I wrote to AMC and my husband spoke on the phone to one of their representatives. He was basically given the run-around, and was told that their decision had nothing to do with our "invasion of Iraq" even though my husband didn't even mention that.
In the grand scheme of things, this may not seem important, but if college students can garner a special discount, why not those defending our country and our freedom?
Good point.
Well - in our town we have two chains. AMC and Wehrenberg. Guess which one I’ll frequent?
Right. The next time you, AMC, tell a Fairytale like that begin it with "And Once Upon A Time!
Military make better money than students on average. I try not to be too generous with other people’s money.
They probably mentioned Iraq because they’ve heard complaints before.
Sad and pathetic, isn’t it?
Geezers(like me) even get a discount and most of us can easily afford the full price.
No discount for military makes no sense.
I’d have to support the business to decide whom they wish to give discounts to and who not to, just as it is the consumer’s right to decide what businesses they wish to frequent.
FWIW, I don’t think I’ve been inside a movie house since the *first* Bush Administration.
I do know of a few places that do give them, and I go there (Moe's Southwest Grill, for one).
It’s never the “liberation” of Iraq from terrorist sponsoring evildoers that were a threat to the free west.
It’s always the “invasion” of poor little innocent Iraq.
Lefties are such naive’ twerps.
Ah, but think of all the places that military folks get a discount that students don’t- tattoo parlors, used car lots, pawn shops, rent-to-own- it all has a way of evening out.
With all due respect to you and your son, simply don’t go there.
I am not sure why anyone (student, senior, military) should get a discount. The product is the product. I understand the concept of “sales” in retail, but I never quite understood the concept of the magical discount when you turned 55, or went to college, or in this case, put on the uniform.
That said, I HAVE bought drinks, coffees, and lunches for guys in uniform at the airports I’ve frequented over the past coupld of years. I am pretty free with my money, I just don’t agree with arbitrary discounts.
Just an opinion...
My sympathies lie with our military folks of course. But frankly, I don’t see why anyone gets a discount except for children vs adults. Or ones based on the time of day, which is entirely logical in order to attract business during the slow portions of the day.
But really, children 1 price, adults another. Forget all the others.
It’s really up to the business...but then again it’s also up to the consumer. That’s the great thing about it!
We don’t know if this is a national policy of AMC or just a business choice...whichever it is, we don’ have to go to AMC Theaters.
Just Googling around, looks like most Regal Cinemas owned theaters offer military discounts, so it seems to be their policy. Also includes UA theaters. So there’s an option for your son if he wants a discount.
Now, companies that pay Military Differential Pay - meaning their active duty military get paid the difference between their military pay, and regular salary, while they are away on duty...those are companies that will ALWAYS get my business first. And I work for one as well.
The rationale of student discounts has nothing to do with generosity on the part of the theaters.
The reality is probably that students have a more elastic demand for movie tickets than other groups due to their relative low income. It’s better for the theaters to get 10 students paying $7 then then students paying $9.
With the military, you’d probably get the same effect with the 18 year-olds on their first tour of duty. But the fact is that the theaters can’t just price in favor of that group. They would have to give the discount to everyone with a military ID, which is a heck of a lot of people. A lot of the retired military are able to get the military pension and work another job, so they often do pretty well.
I’m in the inactive ready reserve myself, so I have a valid military ID. I have commissary and base privileges, which I consider to be more than enough to compensate me for the chance I might still get called up.
If companies want to give me a discount as a business decision, great. Some do. But I don’t want to be part of some begging interest group trying to shake down companies. The military is there to serve America, not to squeeze honest businesses for every cent.
AMC is a good company, and I’ll be glad to pay full price to see one of their movies.
Unlike AMC, we are grateful for your son’s service to our Country.
>> In the grand scheme of things, this may not seem important,
This is very important and, unless AMC is willing to address this, AMC deserves no patronage.
Well, I would boycott AMC, but the last time I went to a movie was 1991, so I don’t think it would help much . . .
BOYCOTT ALL AMC MOVIE THEATERS.
They will quickly change their tune when their revenues drop through the floor.
ironic, but the owner is the billionaire phillip anschultz of denver described by a left wing group as a religious conservative.
see for yourself:
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13426
What’s new?
Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, my dad always asked for military discount. Most of the places offered something...5% - 10% whatever. The amount wasn’t what mattered, what mattered was the gesture.
I have been in for 25 years this August. I ask now and again, and sometimes I get the discount, sometimes I don’t. Again, the amount doesn’t matter, but the gesture does.
One time I asked (I wish I remembered the place) and the guy said no. I said, we are a nation at war. He asked me why I wasn’t at war with all those that were.
I dropped my sh*t and told him I just got back, but thanks for your support none the less.
I hate to say this, but we are not a nation at war. Our military is at war (somebody better than me said this before) but our nation is at the mall.
I served, I did my job and I am proud of my service. I have gotten to the point I don’t even tell people I have served because I get the monkey doing a math problem look, than a perfunctory, “thanks for serving, quit looking at me stare”.
The guy that replaced me (I still stay in contact with) who has now de-mobilized tells me he is going through the same crap I went through a year ago. It would seem my left seat right seat is still going on.
I felt a real sense of belonging to this forum will I was deployed. Reality really hit home when I got home and realized that most people are totally ignorant as to what is really going on. Read the MSM.......most people believe all that.
OK, sorry, rant over.
AMC is not alone with not giving a military discount.
I hear all sorts of crap from people who don’t even know why we have a military.
Sorry for the double post, but I thought I might add this—just to let you know how people DO treat our guys.
Over the past three days I was on four flights with returning service men. In each case the pilot came on and told us about the guys coming home—either for good, or on their two week leave. The planeload of people erupted. And it wasn’t just polite applause. If the crowd could have stood up and shaken their hands they would have.
In another case as I was coming off a plane, I heard a roar from inside. The entire end of the terminal in Cincinatti was giving a standing ovation to a group of guys coming home. Strangers were going across the floor to shake hands and pat these guys on the back. The troops were humbled to tears.
The country supports these guys. I am proud of your son’s decision to serve his country. You might be surprised at how much support they will see in everyday places.
Quite honestly, I had chills.