Anticipating Concession Rushes in Art-House Venues
In an art-house cinema hosting a film festival, concession sales tend to come in waves rather than a steady flow. Attendees flock to the snack counter right before screenings and immediately after, causing intense spikes in demand. To handle these rush periods smoothly, festival producers must configure point-of-sale (POS) systems and staffing for peak efficiency. The goal is to prevent long queues that frustrate patrons and cut into revenue (www.hostmerchantservices.com) by speeding up transactions and keeping lines moving.
Optimise POS for Speed: Equip the venue with multiple checkout points or mobile POS devices during busy times. Instead of relying on a single register, add extra tablet-based terminals or have staff roving with handheld POS units to take orders in the queue. This “line-busting” approach allows several customers to be processed in parallel. For example, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), additional volunteers with card readers help pre-sell popcorn and drinks to those waiting in line, ensuring cinema-goers aren’t stuck waiting when the film begins.
Adopting contactless payments (like tap-and-go) further accelerates each sale, eliminating fiddling with cash or PINs. Every second shaved off a transaction means shorter lines and more satisfied guests.
Plan for Pre/Post Screening Rushes: Coordinate concession staffing schedules with the festival screening timetable. Before a screening, all hands should be on deck at the counter. This might mean pulling in extra festival staff or volunteers to serve as runners, cashiers, or crowd managers during the 15–30 minutes before showtime. Immediately after the show, anticipate another surge — especially if viewers loved the film and feel like grabbing a drink, dessert, or even a quick merch purchase on the way out. Some festivals offer coffee and late-night snacks post-screening, so be ready by having a “surge plan”: for instance, Melbourne International Film Festival venues prepare fresh batches of coffee and have at least two sales points open right as a film ends, capturing those extra sales from people energized by a great movie.
Streamline the Menu: Another often overlooked trick is simplifying the concession menu during peak periods. A broad menu with too many options can slow down decision-making and preparation. Consider a special festival menu featuring the top-selling snacks and combos. By spotlighting just the most popular items (e.g. popcorn, soda, maybe one type of candy and one type of beer or wine), the festival concession can serve people faster. Prep common items in advance – for example, pre-fill soda cups or have popcorn bags ready to grab – to cut down serving time. At large festivals like SXSW Film, certain venues continuously pop popcorn and line up filled bags so that during rushes, service is essentially grab-and-go.
Technology and Backup: Use POS software that can handle high volume and consider integrating it with your ticketing system if possible. Modern event platforms (such as Ticket Fairy) allow pre-loading merchandise or drink vouchers with tickets, so some attendees will have prepaid and can redeem items quickly without a separate payment. Ensure your POS can operate even if Wi-Fi is spotty – for example, using an offline mode or a cellular hotspot – so transactions don’t stall due to connectivity issues. A single technical hiccup at the wrong moment (like a card reader freezing right before a gala screening) can lead to dozens of unhappy festival-goers. By investing in robust, portable POS systems and training staff on them, an art-house venue can turn what could be chaos into a swift, pleasant experience, even at peak times. The result is a smoother operation and more satisfied attendees who appreciate the efficient service.
Stocking Quiet Snacks for Sound-Sensitive Screenings
Art-house film venues often host archival screenings, retrospectives, or films presented with delicate soundtracks. In these settings, the usual movie theatre munching can become a major disturbance. Imagine a pristine 50-year-old film print rolling on screen, the score whispering softly – only to be interrupted by the “CRINKLE CRINKLE… CRUNCH” of someone wrestling open a candy wrapper and chewing loudly (www.standard.co.uk). The tension of a quiet scene can be destroyed in an instant of thoughtless snacking. To respect both the filmmakers and your discerning audience, it’s wise to stock quiet snacks and set ground rules for noise during such screenings.
Choose Low-Noise Concessions: Opt for snacks that don’t involve loud crunching or crackling packaging. For instance, instead of crispy crisps or crinkly plastic bags, offer treats like soft chocolates, gummies, or pre-cut morsels that can be unwrapped ahead of time. Some theatres even innovate in this area – in the UK, a ticketing company once introduced a “Silent Snacks” range of specially designed theatre foods (ground popcorn, cocoa butter balls, dehydrated fruit slices, etc.) to satisfy cinema cravings with minimal sound (www.vice.com). While you might not develop a whole new snack line, you can certainly take inspiration from that idea. For example, some festivals have stocked local sweets wrapped in fabric or paper (instead of loud plastic) for heritage film nights, providing a quieter, cultural touch. Similarly, the British Film Institute (BFI) in London doesn’t allow popcorn or hot crunchy foods in its cinemas at all (whatson.bfi.org.uk) – a policy that keeps noise and mess down, which is crucial when hosting silent film screenings or Q&As with filmmakers.
