Home Concealed Carry Regal Cinemas Begins Searching Moviegoers

Regal Cinemas Begins Searching Moviegoers

August 20, 2015

While Regal Cinemas has been on the naughty list for some time now, they’re digging themselves an even deeper hole in the firearms community with their latest announcement regarding security. If you go to a Regal Cinema, you will now be greeted with a new sign at the ticket counter . . .

This new policy is said to be the reaction to recent theater shootings, one in Lafayette, Louisiana and another outside Nashville, Tennessee.

The company’s Facebook page is seeing its share of backlash, with many comments in favor of patrons carrying concealed firearms.

“Just returned 2 movie tickets because ticket collector wanted to check my bag for a gun… Didn’t ask to frisk my husband who was also carrying so i guess your policy isn’t flawless”, wrote one woman.

Regal wrote on its website, “We acknowledge that this procedure can cause some inconvenience and that it is not without flaws, but hope these are minor in comparison to increased safety.”

The lesson that can be taken away from this policy change, especially for women, is to find ways to conceal your firearm on your person. We’ve covered the inherent dangers of purse carry before and if you avoid it while going to a Regal Cinema, they won’t find your firearm while poking around in your bag.

You can’t help but sit back and laugh just a little. After all, I can conceal three firearms on my person and have three magazines for each of them if I really wanted to. Heck, throw on some cargo pants and a big jacket, and I could bring even more.

Here’s the point: the new policy is not going to do anything to stop determined mass shooters, but it will do a great job hindering the law-abiding from protecting themselves.

A question for Regal Cinemas: if we can’t carry into your theaters, who do you have on staff that will guarantee our safety?

*crickets*

Up next: stop and frisk.

126 COMMENTS

Pocono Shooting August 20, 2015 At 20:04

No thanks. My wallet does not go anyplace that my gun is not allowed. The two are married to each other.
- Gunr August 20, 2015 At 20:10
  
  I’ll bet that’s because your wallet is holding the mortgage on your gun!
- Eat Liberals August 20, 2015 At 21:23
  
  COMMENT DELETED
  
  Please address all comments about TTAG’s editorial stance or style to [email protected]. We answer email promptly.
  - Eat Liberals August 20, 2015 At 22:17
    
    Wow. Seriously? What a joke. Have fun with your crashing ratings.
  - Eat Liberals August 20, 2015 At 22:22
    
    Sad ttag. Way behind on the story. This was posted on guns.com days ago. Go ahead ban me. But your content and articles have been driving people away and you know it, otherwise you wouldn’t have deleted that. Anyone here want better gun news go to guns.com. This site is dead. Nothing you read here is of any intellectual value.
    - Accur81 August 20, 2015 At 22:29
      
      I must have missed the flawless gun blog that you’re running, or perhaps that we need news at the exact second that it happens.
    - Ing August 20, 2015 At 23:00
      
      I do go to guns.com every now and again. It’s not a bad place, but I like TTAG’s writing style and commentary and gun reviews better. And there is no place with a better comment section than TTAG.
    - Kevin j August 21, 2015 At 10:05
      
      True! All this site does is bitch about stuff. What happened to the good gun content? Seems like this site Lowered themselves to bitching about gun control and politicians relentlessly. Probably 90% of their posts these days. A gun review is very rare lately.
    - rlc2 August 22, 2015 At 21:04
      
      jealousy is a b1tch aint it?
      Run along now, thats a good little troll…
    - rlc2 August 22, 2015 At 21:10
      
      Great site by the way- Keep up the good work over there.
      
      http://www.gun.com/
- John hope August 20, 2015 At 21:38
  
  So I’m assuming you don’t fly?
  - MacBeth 51 August 21, 2015 At 04:34
    
    Got it in one. And if enough people boycotted the airlines, and told them why, how long do you think that BS would go on?”
    - LarryinTX August 21, 2015 At 13:07
      
