Question 1

Why do we eat popcorn at the movies?

Accepted Answer

Popcorn became the standard movie snack during the Great Depression, when its low cost made it one of the few affordable luxuries. Theaters that sold it survived while others went dark, and World War II sugar rationing locked the pairing in permanently.

Question 2

Did movie theaters really ban popcorn?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Early theaters modeled themselves on opera houses and considered popcorn a messy, low-class street food. They posted signs and hired ushers to keep it out, reversing course only when concession profits proved essential to survival during the Depression.

Question 3

Why is movie theater popcorn so expensive?

Accepted Answer

The kernels cost almost nothing, so a large tub can carry a markup of well over a thousand percent. Concessions make up as much as 85 percent of a theater's profit, meaning the popcorn effectively pays for the business.

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How Popcorn Conquered the Movie Theater