AMC Theatres In NJ To Base Pricing Off Where You Sit

NEW JERSEY — Getting a close-up at a major movie-theater chain could soon mean a discount, while nabbing the best seats in the house will get pricier. AMC Theatres, which has about 25 New Jersey locations, unveiled an initiative Monday that will set ticket prices based on their location in each auditorium.

Under "Sightline at AMC," viewers at select showings will get a discount or pay a premium for tickets, with seats in the front row costing less and seats toward the middle at a higher price. AMC will offer the pricing in select locations before implementing sightline pricing at all of its U.S. theaters by the end of the year.

Participating locations will offer the pricing model for showtimes that begin after 4 p.m., excluding Tuesdays, when the chain offers discounts to members of its AMC Stubs rewards program.

The initiative comes as the movie-theater industry attempts to rebound from COVID-19 challenges. Despite an end to nearly every pandemic restriction placed on the industry, a number of pre-COVID moviegoers have said they're no longer going to multiplexes, Variety reports.

AMC's program will organize seats into three pricing tiers:

• Standard: the most common seats, available for the traditional cost of a ticket.
• Value: seats offered at a lower price, including those in the front row and select ADA seats.
• Preferred: seats typically in the middle of the auditorium, offered at a premium. AMC Stubs A-List members can reserve preferred seats at no additional cost.

Theaters offering sightline pricing will provide a detailed map of seating options during purchases made online, through the AMC app or at the box office.

It wasn't immediately clear how much the system would impact the cost to see a movie, as AMC prices vary by theater, with discounts available for children, seniors, students and military. AMC's average price for an adult ticket (ages 13-59) on a standard screen is $13.69, according to movietheaterprices.com.

"Sightline at AMC more closely aligns AMC’s seat pricing approach to that of many other entertainment venues, offering experienced-based pricing and another way for moviegoers to find value at the movies," said Eliot Hamlisch, the chain's chief marketing officer. "While every seat at AMC delivers an amazing moviegoing experience, we know there are some moviegoers who prioritize their specific seat and others who prioritize value moviegoing."

About 500 theaters have closed since the pandemic began, The New York Times reported in September. Since then, Regal Cinemas filed for bankruptcy and announced it would shutter 37 locations, including New Jersey's Mays Landing and Phillipsburg theaters.