      I don’t fly, generally, because it’s more fun to drive and I have the time. When I do fly, the process is ridiculous, but at least I hold that there are reasonable procedures in effect to assure that no one else is armed, either. The other venues we could mention have no such guarantee, I cannot count the different times and places I have watched people’s bags rummaged around in while I walked through with my .380 in my pocket.
- Don August 20, 2015 At 22:21
  
  They probably did this to stop those unauthorized dangerous snacks from being smuggled in.
  Note this mostly affects females and in the past shooters have been male.
  - MacBeth 51 August 21, 2015 At 04:36
    
    got that right
  - Shire-man August 21, 2015 At 07:38
    
    Exactly. If they were serious about the weapons nonsense they’d frisk and/or install metal detectors.
    The corpses of patrons is just a convenient excuse to crack down on what the theater is really concerned about: outside food and drink eating into the bottom line.
  - Jonathan - Houston August 21, 2015 At 09:45
    
    Exactly. The movie theaters all tried this stunt following 9-11, too. You know, for the safety and security and comfort of patrons. Please. It’s for the safety of their concession counter’s profits.
    
    Seriously, what’s some 15 year old ticket tearing dweeb going to do against a band of Johnny Jihad types, or even against a single suicidal spree shooter? At best, he’ll sound the start of the slaughter for being the first one killed.
    
    This is why the theater industry is struggling and why ticket sales have been sliding since the 1990s. There’s less value, more hassle in going to the movies, and more alternatives every day. Sure, overall revenue is up, but between inflation and the studios’ increasing share of that revenue, thd theaters aren’t rolling in money. Just look at their stock price performance.
    
    Cinemark bounces around, but they’re on a deep slide this year. What growth they do have comes from Latin American markets, not the U.S.
    
    Regal is the worst: their stock debuted at nearly $24 back in 2002. Today it sits around $18.50, has never regained that debut high, and has been as low as 9 bucks a share.
    
    They should be making the theater experience genuinely more comfortable and value-adding, not exploiting current events to shake more money loose from moviegoers.
Rick the Bear August 20, 2015 At 20:06

As various people have said: concealed is concealed. I basically carry everywhere that I can physically carry. Yes, that limits the size of my roscoe. And that’s my choice.
- Vhyrus August 20, 2015 At 23:37
  
  I can comfortably conceal the equivalent of a glock 19 with a spare mag while wearing jeans and a t shirt. If you can’t, try a different holster. If you think that’s a compromise, I would hate to see your desired EDC.
- Skeptical Enlightenment August 23, 2015 At 22:49
  
  What is it about private property that most concealed carry people don’t get? The owner of the property has the right to designate who can visit that property and for what purposes with very narrowly tailored anti-discrimination exceptions for things like race, creed, gender, etc. If discovered with your concealed weapon on their premises, Regal would have the right to legally Trespass you, have you removed from the property, and should you return you would be arrested. Our 2nd Amendment right DOES NOT trump the private property owner’s right to control the activities on their property. It’s no different than how I could be trespassed for rolling up on your front lawn and breaking out the tools to change my oil if I did so without your permission, You have no Constitutional Right to view a movie in a Regal cinema. Take your money elsewhere and if there is no elsewhere near where you live, tough. If it’s that important to you then move. Respecting private property as an absolute is one way we keep the gun grabbers off us. Don’t support their cause. Insisting you can carry anywhere you want in spite of the property owner’s clear wishes is immature and childish.
  - V the K August 23, 2015 At 23:56
    
    That is a straw man argument; no one is claiming that Regal Cinemas has no right to ban firearms. What is being argued is that their decision to do so will be both bad for business and bad for the safety of movie-goers.
    - Roymond August 24, 2015 At 22:18
      
      Regal doesn’t have the right to tell me I can’t be armed there — for starters, corporations are NOT people, and only people have rights. And you can’t appeal to the fact that it’s owned by people, unless all the owners unanimously agree.
      
      Inherent rights trump artificial rights. Ownership of real estate is an artificial right, so it falls before all inherent rights.
  - Roymond August 24, 2015 At 22:14
    
    Private property, as in real estate, is an artificial right, and thus secondary to all inherent rights. Just because the state has granted you title to a piece of land doesn’t mean you can overrule my inherent rights when I’m on it.
    
