The Decline of the American Movie Theater

While movie theaters are constantly becoming more advanced, more comfortable and more expensive, there are other areas in which they are rapidly declining. I'll be the first to admit that I love going to the movies. I love the new digital super clear surround sound. I love the memory foam reclining seats. I love that the picture is clear and crisp. I love that we are getting to see more mainstream films in IMAX and even some in IMAX 3D. But I can no longer stay silent on the real issue: the RollNap.

Gone are the days of bi-fold or tri-fold napkins stacked and placed into a dispenser, allowing customers to remove the needed number of napkins and distribute as necessary. Now these glorified toilet paper rolls require moviegoers to remove a length of connected napkins and then rip each sheet off of the giant napkin ribbon they have obtained.

As if the annoyance of the roll design were not enough, the napkins provided are thinner and weaker. While you may not be cleaning up spills with these napkins in the theater (in fact, the floors are evidence that even theater employees aren't cleaning up spills), the last thing you want when you are handling popcorn drenched in butter-flavored motor oil is a flimsy napkin. After only a few kernels of popcorn, the napkin becomes saturated and starts to tear. You toss it aside and tear a new one from the now wadded up length you brought into the theater with you. After three or four rounds of this, you realize the futility of this and just begin using the giant ball of wadded napkins. Soon, even that is not enough and you are left with three options: stop eating popcorn, just leave the oil slick on your hands and hope for the best, or wipe your hands on something else conveniently located such as your jeans or the hair of the person seated in front of you.

I say enough. It's time to make our voices heard. It's time for us to stand up to the theaters and tell them: If we have to pay 8 to 10 dollars per person for tickets, 4 dollars for popcorn and 3 dollars for a soft drink, we deserve quality napkins. I don't think it's too much to ask. We don't complain that you put non-movie related ads before the previews. We don't even request that you help free us when our shoes become stuck to the floor. It's only fair that you bring back the old napkins and dispensers.

Moviegoers of the world unite! Take back the theater!