The Boogie cinema chain has ignited anger among its patrons by implementing a new policy that permits customers to use their mobile phones to order snacks during films, leading critics to urge management to “save the sanctuary.”
Earlier this year, Alamo Drafthouse switched to QR codes for ordering, a decision that generated some controversy. The previous system involved ordering with a card, which staff would then collect.
This change has sparked significant backlash. Brooklyn filmmaker Miles Warren, 28, expressed his discontent, stating, “Adding the telephone element seems like a complete reversal of what theaters should be.” He’s even contemplating canceling his membership in the chain’s season pass program, which provides unlimited movie access for $30 a month.
A petition on Change.org is gaining traction, calling for Alamo Drafthouse to revert to its no-phone policy, having already attracted 9,000 signatures. Brint Davey, the petition’s creator, stressed the importance of reinstating the original policy, claiming it differentiates Alamo from other theater chains.
“For years, the Alamo Drafthouse has been my personal Alamo, the last stand against empire as we know it,” he noted. Also, he emphasized that the theater was more than just a place to watch movies; it was like a fortress with strict rules against talking and texting.
He articulated that moving to smartphone ordering feels less like progress and more like a betrayal of the Alamo’s spirit. “We don’t want an auditorium filled with apps or glowing screens. We want scratches made by tiny pens on pieces of recycled paper,” he lamented.
Davey warned that this new procedure might encourage patrons to text during screenings, contradicting warnings from famous filmmaker Ryan Coogler. He referred to using cell phones in this context as the first “mortal sin” in cinema.
Alamo is known for its numerous ads that caution against phone usage. “This is a grave and infuriating mistake,” actor Elijah Wood remarked online.
Moviegoers have begun to voice their dissatisfaction. One visitor shared that when they took a friend to the theater recently, the QR code ordering was frustrating, especially in the dark environment where entering credit card information felt cumbersome.
Another individual criticized the decision as one of the “stupidest” moves ever made by management. In June 2024, Alamo was sold to Sony Pictures Entertainment, marking the first time in 75 years that a major Hollywood studio owned a theater chain.
In one creative expression of frustration, a disgruntled customer in South Lamar, Texas, vented their anger by scrawling “Fk Mobile Order” on a bathroom tile.
Founded as a single-screen repertory theater in Austin in 1997, Alamo Drafthouse has expanded to 35 locations across North America. The chain has faced financial hurdles in the past, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2021 and emerging just two months later.
