Movie theaters are opening back up after months of closure, but they aren’t in a rush to return to normal. The large movie theater chain, Cinemark, has instituted new safety precautions and policies to allow for a risk-free movie-watching experience.

When buying your tickets online or in-person, you can select seats next to each other, but after the seats are selected, the two seats to the left and right of what you’ve selected will become unavailable to purchase to create distance between customers.

The first thing many do after entering the theater is to get in line for some concessions, and with new safety measures, getting snacks at the movie will be different than before. 

Firstly, customers must social distance in line, which has become standard at almost every place open during the pandemic. Secondly, the menu is limited, consisting mostly of popcorn, drinks, candy, and some frozen treats. Hot dogs are still served, but many of the more ‘food’ type items are not currently being served. Lastly, refills on drinks and popcorn will not be allowed, but to compensate for this, drinks and popcorn are being sold at reduced prices.

To prevent the spreading of disease, masks are required to be worn at all times, even during the film, unless you are eating or drinking with employees constantly entering the theater to make sure people’s masks are on.

While the theaters seem pretty empty compared to their pre-COVID days, the magic of seeing a new movie in theaters hasn’t been taken away. Although for some, leaving the house to watch a movie isn’t worth it, movie theaters across the country are doing their part to keep you safe.