    Besides which, if I’m carrying, my gun is not on anyone’s property but mine: it’s on ME, and as the liberals love to point out, I have all the authority over my own body.
Anonymous August 20, 2015 At 20:06

Man! Where am I going to stash my outside snacks now?
- Rick the Bear August 20, 2015 At 20:07
  
  Oops. I forgot about _that_ reason to carry a messenger bad. 8>)
- uncommon_sense August 20, 2015 At 20:13
  
  Hah! That is probably the real reason why they want to search bags and backpacks! It’s always about the money.
  
  Well, as they say, never let a crisis go to waste. And how.
  - Gunr August 20, 2015 At 20:22
    
    I haven’t been in a movie theater in 20 years (great place to catch something, and I’m not talking about chicks), so please excuse my ignorance, but just what the hell would you need a friggin back pack for, in a movie, except to sneak in your own restaurant?
    - Scottlac August 20, 2015 At 20:30
      
      Some people don’t drive cars everywhere. If someone arrived on foot or bicycle in their trek to the theater there is nowhere outside to secure a bag. Same goes for a firearm.
      
      Do you wear pants in the men’s room? Why do you need pants in the men’s room? Maybe you were simply already wearing them when you got there.
    - Scrubula August 20, 2015 At 20:38
      
      What’s wrong with sneaking in your own restaurant?
      Paying $3 for a candy bar and $5 for a soda gets old…
    - Gunr August 20, 2015 At 21:14
      
      Scottlac
      “Why do you need pants in the men’s room”. Well I guess it’s to keep someone from thinking I’m a fruit! What kind of a question is that?
      The bicycle thing, you mean some people put their bicycles in their backpacks?
      Also, I’m guessing most folks that go to a movie, know in advance, before they leave home, and don’t bring a lot of crap they don’t need. If there going on a bike, again, what do they need the backpack for?
      Does everybody that has a bicycle have to ride it with a backpack?
    - PhilWilson August 20, 2015 At 21:29
      
      Try stashing a big bottle of water in your pants pocket 🙂
      
      The sneaking in food part was my first thought on seeing this, too.
    - Bill Kohnke August 20, 2015 At 21:29
      
      18 years for me, until last month when I took my family to see a matinee showing of Cinderella. It’s a great old fashioned live action retelling of the Disney classic, and we were the only folks in the theater, which made the viewing experience both better and kind of sad. I would have expected more people. As for Regal, they may be setting themselves up for a class-action lawsuit, since only effeminate types tend to carry handbags into theaters. Best they search everyone, so as not to appear to discriminate. I suggest full cavity searches and x-rays. That should work.
    - Gunr August 20, 2015 At 21:44
      
      Phil Wilson,
      You mean they don’t make you buy your water? You can bring your own? I wonder if they give it a taste test, to see if your sneaking in some 7up.
    - Geoff PR August 21, 2015 At 02:53
      
      “The bicycle thing, you mean some people put their bicycles in their backpacks?”
      
      @Gunr-
      
      Backpacks are for bike helmets, bike shoes that lock to pedals, expensive lighting systems, cycling gloves, etc.
      
      And there are fold-up bikes that go in Cordura carry bags as well…
    - Scottlac August 21, 2015 At 05:11
      
      Gunr, of course the pants question is ridiculous because the premise is ridiculous.
      
      People always ask “Why do you need a (gun, backpack, etc.) at _(fill in the blank)_ place?” The question assumes that I was only at one place. Did I magically teleport to the theater? Maybe I had to pass through a sketchy neighborhood to get there from where I came from. Maybe I went to multiple other places, I am now catching a movie, and then I will be going back home after dark.
      
      The point is I didn’t specifically “bring the backpack, gun, etc. to the theater. I already had it when I got there. The possession of the object is incidental to the current location of the possession of the object.
      
