Why Allocated Seating At The Cinema Is A Bad Idea
Friday, July 4, 2014 at 6:41PM Following a recent visit to our local Cineworld cinema, we found things had changed. As usual, we queued up to get our tickets, but this time, we were asked a new question.
Where Would You Like To Sit?
Not what we were expecting at all. And not happy about it either. Because if there’s one thing I hate about some cinemas, it’s allocated seating.
I absolutely fail to understand its benefits. I really don’t see any. For me, it just causes more hassle, more annoying people, longer waits, and a less enjoyable experience.
According to this blog, by Cineworld, (which if I’m perfectly honest, could do with a copywriter sprucing it up a little bit), there are many benefits of allocated seating. Apparently, it means peace of mind, knowing you’ve got a seat reserved. It means being able to sit next to your friends. It means a ‘more relaxed journey to your seat,’ less queues and congestion, and supposedly, more choice.
Let’s start with this last one. More choice. How on earth does having allocated seating mean you get more choice at the cinema? It’s an absolutely moot point which makes no sense. Cineworld’s blog says “with allocated seating, you can choose where to sit.’” Really? No way. I didn’t realise that without allocated seating I didn’t have a choice. Maybe if staff tried this themselves, they’d realise that there’s actually less choice with allocated seating. Because if you turn up at the ticket counter and ask for a ticket, you get a choice of front, middle or back. Not a specific seat. It’s not like walking into the cinema and then choosing where to sit. Allocated seating makes no difference to the choice of film or screening I’m going to make, and nor does it offer me more seating options.
Next up, sitting with friends. Yeah, I usually choose to sit next to the people I go to the cinema with. Being able to book a seat doesn’t make much of a difference to that. And in fact, it’s sometimes easier, if there is a group of you, to just walking into the cinema and ask someone to move up one or two seats, so that you can all sit down. Because let’s face it, how many people really turn up to the cinema with more than a family, or group of 6? If that is the case, you make sure you get there early, or you just split into two different groups.
It’s not like you can talk to someone during a film anyway.
Supposedly, it also means enjoying a more relaxed journey to your seat.
“With allocated seating you no longer need to compete with other customers for available seats in the auditorium.”
When was the last time you fought someone off to get to your favourite seat?
“Plus, if you arrive late you won’t have to search in the dark looking for available seats.”
This one is complete rubbish. I think everyone agrees it’s much easier to see a seat with someone in it and one that is empty, compared with scrambling around in the dark trying to locate a tiny row number and minute seat number.
Because that’s what allocated seating means for me. More hassle in the theatre auditorium. You stumble around, trying to find where it is you’re supposed to be sitting, worrying you might end up sat in the wrong place and annoy someone. And then when you are sat down and trying to watch a trailer, someone later than you is blocking your view, stood looking around trying to find their seat. And that’s people with good eyesight.
And then there is the claim that allocated seatings means less queuing and congestion. Again, the complete opposite is true. Most people do not book in advance online. So when you turn up and stand in a queue, suddenly, it takes a whole lot longer to get through. Because Cineworld staff and computers aren’t the fastest at the best of times. And then when they have to ask another question to customers, wait for answer, and then input it into their system, it takes up lots more time. Not good for a smooth customer service.
Because you know what some people are like. They um and ahh, because they just don’t know. And let’s face it, front, middle or back is pretty ambiguous. So then you might want to pick a certain row, or seat, which means looking at the computer and having a think about the best spot, and suddenly, it’s taken 5 minutes just to buy a ticket.
And then, there’s more congestion when you get into the auditorium, because most people don’t seem to like allocated seating either, and find it difficult to get to grips with. You have to stand looking at your ticket, and then as mentioned previously, stumble around identifying a row number and seat number. And before you know it, there’s a queue of people behind you just trying to sit down.
Apparently allocated seating also means peace of mind, knowing you’ve got a seat reserved. I can’t argue with this one. That’s very true. But how many people do actually book in advance? If you’re going for something to eat first, or if you’ve got Orange Wednesdays, you’re not going to be booking. And even if you’re just going straight to the cinema on a regular day, you might not decide what you’re watching until just before you leave, or even when you get there.
Because let’s be honest, how often have you been in a completely full cinema? And when you have allocated seating for a screening that’s less than half, or even a quarter full, it just looks like an absolute farce, causing more trouble than it’s worth. What's wrong with first come, first served?
When a film is full, when it’s a brand new release of a blockbuster for example, then fine, do allocated seating. If you want to see the film on an opening night, you’re going to book ahead, and if you turn up late for the start of a brand new release, whether you’ve got allocated seats or not, you’re going to be in the neck craning section. Having allocated seating then to fit as many people as possible into the cinema makes sense. I can go with that.
But at any other time, what’s the point? It’s just more hassle than it’s worth, and makes for a less enjoyable experience. Don’t you agree?
Reader Comments (3)
You make all the same points as I have raised. If we have to have allocated seating, then cinemas should be more like theatres, where you turn up on time, are shown to your seat and latecomers are not admitted and people talking/using phones or generally being annoying are told to desist or asked to leave. With the average ticket price in the region of £10 and drinks and snacks at least another 50% of that, I can't understand how people have the money to waste if they're not actually going to watch the film from start to finish.
The irony to all of this is that events such as the Doctor Who screening and the theatre performances, which are generally very well attended and sell out quickly, are not allocated seating and they work fine.
I agree completely. Very amused by the image of a fist fight over a favourite seat. My personal issue, that I've been posting everywhere I can, is that I'm short and now can't move seats like I always have done when a tall person sits in front of me and blocks my view! In my opinion, because females tend to be a bit shorter than males, this actually makes the allocated seating issue one of sex discrimination. If you are short, there's no such thing as 'good seats' - all it takes is for someone tall to sit in front of you and no matter where you are sitting (except at the very front, which is actually the last place anyone wants to sit!) the seat is bad.
I remember seeing Quantum of Solace at Cineworld and it was allocated seating, it did work really well in that circumstance but I don't think this is necessary for the smaller films. I went to see A Million Ways to Die in the West a few weeks ago and it was half empty, I don't think allocated seating would have worked well at all then.
Maybe allocate the seats for the first 2 or 3 weeks after release to account for the high numbers of people then revert to normal.