had any issue with it. Everyone seems to know where their seat is. People can make mistakes though so I won't automatically assume they are trying to steal good seats lol.

 

[Rendering...]

My friend sat in someone else's seat. He's a pretty big dude. This timid looking guy asked for his seat. He just brushed him off. The guy went and sat somewhere else.

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Yeah, if I were him I'd get the management. When you pay for a seat you should be able to sit in it.

 

[honest_ry]

"Hey youre in my seat"

That took less effort than typing up this thread. People poach good seats for the chance folk dont show up, or they just dont know its reserved at all

If I dont like my reserved seats I usually sit in the handicap ones

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If you are not disabled you are a total cunt.

 

[Deleted member 4247]

That very rarely happens here in Sweden, since everyone is used to reserved seating since forever. There's nothing else here. People can still make mistakes of course, but I can't really think of a time that's happened to me. And definitely not people intentionally trying to get a better seat than the one they reserved. You sit where you should be sitting.

 

[Deleted member 4247]

My friend sat in someone else's seat. He's a pretty big dude. This timid looking guy asked for his seat. He just brushed him off. The guy went and sat somewhere else.

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Your friend sounds like a real asshole.

 

[Papertoonz]

the theater i go to started doing reserved seating a year or so ago

the only time i have had people sitting in the wrong seat is when they get the row mixed up

i really have come to enjoy reserving my seat since it means i don't have to rush into the theater to get a good seat any more

 

[ninnanuam]

There are many reasons to want to move in a movie theater. My main issue with reserved seats is proximity to other people and who those other people are. I don't want the best seats in the house if they are next to or around a group of teens, or people making out or too close to anyone in particular and I'm not going to know that until I'm in the room.. Its a reason I don't go to packed screenings with or without reserved seats.

 

[Deleted member 4247]

There are many reasons to want to move in a movie theater. My main issue with reserved seats is proximity to other people and who those other people are. I don't want the best seats in the house if they are next to or around a group of teens, or people making out or too close to anyone in particular and I'm not going to know that until I'm in the room.. Its a reason I don't go to packed screenings with or without reserved seats.

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If they can't behave, get them thrown out? Don't see the issue. Reserved seating is absolutely superior.

 

[ninnanuam]

If they can't behave, get them thrown out? Don't see the issue. Reserved seating is absolutely superior.

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Behave? Im talking about shit like people making out in front of me and maybe having a conversation with friends that I can overhear because I am close to them. People don't deserve to be kicked out for that but I don't want to have to deal with it close up.

I disagree that reserved seating is superior.

 

[Westbahnhof]

There are many reasons to want to move in a movie theater. My main issue with reserved seats is proximity to other people and who those other people are. I don't want the best seats in the house if they are next to or around a group of teens, or people making out or too close to anyone in particular and I'm not going to know that until I'm in the room.. Its a reason I don't go to packed screenings with or without reserved seats.

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Reserved seating sounds like it'd actually be better for you.
If you show up late enough (on purpose), you can simply look where people are sitting on the plan, and choose an isolated seat (or none at all). You can estimate the number of other people, all that.

Behave? Im talking about shit like people making out in front of me and maybe having a conversation with friends that I can overhear because I am close to them. People don't deserve to be kicked out for that but I don't want to have to deal with it close up.

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Oh, they ABSOLUTELY do. At least it you ask them for silence and they won't stop.

 

[Flabber]

Meh, if it's busy I'll sit where my ticket says, but so often I go to films that are a third full or less so I'll just sit wherever. If people ask me to move of course I will but no one has yet. I usually sit in the fancy seats because no one actually pays extra to sit in the fancy seats to see Ladybird after it's already been out for over a month.

If I can be arsed to wait and queue before you, I deserve to have my pick of the seats.

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I mean if you're first in the queue then you do get to pick the seat? They ask you where you want to sit when you buy your ticket.

 

[ninnanuam]

Reserved seating sounds like it'd actually be better for you.
If you show up late enough (on purpose), you can simply look where people are sitting on the plan, and choose an isolated seat (or none at all). You can estimate the number of other people, all that.

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I have done that before, it can be useful but it still leaves closed the ability to eyeball the occupants in the room, put it down to group spacing behaviour or something.
Anyway I've put my two cents in, I don't expect anyone to agree with me. I know I prioritise a lot of stuff in different ways to others.