      Why do I wear pants in the men’s room? Answer, because I was already wearing them when I got there and I will need to be wearing them again when I leave.
    - Jonathan - Houston August 21, 2015 At 13:11
      
      Maybe you don’t want to leave it in the car and attract thieves. Maybe your car doesn’t have a trunk. Maybe you don’t want onlookers to see you place it in the trunk. Maybe you took the bus there, on your way home from school. Maybe your backpack holds your insulin supplies. Maybe your backpack is what you use for a purse. Maybe your backpack doubles as a baby bag.
      
      Maybe limits on high capacity bags are offensive. Maybe someone’s need for a particular bag is as irrelevant to their right to it, as is any particular need regarding a firearm.
      
      Maybe the greedy, nosy theaters need to mind their own business and not alienate what foot traffic they have in their business.
  - Jake_in_AK August 20, 2015 At 21:17
    
    So- I used to work as a rent-a-cop, asking people to “please stop (x) or I’ll have to ask you to please stop (x) again”.
    I used to work some shifts at a regal cinema in Alaska- and yes, we told customers that bags would be searched. Or they could leave the bag in their car, or get a refund for their tickets. We were specifically told not to work about firearms, we were looking for alcohol and food.
    If we saw someone open carrying, we were instructed to ask them to conceal carry, so as to not unduly worry other customers. Alaska is a permit less conceal carry state.
    This was, of course nearly two years ago. I remember stopping one gentleman who was open carrying a huge revolver, not quite sure of type after this time, but I think it was a ruger super RedHawk or similar- got the weirdest look when I asked him if he could conceal carry it or put it in his car. Had to explain that concealing it wouldn’t break the law.
    
    The last time I went, almost a year ago, a guard from the same company was doing the same checks, and still asking those who were open carrying to conceal during their stay in the theater.
    Don’t know if this is still the policy or not
    - Professor Bangity August 20, 2015 At 23:53
      
      Their official policy is “No gats at the picture show.” https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/regal-cinema-no-weapons-policy.118819/
      
      Additionally, I was approached by a manager indoors at a Regal in Tullahoma, TN, after purchasing my ticket at the outdoor ticket booth. I was openly wearing (hate saying “carrying” as it’s not in my hands) my XDm in a Safariland ALS holster and noticed the outdoor security guard noticing me. Of course, he didn’t tell the manager taking my money to talk to me.
      
      If I hadn’t ridden with someone else, I would have asked for a refund and left.
    - marty August 21, 2015 At 00:48
      
      I’m not sure but …….I think technically, even in states with CPL, if one is NOT on/ in a publicly owned municipal land, city park, street owned by guberment, I think that one could (especially in the case you described) conceal the gun since the theater, though allowing public access was still ( private) not municipal or state owned property. And you were technically giving permission to conceal the weapon while in the theater.
- Anonymous August 20, 2015 At 20:31
  
  “…Bags of any kind…”
  
  That means I can’t even stash them in my wife’s purse.
  - Bob August 20, 2015 At 22:19
    
    Not to mention they don’t say what they make take away from you after the search your bag.
    
    Also, will there be more parking lot car break-ins to grab all of those purses belonging to women who don’t want their stuff searched?
    - Stinkeye August 20, 2015 At 23:09
      
      I don’t think they can legally take anything away from you. All they can do is refuse to admit you if you’re carrying contraband gummi bears or whatever.
- Ralph August 20, 2015 At 20:46
  
  Where am I going to stash my outside snacks now?
  
  Exactly! They’re not looking for guns. They’re looking for Goobers, Raisinets and home-made popcorn.
  