Communicate Snack Etiquette: Managing noise is not only about the food you sell but also about audience expectations. Festival producers should work with venue staff to gently remind attendees about noise-sensitive shows. Include notes in the programme or pre-screening announcements like, “Tonight’s screening is sound-sensitive – we appreciate you choosing quieter snacks and saving any crunchy treats for later.” Many classic film festivals and cinematheques explicitly request no eating during certain films to protect the atmosphere. By setting the tone in advance, you empower true cinephiles in the audience to self-police a bit; peer pressure (in a respectful way) can help keep that one rogue popcorn-chomper in check.
Special Cases – Silence and Sensory-Friendly Shows: If your festival includes silent films with live musical accompaniment, restored archival films with delicate audio, or sensory-friendly screenings (designed for audiences with autism or sound sensitivity), be ready to adapt your concessions. For silent or extremely quiet films, consider suspending concession sales inside the auditorium altogether (as some venues do) or limit them to the absolute quietest edibles. You could even go the extra mile by providing free “quiet snacks” like marshmallows or soft biscuits to attendees at those shows – it’s a small gesture that devoted cineastes will appreciate. During sensory-friendly screenings (often with lower sound and gentler lighting), ensure any food packaging is easy to open and not jarringly loud. The key is to align the refreshment experience with the film experience: if the movie demands silence or careful listening, the snacks shouldn’t spoil the spell of the cinema.
Bundling Festival Merchandise with Concessions
Film festivals often sell merchandise – whether it’s the annual festival T-shirt, tote bags, collector posters, or programme catalogues – as part of their branding and as an extra revenue stream. At art-house venues where lobby space is at a premium, it can be challenging to have separate merch tables and concession stands without crowding. One smart solution is to bundle festival merch with concessions to speed up sales and reduce lines. By combining these transactions, you cater to the fan who wants a memento and a snack without making them stand in two queues.
One-Stop Shop: Coordinate with the venue to allow merchandise sales at the concession counter. With a bit of planning, the concession POS can have merch items (like shirts or programmes) programmed in, so staff can easily ring them up alongside popcorn and drinks in one go. This may require training the concession staff or placing a festival team member at the stand to handle the merch side, but it massively improves convenience. For example, at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, the main theatre’s snack bar doubled as a merch shop between screenings – attendees could grab a festival hoodie along with their coffee without moving to another line, significantly boosting impulse buys.
Combo Deals: Bundling can also mean creating special deals that pair merch with concessions. Not only does this encourage more sales, it also simplifies decisions at the counter. Consider offering a “Festival Fan Pack” that includes popular items like a branded tote bag plus a drink and snack voucher, sold together at a slight discount. That way, when someone comes up to buy popcorn, a cashier can upsell: “Would you like to add our Fan Pack – you’ll get the official festival tote and save 10% on your popcorn and beverage?” It’s a win-win: the attendee feels they’re getting more value, and the festival increases its per-customer revenue seamlessly. Mexico’s Guanajuato International Film Festival (GIFF) tried a bundle where, for one price, viewers got a festival T-shirt and a beer at the outdoor screening – the simplicity of that offer kept the line moving quickly since it was a pre-set package rather than multiple separate choices.
Logistics and Speed: To successfully merge merch with concessions, mind the logistics. Stock small merch items (shirts, lanyards, pins, etc.) right at the counter for easy reach. Group them by size or style so staff aren’t rummaging around, which could slow things down. You might display one of each item and keep the rest in clearly labelled bins under the counter. Use the same pricing and till for both popcorn and shirts to avoid any lengthy separate payment process. Modern POS systems can handle both inventory types, especially if you set it up in advance – run some test sales before the festival opens to ensure the system (and your staff) can seamlessly add a T-shirt to a soda purchase. Also, consider the packaging: if someone buys merchandise and food together, having sturdy combo carry-bags will improve their experience (nobody wants to juggle a drink, a poster tube and tickets as they find their seat!).
Speed Over Perfection: At peak times, prioritise speed and sort out any fine details later. If a customer buys a T-shirt with their concessions during a mad rush, you might ask them to come back after the screening to exchange sizes or colours if needed, rather than hold up the line. Most festival-goers will appreciate the gesture of efficiency: they got their merch and can head to their seat, knowing they can resolve any detail afterward. By bundling and streamlining, you reduce duplicated efforts – a single queue and transaction instead of two – which is especially valuable in cozy art-house lobbies. It also creates a more integrated festival experience: the moment someone buys that festival merchandise, they’re literally and figuratively “buying in” to the festival’s identity, even as they grab their popcorn.
