The Dos and Don’ts of Sneaking Food Into a Movie Theater

One of the best parts of going to a movie theater and seeing some of the latest featured films is the food you eat as you watch. Sometimes it’s better to bring your own food into the theater instead of buying from the concession stand; However, there are some parts of your plan that you may want to consider before you enter the theater. Read on to learn the dos and don’ts of sneaking food into the movie theater and find out how to have the best snacks for a better motion picture event.

Do: Bring Small Snacks

Although enjoying a medium-sized pizza during the movie would be nice, it’s not the most discreet food to smuggle in. Instead, bring small snacks to the theater to hide them on your person. Grab bags of chips and thin, tall soda bottles that are easier to hide and carry into the theater. Multiple bags of small snacks will fit well in your bag and won’t stick out for the staff to notice.

There are numerous other snacks to sneak into the theater, including candy, corn dogs, and fries. Make sure you also bring some filling snacks, such as turkey jerky, for a small food with a big taste and satisfaction factor. Buy turkey jerky online for a great selection of different flavors to accompany the excitement of watching a new movie.

Don’t: Leave a Mess

Practicing good manners is important even after successfully pulling off your plan to sneak your food in. Don’t leave a mess in the theater with the wrappers and crumbs of your illicit snacks.

The mess you leave behind isn’t hard evidence that they could trace back to you unless you were the only person in the theater. But it’s still rude to skirt around their rules and leave junk for theater staff to clean up. Be a respectful moviegoer who doesn’t leave a trace instead of a rude attendee who doesn’t bother to clean up their mess.

Do: Try To Go With Friends for More Food

Movies are often more enjoyable with friends, especially when these friends have pockets to spare. While you’re most likely capable of sneaking in all your snacks by yourself, having friends will ensure there is more food for the adventure. Bring friends to the movies to have an assortment of different foods, and make sure you all check each other for any exposed packages or wrappers. Spread the food among yourselves to appear less conspicuous. You’ll enjoy the movie with your delicious cargo when traveling in a group and avoiding suspicion.

Don’t: Bring Food That Requires Utensils

Small foods like pasta in a bento dish or sushi from the grocery store will fit in most bags and remain inconspicuous, but try not to bring food requiring utensils. Most food at the movie theater is easy to eat by hand, such as popcorn, hot dogs, and soft pretzels.

Discretion is a valuable part of the dos and don’ts of sneaking food into a movie theater. If you have items that seem out of place and unnecessary for enjoying theater food, people will get suspicious. So leave the cutlery at home and enjoy food that won’t raise eyebrows as you eat it by hand.

Do: Sneak in Foods That the Theater Sells

The best way to blend in is by doing what everyone else does. By bringing in snacks that the theater happens to sell, you won’t have anyone second-guess your food choices. Most theaters have name-brand products, such as Twizzlers and Icee beverages, which will be easy to sneak in and take out without anyone noticing.

Pro Tip:

Save a drink cup and popcorn container to store in a bag. The next time you go to the theater, fill both containers with your popcorn and drink to appear as an average moviegoer who purchased snacks from the concession stand.

Don’t: Bring an Overstuffed Bag

While it’s tempting to ensure you have all the food you need for the theater, don’t bring too much and overstuff your bag. Your bag should conceal your snacks in a way that ensures nobody notices you have unlawful snacks with you. As long as there is some room at the top of the bag, most people won’t pay it much attention.

In contrast, when you overstuff your bag with packages of different food that make it look bulky, the staff will question what you have. Pack light whenever you want to sneak in food and try to pack other items around the contraband to avoid raising suspicion.

Do: Buy at Least One Snack From the Theater

While sneaking snacks into the theater is your goal, it will help you seem less suspicious if you buy something from the concession stand. If you have a bag or snack in your pocket that makes your pants look too large, purchasing a drink or a small popcorn will make staff reconsider their suspicions.

People won’t think you have food to sneak in if you’re going through the trouble of buying it. This purchase is also considerate to the movie theater and keeps them financially afloat. Sneaking in food does hurt the business financially, so buying at least one item to pair with your ticket is a way to give to the establishment while saving money.

Don’t: Make Noise When Bringing Out Your Food

Plastic wrappers will make noise when you open them without care, and you don’t want to attract any attention in the theater. Otherwise, an employee could notice that you’ve brought food and may ask you to leave.

The best way to stay silent as you bring out your snacks is to place them in sealed bags before arriving at the theater. Sandwich and freezer bags make less noise and provide secure food packaging.

Do: Wear Something Baggy and Large

Baggy clothes will provide more room for your snacks and help you sneak more food in. Clothes that appear baggy or large on your body will hide snacks better with the extra fabric.

To best hide food on your person, tape it to your body while wearing the baggy clothes so the food’s outline isn’t visible. Taping a bag of chips or water bottles to your waist will make the items even more discreet below loose-fitting clothes.

Don’t: Be Suspicious

Finally, don’t do anything that seems suspicious. You want to avoid as much attention as possible when sneaking food into a movie theater. Greet the ticket taker with a smile and make a brief conversation. And, of course, follow the other dos and don’ts to complete your covert mission of enjoying your movie with some of your favorite snacks at a fraction of the price.