What Do 701 Cinemas Hope To Gain By Charging Infants For Movie Admission?

This is a letter i sent to the Robesonian, and to the managers/owners of 701 Cinemas.

What Do 701 Cinemas Hope To Gain By Charging Infants For Movie Admission?
So this evening I (29) took my family (My wife (30), my daughter Rosa (2.5) , and daughter Bella (9 months) to see Disney’s “Tangled” at the Town & Country Four Theatre. This was my families second time seeing the film. We went to the 4:45 showing of the film (matinee prices are pretty much essential when we are going out together). To my shock, we were charged 4 tickets instead of 3. This shocked me because we had seen “Tangled” together at the Town & Country Four Theatre this month, and had only been charged for 3. When I questioned the teller she explained that anyone over 6 months old was charged. When we had gone to see the previous movie I had even made sure to inform them that Bella was 9 months old, and we still weren’t charged. I really was taken back. The manager of Town & Country came out to explain their policy to me. I asked for my money back and left. I can understand charging my 2.5 year old admission, she picks up everything (whether you want her to or not), but Bella? Doing activities together with my family is very important to me. My wife suggested just taking Rosa in, and she would take Bella home, but I didn’t think it was fair (my wife loved “Tangled”). I know everyone is tired of hearing of “Tough Economic Times”, but it still is an on-going thing. Families doing things together gets costly, that’s why Buffets thrive when they don’t charge for children under 2, and have discounted children’s prices. I know many people in our area made the switch to the new “Millstone Theater” in Hope Mills, it’s the new shiny thing (it has nicer seats, sound, and screens), and we are a people that jump on the “new” thing. I’ve been several times but I personally like to support our community. I have continued to view movies locally, that is until this incident. The Millstone doesn’t charge for anyone under 2. So I may drive a few more miles, but I won’t be paying for my 9 month old to sit in my lap and sleep. I know Bella will be 2 before you know it, but there’s a whole year and some change between now and then. I also plan for my family to continue to grow, so I will go the more cost effective route. I made Rosa cry tonight when I told her we weren’t watching “Tangled,” but I cannot in good conscious pay for a 9 month old to sit in my lap at a theatre. I don’t pay for her to sit in a high chair and drool when we go to “Golden Corral.” I know that they are a business and need to make money, but honestly, what do they think they are going get out of charging an infant? I know one thing they won’t be getting, my family’s business.
Rev. Hector Miray