People walk outside the AMC Empire 25 movie theater in Times Square amid the coronavirus pandemic on March 09, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)
LEAWOOD, Kan. - Want the best seat in the movie theater? You’re going to have to pay for it.
AMC Theatres said they are rolling out a new ticket pricing system based on the seating location.
The new initiative is called "Sightline at AMC." It will be applied to showtimes beginning after 4 p.m. and is not applicable on Discount Tuesdays.
The company said moviegoers will pay more or less for their tickets depending on where they want to sit.
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The new pricing system has already started at select AMC locations but will expand to all theaters by the end of the year.
The price tier will be divided among Standard Sightline, Value Sightline, and Preferred Sightline.
Standard is the most common seat in the auditorium and will have the traditional cost of a ticket. Value seating includes seats in the front row of the auditorium, as well as select ADA seats with prices lower than the standard fare. Preferred seating includes seats that are in the middle of the theater and will be priced above the standard seating tickets.
Moviegoers will be able to purchase their seats through the AMC app or the box office.
"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," Eliot Hamlisch, EVP and CMO, AMC Theatres, said in a news release. "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. Sightline at AMC accommodates both sentiments to help ensure that our guests have more control over their experience, so that every trip to an AMC is a great one."
This story was reported from Los Angeles.