Popped Culture: Why We Eat Popcorn At The Movies

Right as we enter through the giant doors, movie theaters have always been infused with the glutinous smell of salty popcorn. But how did this “pop” (pun intended) culture phenomena of eating popcorn during a film come from?

In the 1840s, commerce brought popcorn towards North America and consumers started to enjoy this snack for the entertaining crunching process and small size. Then, its popularity boomed as the first steam-powered popcorn maker brought popcorn to unique selling locations without the need of being produced in a kitchen. With its inviting aroma trailing all around street vendors, popcorn became available almost everywhere (especially at leisure locations like circuses and fairs) except in the one place we love to eat it at - the theaters.

Initially, there was much resistant to produce popcorn in movie theaters. Since this snack sold for 5-10 cents/bag, street fairs and bowling alleys became a cheaper date night option compared the luxury concessions bought inside the movie theaters. Studios were also concerned that eating popcorn would be distracting and ruin the overall enjoyment of the film. But, these issues would be insignificant in comparison to the severe effects of the Great Depression in the 1930s.

With the economic downfall during this time period, many were fleeing the theaters and did not want any part of the movie theater and its premium services. This left Hollywood industry crippled and in 1935, theaters around the nation were going under. Despite all resistant against popcorn, desperation led movie theater owners to begin serving popcorn in an effort to invite consumers back into the seats of the auditorium and over the next two years, any movie theater that sold popcorn not only survived the Great Depression, but saw profits soared out of the red zone!

Today, popcorn is what drives the movie theater business with over 85% of the profit margins coming from concessions. But no matter how theaters change over time, what will always remain the same is smell of freshly popped popcorn in a movie theater lobby.