Open Forum

Do you allow food and drink in your theaters? If so, do you have any restrictions on the type of food and drink? 

Our facility has always had a strict no food and drink policy. Our school performances do not sell concessions, but the outside organizations that rent the theater do, and it is a constant battle for our ushers. We use excessive signage and announcements and tell patrons as they purchase items that they must finish it in the lobby, but our front of house staff is frustrated by the rudeness from the audience members. The arguing and amount of food that is snuck into the theater is staggering. Can anyone share how they handle this situation?

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Stacie Morano

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The outside groups probably feel that since they paid for the facility, they can do what they want, so my suggestion is to stop fighting them.  Add an additional cleaning fee to pay for an outside service to clean after rentals.  It will save you a lot of headaches and might make the vendors more aware of taking care of the facility when they see the cleaning fee as a separate line item in the rental contract. 

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Jeana Whitaker
Retired Theatre Teacher
EdTA Alumni
www.jeanawhitaker.com
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-10-2023 11:39
From: Stacie Morano
Subject: Food and Drink

Do you allow food and drink in your theaters? If so, do you have any restrictions on the type of food and drink? 

Our facility has always had a strict no food and drink policy. Our school performances do not sell concessions, but the outside organizations that rent the theater do, and it is a constant battle for our ushers. We use excessive signage and announcements and tell patrons as they purchase items that they must finish it in the lobby, but our front of house staff is frustrated by the rudeness from the audience members. The arguing and amount of food that is snuck into the theater is staggering. Can anyone share how they handle this situation?

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Stacie Morano

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The potential damage from food and drink is a significant risk - everything from slip n fall to frying valuable electrical equipment with a mis-placed liquid. Renting the space does not mean you can do whatever you want. That's another reason it's so important to have a building rep with authority supervising every rental.

We only permit water in sealed containers in the seating area and the only food on stage is what's needed for a show. 

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Kristi Ross-Clausen
Safety Maven/Consultant
IATSE 470/Actors Equity Member
Alliance for Wisconsin Theatre Education
Association for Quality in AV Board
AVIXA/USITT
Teacher, Author, Speaker
www.theaterhealthandsafety.com
Appleton, WI
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-11-2023 06:20
From: Jeana Whitaker
Subject: Food and Drink

The outside groups probably feel that since they paid for the facility, they can do what they want, so my suggestion is to stop fighting them.  Add an additional cleaning fee to pay for an outside service to clean after rentals.  It will save you a lot of headaches and might make the vendors more aware of taking care of the facility when they see the cleaning fee as a separate line item in the rental contract. 

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Jeana Whitaker
Retired Theatre Teacher
EdTA Alumni
www.jeanawhitaker.com

Original Message:
Sent: 06-10-2023 11:39
From: Stacie Morano
Subject: Food and Drink

Do you allow food and drink in your theaters? If so, do you have any restrictions on the type of food and drink? 

Our facility has always had a strict no food and drink policy. Our school performances do not sell concessions, but the outside organizations that rent the theater do, and it is a constant battle for our ushers. We use excessive signage and announcements and tell patrons as they purchase items that they must finish it in the lobby, but our front of house staff is frustrated by the rudeness from the audience members. The arguing and amount of food that is snuck into the theater is staggering. Can anyone share how they handle this situation?

------------------------------
Stacie Morano

------------------------------

I agree with Jeana.  Sadly you can put up all the signs you can, and make all the announcements you can, and post all the ushers you can, and food. and drinks (other than water) still make their way into the house.  But, imagine the situation if you didn't make these attempts at all - your house would look like a movie theatre.

I also agree that you should charge them extra for cleaning, and be sure that that's on the rental agreement. And as Jeana says, be sure it's on a separate line, and possibly Bolded, possibly Italicized, possibly Underlined....

Do you have a separate House Management written policy that you give to outside events and make them sign?  Do you hold a production meeting with each outside event (each time, if they are repeats)?  Both of those are an essential part of your theatre management.  (Not that they will help 100% either(!), but it will improve things.)

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Beth Rand, EBMS

FREE RESOURCES to help you level up your admin's support and funding of your school theatre operations

JOIN OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT THEATRE OPERATIONS https://www.facebook.com/groups/presett

www.PRESETT.org
beth@PRESETT.org
Westminster, CO
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-10-2023 11:39
From: Stacie Morano
Subject: Food and Drink

Do you allow food and drink in your theaters? If so, do you have any restrictions on the type of food and drink? 

Our facility has always had a strict no food and drink policy. Our school performances do not sell concessions, but the outside organizations that rent the theater do, and it is a constant battle for our ushers. We use excessive signage and announcements and tell patrons as they purchase items that they must finish it in the lobby, but our front of house staff is frustrated by the rudeness from the audience members. The arguing and amount of food that is snuck into the theater is staggering. Can anyone share how they handle this situation?

------------------------------
Stacie Morano

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