Cineplex Quietly Adds $1.50 Online Booking Fee for Movie Tickets
By Simon Hung
June 21, 2022Cineplex movies will be slightly more expensive if you're used to buying tickets online, as the company has introduced a new online booking fee when purchasing through their website or mobile app.
The fee was first introduced as early as last week, after RedFlagDeals user Saturate noticed the additional charge when booking movie tickets on June 15. Cineplex has since acknowledged the fee publicly, telling The Canadian Press that the change was made "to further invest and evolve our digital infrastructure."
When ordering Cineplex tickets online, moviegoers will notice a new "Booking Fee" section at the bottom of the page that automatically charges a $1.50 non-refundable fee per ticket, while members of Cineplex's Scene+ loyalty program will be charged a reduced fee of $1.00 per ticket. The fee is mandatory for all tickets booked online, regardless of format or date.
The new practice is similar to Ticketmaster's wildly unpopular "convenience charge" that tacks on additional fees if you opt to order tickets online. However, Cineplex's approach is far less egregious and luckily, there are two ways to avoid the fees altogether.
- Buy tickets in-person – Cineplex will not charge booking fees when purchasing tickets in-person at Cineplex box offices or self-serve kiosks
- Get a CineClub membership – the fee will be waived entirely for members of Cineplex's CineClub movie subscription program, which costs $9.99 per month
This isn't the first time Cineplex has dabbled with ticket surcharges in recent years. Back in 2017, the company implemented a $1.00 reserved seating fee for highly-anticipated movies like Star Wars: The Last Jedi in order to capitalize on its enormous hype, but the fees were ultimately scrapped after backlash from Canadian moviegoers.
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Source: Cineplex, with reports from The Canadian Press
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You also left out the Olympics, Super Bowl and Wrestlemania.. Brother!
It's True.. It's true... Ooooooh... yeah!!!!
Not only are the concessions horrendously expensive, they are also mostly terrible health-wise.
No other business in the world can get away w/ charging 8$ for a soda.
2 popcorn, 1 large, 1 mediaum and 1 small drink, candy.. saved 5$.
I keep it running even if I don't watch any movies that month, because the tickets accumulate/stay in your account. So it's not like you're ever really "losing" if you keep it going, you can always use those tickets later and use multiple at a time (I've used 2 at once, a few times now).
Also don't forget about the 20% savings on concessions, it's pretty good and takes the sting out of the high prices. I always bring in my contraband too, lol' but I also always buy some food/drink items so these are really the main benefits I'm using. The tickets that I'm not losing anything on, and the savings on the foods, which I'm coming out ahead on. The booking fee I don't really consider a savings because it's a scam to begin with, but I'm def. glad I'm not paying it. I'm not saying you are saving tons of money here but it's savings on what you'd otherwise be spending anyway, so don't see why one would not be a Cineclub member presuming you live near and go to, Cineplex theatres.
Or can I? How soon can I sign up after cancelling? I didn't see it mentioned in the FAQ.
https://cineplex.service-now.com/gsc?id ... 88cc4bcb0f
FAQs don't seem to have the answer: https://giftcards.cineplex.com/giftcardfaq
Unlike teenagers, I don't have the (work) cell w/ me 24/7 and sometimes don't even know where it is after business hours.
Didn't buy tickets once b/c I was too lazy to go to the car to get the phone.
Nowhere is buying a "large" drink and popcorn for 20$ acceptable other than at the cinema.
BTW, Today's "Large" is really 2015's "Medium" because Cineplex was kind enough to lower the drink size for 'health reasons' as being a reason. Obviously the "large" price stayed though.
Side note.. just counted and I have roughly 22 passes banked up here. I remember a time where I'd be looking forward to going to the cinemas. Had a chance on Saturday to finally see Maverick (VIP Matinee) as the family was gone for the day. I opted instead to watch the Terminal List (Amazon) in the man cave and took a nap half way in the lazy-boy
Unfortunately I don't think the fee will change my behaviour. The Silvercity here is the only decent theatre. We had a land mark but it was a crappy 2 screen theatre in an old mall (which has now been closed). Not much competition here if you want to see a movie on a more modern larger screen.
The music industry can get away making guest pay this fee because there is literally NO alternative. If I want to see "x" performer live, this is the only option.
Now, a result of Covid, most cinematic releases get 2-5 weeks in theaters, then are released on a streaming platform. People have also updated their home systems.
I know its not 100% the same, but it's an alternative. That performer isn't playing at Skydome once, then in high park 2-5 weeks later.
Mind you I'd do downtown IMAX for Thor, so presumably the pricing would be higher.
Beware. Their website totally sucks. I tried two different browsers, and the attempts to join it would time out and fail. Finally I joined using their iOS app.
It was actually worth it from the cost perspective partially because of their stupid booking fee, even with Scene membership. Normal booking fee is $1.50, $1.00 with Scene, and $0 with CineClub.
Booked seats for my family of four for Marcel The Shell With Shoes On.
Normal price:
$13.50 x 2 adults
$8.50 x 2 kids
$1.00 x 4 tickets
Total $48 + tax = $54.24
CineClub price:
$9.99 membership for me, 1 free ticket
$9.99 member price for 2nd adult
$8.50 x 2 kids
Total $36.98 + tax = $41.79
Total savings $12.45 this month. Mind you, if it wasn't for the $4.00 booking fee, the savings would have been $7.93 instead.
If I get Thor tickets next week I won't get much discount since I'm still in my first month, right?
Think you are MISSING the point however, it isn't the $1.50 as an amount i wouldn't complain about tht seeing their costs have risen and concerns with coming through this covid situation, rather it is the fact it is in the form of an additional FEE.
Add the $1.50 to the ticket price and that to me is a valid increase i would pay and not be too concerned about as all prices need to rise to pay for salaries, taxes, air conditioning, etc......but do not do it in the form of an additional fee.
People hate to feel they are being gouged....raise the ticket price is cost of doing business and reasonable, adding an additional fee and say it is to upgrade their theatres is dis-ingenious.
I believe most posters seem to agree with that sentiment.
I dont think $1.50 is going to prevent people from going to the cinemas. If you're talking about boycotting them already, then you were never their target market. You sure werent going to spurge on their food which is where they make 90% of their money.
I thought Cineplex navigated the covid situation rather successfully all things considering, however this move is just plain backwards. I can understand needing some additional revenue, however people hate additional fees on top of ticket prices for entry. I understand it may be due to the majority of ticket prices go to the studio's as per their contract, however then change the contract not piss off your customers. I would hope they have done due diligence and did there market research, determined that lost customers will be minimal seeing if not this move may end up being a loss or at best neutral. Best case it is neutral however even in that situation less people out in the seats erodes the overall customer base and growth, that is a bad sign for long term success.
We will just have to see if the large majority of people really care, i'm putting my money on a 5% portion will decide to reduce or eliminate their patronage maybe that is factored into their cost of future business.
My wife went to go watch a movie with her mother today and the box office is closed. They are selling the tickets in the same line at the concessions. Yeah, you read that right, the concessions stand.
I guess they are making it troublesome not to buy it online or via the app. Disgusting.
This is Markham VIP btw
She says the employees at the concessions are over worked and stressed as they're handling both concessions and box office.