Popcorn/Absurdity Combo
What could be better than a bag of popcorn with extra butter, a Coke, and a bag of candy at the movies? Admit it: No popcorn is ever as good as the one you get at the cinema. Unfortunately for us, even though movie theatres will be reopening as of February 26 in Quebec, allowing them to offer food and drinks to their customers is apparently too risky. I guess the virus likes popcorn as much as we do!
While it’s a shame that moviegoers will still not be able to treat their taste buds, it is theatre owners who will have to bear the real brunt of this overzealous measure.
Food and drink represent a large part of their revenues, sometimes accounting for over 80% of sales. Movie tickets are therefore far from being their main source of revenue, and without the income associated with the sale of food and drinks, many cinemas would operate at a loss. For this reason, not all movie theatres will reopen. Not to mention that the early curfew limits access for a good portion of the population, thus reducing demand.
The more it aims for zero risk and launches absurd micromanagement campaigns, the more the government will keep pushing increasing numbers of entrepreneurs into bankruptcy. Unfortunately for that delicious movie popcorn, it doesn’t qualify for the coveted designation as a “fleuron québécois” and so probably doesn’t capture the attention of our policy-makers.