Quick, Quiet Clean-Up Between Screenings
Fast turnaround between screenings is a hallmark of well-run film festivals. In art-house venues, which might have limited staff and narrow aisles, the challenge is to clean quickly without disrupting intros or the overall schedule. You want to maintain a pleasant environment (no one likes sitting in a seat with someone else’s spilled soda on it) but also respect the next film’s introduction or start time. Achieving this requires choreography akin to a stage crew doing a set change – swift, silent, and systematic.
Prep the Cleaning Crew: Whether it’s professional janitorial staff or festival volunteers, have a dedicated team ready for each screening’s end. Equip them with the right tools: big soft brooms for popcorn on the floor, garbage bags for collecting trash, and perhaps small flashlights if the house lights stay dim. As soon as end credits roll (or even better, once the lights come up slightly), they should fan out through the auditorium. Training is key – walk your team through a timed drill before the festival if possible, showing how to cover the venue in sections so no area is missed. Many seasoned festival venues like the Berlin International Film Festival’s Arsenal Cinema pride themselves on flipping a theatre in under 10 minutes. The crew knows to swoop in to pick up programmes, cups, and wrappers at lightning speed, often finishing just as the next audience is being let in.
Coordinate with Intros and Q&As: Often, festivals have a programmer or filmmaker taking the stage to introduce the next movie. Use that to your advantage. If the intro is happening in the auditorium itself, instruct cleaners to start at the back or sides, away from the speaker, and to work as quietly as possible. Keeping noise down is important – nothing breaks the heartfelt mood of a director’s introduction like the clatter of bottles being tossed into a bin. If feasible, hold introductions in the lobby or a secondary space while cleaning is underway in the theatre; this isn’t always possible, but some festivals do this strategically to save time. For example, at Mumbai Film Festival, an emcee might entertain the waiting crowd in the lobby with trivia or announcements while the hall is cleaned, then everyone is ushered in once it’s ready. In smaller art-house screens, consider briefly raising the house lights and making a polite announcement: “We’ll begin our next screening shortly — our team is doing a quick clean-up to make your experience comfortable.” It sets expectations and assures the audience that any slight wait is for their benefit.
Audience Involvement: A helpful festival trick is to encourage the audience to tidy up after themselves without making it a big deal. A simple slide or MC remark at the end of a film – “If you’re heading out, please take any trash with you to the bins in the lobby — it’s a huge help as we get ready for the next screening!” – can galvanise the cinema enthusiasts into a small act of courtesy. Most film festival attendees are passionate and courteous; many will oblige gladly, especially in community-centric art-house settings. Each cup or wrapper disposed of by a viewer is one less for the crew to handle, shaving precious seconds off the turnaround.
Efficiency and Timing: Aim to schedule a short buffer between screenings (even 10 minutes if you can) to allow both the outgoing crowd to exit and cleaning to happen before the next group enters. Use that window smartly. Door staff should hold off the incoming queue until the space is truly ready. Rushing people in too soon can create chaos for cleaners and a poor impression if new viewers see a mess. It’s better to start 5 minutes late in a clean, calm auditorium than to begin exactly on time with trash still on seats. Remember, perception matters: an attendee who walks into a freshly cleaned theatre likely won’t even think about the labour that went into it, but one who finds sticky floors or litter will definitely notice (and perhaps tweet about it). Quick cleaning not only keeps the festival on schedule, it also upholds the professional image of the event.
By mastering the art of stealthy, rapid clean-ups, you ensure that each screening—no matter how tightly scheduled—feels as polished and inviting as the first show of the day.
Key Takeaways
- Configure POS for Rushes: Set up multiple sales points and mobile payment options to handle pre- and post-screening crowds efficiently, preventing long queues and bottlenecks (www.hostmerchantservices.com). Align your concession staffing with screening schedules to capture peak demand during rush periods.
- Quiet Snack Choices: Offer low-noise concessions (soft candies, pre-opened treats, etc.) and discourage loud foods during quiet or archival film screenings. Follow the example of top art-house cinemas that ban popcorn to preserve the viewing experience (whatson.bfi.org.uk).
- Merch & Concession Bundling: Sell festival merchandise at the concession stand to create a convenient one-stop shop. Bundle items into combo deals (e.g. a festival T-shirt + drink combo) to boost sales and shorten queues.
- Fast, Discreet Clean-Up: Plan for swift auditorium cleaning between screenings. Deploy a trained team to work quickly and quietly, coordinating with any intros. Encourage audiences to use trash bins on exit to help maintain a clean, on-schedule festival environment.
With these strategies, festival producers can elevate the art-house cinema experience – keeping film lovers fed, happy, and immersed in the magic of the movies with minimal distractions or delays.
27th September 2025