“How about dinner during the movie”

This is the solution given to us by an interesting movie theater known as Cinema Café.

I felt excitement as I changed out of my costume for my secret identity, the costume that I wear so that I blend in with the common folk, never revealing to anyone that I am really The Mystery Shopper, and into my super hero costume, jeans and a button down shirt.  This was to be my first time out on the town to do battle with poor service and come to the rescue of innocent consumers everywhere (ok not everywhere, just innocent consumers of Hampton Roads.  I kinda doubt
that this article will be of much help to someone in Kansas.) and I couldn’t wait to start. 

Actually, the truth is that I haven’t been to the movies in two months and now I had an excuse to not mail off bills and instead see Batman Begins.  It was between that and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and somehow “the Bat” won out when I talked to my date-to-be that night.

Now, the first thing that I want to talk about is the drive there.  I know what you are saying, “Mystery Shopper, just tell me about theater not the drive there.”  However, we were already running late, and to prevent getting lost we paid close attention to the signs.  The signs, however take you on a full tour of the coliseum shopping center parking lot, a maze like experience that ended anticlimactically behind the shopping center itself.  The tour of the parking lot was nice and all, but armed with this experience, we may be able to prevent couples running dangerously through theater parking lots who have forgotten that
there is still like 15 minutes of previews to watch.

I bought our tickets, and stopped rushing just long enough to notice the décor of the theater.  It was really nice and interesting.  Instead of just movie posters and the generic AMC chain experience, we were treated to an ambience that was a throw back to the less complicated times of drive-in movies and poodle skirts.  It was colorful, fun, and perfect.  I don’t mean to ‘disrespect’ my AMC ‘homies’.  I love the 24 theaters of 2 to 3 story bass pumping bliss.  AMC is what I compare all other movie theaters to, and though Cinema café’s sound and screen measure up well to that standard, the seats do not.  The seat arms can’t be pulled up [gasp] and … wait for it … the seats don’t rock. 

After getting over this initial shock, I settled into those suitable, if not luxurious, seats and through the menu.

The menu consisted primarily of easy to make over priced food with quirky movie names like, “the Free Willy Philly Cheesesteak sandwich” and [cringe] “the Bubba Gump Beer Battered Shrimp”. Needless to say, I had moderately low expectations for the food after reading the menu, and the food did not fall short of those expectations. All in all, if the food didn’t cost as much as it did, I would have thought it was ‘ok’: the equivalent of food you would get at a crowded bar. (Note: you can even get beer)

The service was decidedly better than what you get at a crowded bar.  I was surprised at how quietly and efficiently the servers were able to interact with the movie goers.  She was friendly, patient, and helpful which made it that much tougher when I saw the not cheap bill at the end of the night to give her the tip she deserved.
(thank god for plastic)

But you have to put it into perspective, we all know that movie concession stands are extremely overpriced, and this food does not come close to being that overpriced.  As long as you are not expecting restaurant quality food, or value for your dollar, you will find the experience interesting and pleasant.  The food is definitely better than the hotdogs and nachos that are your choices at other theaters.  That said, it still isn’t a place I would go to impress on a first date. This is a place to go with friends or someone you have been with for a while.