Business

Better theatre seats create ‘the best makeout multiplex in Manhattan’

AMC theatre chairs just got a whole lot more comfortable

How can movie theatres compete with home viewing? Make the theatre more like your home, of course.

In the last two months, the theatre chain AMC has been testing out a new system at some of its locations: tearing out the old seats and replacing them with big, cushy recliners that look like the easy chairs in a living room.

The chairs, which include footrests (but still make you share an armrest with your neighbour), take up more than twice the space of the old seats, and many theatres are using them for reserved-seat luxury screenings with pricier concessions.

In an era when audiences are increasingly reluctant to pay enhanced prices for 3D (and ticket sales are down from a decade ago), AMC is hoping that these renovations will convince people to come back to the movie theatres, not for the films, but for the more comfortable dating experience: the New York Post recently described one of AMC’s recliner theatres as “the best makeout multiplex in Manhattan.”

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: