Monday, July 26, 2010

Do you want butter with that?

How many among us have been seduced by it, unable to resist its bold advances? We walk through the doors of the movie theatre as perfectly rational people and within seconds of catching a whiff of popcorn, we are overcome with desire. We would pay anything to have it - and do. The theatre pays only a few cents to make it, and yet we willingly fork over $6 for a SMALL bag of popcorn. It's not reasonable. It's not right. But it's reality.

To add insult to injury, the theatre has recently started charging $0.69 extra for butter. Who are we kidding? Is it even an option to have popcorn without butter? It's like a night sky without stars or a TV without colour. I shudder to think. Butter is no doubt the most expensive ingredient of the popcorn, and the theatre is trying to make up the cost (apparently the 6,000 per cent mark-up on the popcorn itself is not sufficient). Let me tell you this: I see through their sneaky, penny-pinching ways. I find it appalling and offensive. And I order the $0.69 butter.

I went to the theatre with friends the other night only to find out the movie we wanted to see was sold out. We were disappointed - partly because we were looking forward to the show, and partly because we'd been anticipating the popcorn. We spent a good 10 minutes debating the virtues of ordering the popcorn to go. Cooler heads prevailed and we managed to get out of there sans popcorn, but just barely. It was only when we were outside again, breathing in fresh air, that the need dissipated and our powers of independent decision-making returned.

So for now I am safe, happy to snack on other things, unmoved by the boxes of microwave popcorn in the grocery aisle. But I know the day will come again - all too soon - when I must once again face the temptation of popcorn (with butter) at the movie theatre. And maybe, just maybe, it's worth $6.69 to give in.

1 comment:

  1. If you say no to the real butter, you can always use the 'butter topping... it's yellow!' in it's place. They try to sneak you with the 'real butter'... but they still offer the other stuff for free.
    - Cath

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