LAKEPORT >> As the cold, overnight temperatures say goodbye and the summertime weather starts its visits, Lakeport Auto Movies announced the start of their 2017 Drive-In season — including a new policy that has left many talking on social media.
On April 18, just three days before their first showing, the drive-in announced on Facebook that they were adopting a No Outside Food Policy.
According to Lakeport Cinema 5’s general manager Justin Hamaker, the policy has taken effect this season because, “in the recent years, prices have gone up including minimum wage, energy, and vendors. Within that time, however, ticket prices have not risen. And because the drive-in really depends on the snack bar’s income, we’ve raised those prices. Doing this allows us to avoid raising prices even more.”
Auto Movies has added that trash has also added to their expenses. By allowing outside food, the result of trash that accumulates after each day increases, costing the drive-in to pay trash labor more than usual.
But Lakeport is not the only one that adopted the policy. In fact, the majority of the approximately 324 drive-in theaters that still stand have been enforcing the No Outside Food rule for several years. Though there is no governmental regulation that mandates drive-ins to adopt the policy, businesses hold the right to institute policies like No Outside Food allowed.
“Regular theaters don’t allow outside food. This is just an extension of that,” Hamaker said.
Customers are still allowed to bring in outdoor food — under one condition, that is. Auto Movies announced that guests can purchase an Outside Food permit for $5 at the box office for each visit they make. In addition, the permit comes with “$6 in snack bar coupons for an assortment of an item.”
Responses came flooding in after the new policy announcement went public on Facebook. Though some were not too pleased to find out about starting their drive-in season with restrictions, the most customers responded with “I support this,” or “this is absolutely fair.”
“People were nice about it. They came in on Friday and Saturday expecting this new policy to start,” Josef Hock, who worked the stands on opening night said.
Hamaker added that though this is new, people continue to “show how much they appreciate that [Auto Movies] is here. The drive-in is very special to Lake County.”
This Friday and Saturday, The Boss Baby will show at 8:30 p.m. and Power Rangers will follow at 10:10 p.m.
