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I'm curious to know how many theatres out there have tried one-stop ticketing and concession stations, remote selling (Kiosks), Internet Ticketing, Customer Self-serve stations(Drinks,Popcorn), etc.

Have you had success or failure with these or other ideas?

Greg Borr
Sales and Marketing
Ready Theatre Systems

The self serve popcorn and drink stations that I have come in comtact with created theft and waste. Things were walked off with and not paid for. These were "cafeteria style lines" Vending machines for 1 liter Coke products I have seen be a real sucess because people do not want to stand in line.
I have had no experience with remote ticketing as of yet. Sounds to me it could be a small headache if you were to have computer problems.

Remote ticketing brings up several issues if it is done off site, if it is connected to your local area network it will be as reliable as any other computer on the network. Remote ticketing also requires maintenance to the machine itself, if it is not serviced it will fail.

We have a customer that does one-stop ticketing and concessions, self-serve pop and popcorn, and in one location this weekend will be attempting self-serve nachos and self serve Chicago Style hot dogs.
Should be interesting.

They will also be testing remote ordering stations where you receive a numbered receipt and then proceed to filling stations.

Greg Borr
Sales and Marketing
Ready Theatre Systems

I am wondering if a debit card type system will come into play for the theatre's gift certificates. It would be a lot easier to handle like the prepaid phone cards.

Our system already supports magnetic gift certificate cards, and we have about 20 customers using them. They work out quite well and can be interfaced with rewards programs as well.

In the future I see the mag debit cards evolving into smart cards, this will allow much more information to be stored and make it easier to track purchasing habits, reward programs, etc.

Greg Borr
Sales and Marketing
Ready Theatre Systems

Hi Greg...... in my theatre it's too constricted to have self serve. We also do not use any ticketing hardware/software: I cringe to admit we sell tiks off a roll and when we bought the place six years ago found a huge old stash of them so our tiks say
".25 cents per adult"!!

In the new grande lobbies I've been in I like to serve yourself candy etc.

I don't think beverage theft could be a big deal ..if they do it in highway rest area's it must make sense... we just don't have the demand for a seperate station.

We currently do not accept cards/ there's an atm accross the street.

Is there any doubt this is where even small timers like The Colonial is heading? Absolutely. As soon as we burn off the tickets.

".25c per adult" too funny....

By the time you get all those .25c tickets sold, you'll be able to sell your new ticket stock from an automated kiosk that is accesed through a wireless web device that transfers money as if it were a debit card. It will then send the concession order to your pickup counter where a tray with a confirmation number and order awaits the customer.

I am still useing 9 - 10 - 15 cent tickets too!

How do people who steal overcome automatic ticketing systems?

Greg... you're right! technology is hurtling along and will be stabilized a bit when we're ready here!

Mike,
Stealing is a bigger problem than most people realize, one of our favorite tech calls usually happens about two to three weeks after a new installation, It is the owner asking why there are all these negative numbers on the count out and deposit reports? We then have them run ticket log and concession log reports in which all transactions inputed into the selling stations are logged. The employee signed in, station # sold on, date and time are all recorded as well as the transaction. Anyone voiding transactions or just taking cash will be caught on these reports.

With our system about the only way to beat it is to not print tickets and not input the sale. If you require a doorstub and have a door man he/she will have to be in on it as well.