Sadly, there is approximately no wait for this change to be implemented, at least if you live in three of the country’s major cities. Sightline at AMC will begin on Friday, February 10 at select AMC locations in New York, Chicago, and Kansas City. By the end of the year, it will expand to all AMC locations in the United States.
Allow me to get on my soapbox for a few more minutes here. I know I’ve already let you know that I’m not jiving with AMC’s decision. But there are other reasons — aside from the aforementioned neck-ruining sentence one must face when sitting in those cheaper front row seats — why this injustice should not stand.
First of all: Do you remember how cheap it used to be, in your childhood, to go to the movies? It’s already expensive to have a night at the cinema, and now, with this increase to simply sit in a seat I would have already sat in is a prime example of how culture nickels and dimes us to death. Further, premium screenings like IMAX and Dolby showings will also most likely see a similar increase in price with this initiative. Finally, I should be able to sit wherever I want; I’ve already paid, haven’t I?
This change doesn’t encourage folks to come out to the movies, and it is definitely going to be a bumpy ride for their lower-paid, customer-facing employees to deal with, mainly most likely from irate customers. It’s not a good brand-building, or in AMC’s case brand-solidifying, move, nor is it something their retail employees should bear the brunt of. Plus, because of how much it’s going to turn people off, it probably isn’t going to make the kind of money they want it to, either.