  FYI, I usually stash mine in my pocket. No, not my Goobers, My gun. I stash my gun in my pocket.
  - PhilWilson August 20, 2015 At 21:31
    
    Hey, what a man does with his own goobers is his business, don’t need to know.
    - marty August 21, 2015 At 00:13
      
      My wife is in charge of handling my goobers, whether we’re at the movies or anywhere else for that matter…….
    - Lotek August 22, 2015 At 22:23
      
      I like Ralph’s comments he can “stash” my Gobbers in his “pocket” anytime.
    - Lotek August 22, 2015 At 22:27
      
      Damnit Goobers not Gobbers edit didn’t work
  - Bill Kohnke August 20, 2015 At 21:32
    
    You mean your goober and your ‘gun’ aren’t the same thing. 🙂
- Ross August 20, 2015 At 21:03
  
  Junior Mints can be carried IWB when heading into a movie……..
  - Chris August 20, 2015 At 22:13
    
    No they melt.
    - Taylor TX August 20, 2015 At 22:29
      
      Well its a good thing I have Twizzlers AIWB as a backup 😉
    - Stinkeye August 20, 2015 At 23:11
      
      “Honey, these Twizzlers taste funky.”
- Bill August 21, 2015 At 08:21
  
  I had a buddy a number of years ago carry a footlong from subway into the movies. Had the high side wedged in his waistband in the appendix carry position with the rest down his leg. If anyone asked what it was his response was going to be “All me baby”…too bad nobody even noticed.
Indiana Tom August 20, 2015 At 20:10

The new Regal Cinema policies will render the patrons a feeling of greater security and safety enhancing their theater attending experience in a known weapons free zone.
- Gunr August 20, 2015 At 20:14
  
  Yeah, don’t you just feel kinda warm and fuzzy all over!
Daily Beatings August 20, 2015 At 20:11

It’s not for guns, it’s for contraband such as snacks, booze, or video cameras. They’re just using the guise of safety as a reason.
- William August 20, 2015 At 21:19
  
  Our local theater has been doing this for years to keep people from sneaking snacks in – they even say so. Of course, the snack prices aren’t quite ad bad as the chain theateres, and neither are tickets, so I don’t begrudge them trying it as a stop loss policy.
Scottlac August 20, 2015 At 20:13

I walked through a show and tell security theater to get into a concert like this 8 months ago carrying a 1911 IWB. They even had me unzip my jacket. I saw what they were doing to the people ahead and knew I was better off just keeping it on me and walking through rather than going back to the car 5 blocks away.
Jason August 20, 2015 At 20:23

My CZ-P01 goes a lot of places where “it’s not allowed”. I may have to start carrying a man purse to carry all of my rat traps though.
Gov. William J. Le Petomane August 20, 2015 At 20:28

As in most cases, the anti-gun left speaks and acts out of sheer utter ignorance. When I first got my weapons carry permit, like a lot of people I thought I needed and little tiny pistol to carry concealed. Within a year I was carrying my Beretta 92fs without a single thought of ‘printing’. These people just don’t realize that if I wished to do harm I could walk right passed them with such a pistol and a half a dozen magazines (120 rounds) and they wouldn’t have a clue until the shooting started. For me this was eye opening. While I’m firmly grounded in the reality that these things just don’t happen very often, I’m now always aware of just how effective such ‘gun free’ zones are.
Former Water Walker August 20, 2015 At 20:40

And here’s a regal buh-bye…you ain’t searching for snacks…er gunz…
Mark N. August 20, 2015 At 20:41

I seem to recall that Mr. Holmes bought a ticket, walked into the theater, and waited until 15 minutes into the show, whereupon he exited the rear door, leaving it blocked slightly open, and retrieved his firearms from his car right out side the door.
- Gunr August 20, 2015 At 21:22
  
  That’s a good point’
  No, that’s an Excellent point!
- Taylor TX August 20, 2015 At 22:32
  
  THIS!!!!! Surprised this wasnt mentioned already, these policies are really thoughtless knee jerk emotional reaction.
  - Mack Bolan August 21, 2015 At 00:53
    
    Most laws that are passed in this country are thoughtless, knee jerk, emotional reactions.
  - LarryinTX August 21, 2015 At 16:21
    
    Don’t forget meaningless, as well.
- GunGeek August 20, 2015 At 23:22
  
  Or sneak your buddies in with one ticket purchase as I heard (ahem) it was done by errant youth. Exit doors now marked as alarmed.
- TravisP August 21, 2015 At 02:39
  
  Ban doors!
Skyler August 20, 2015 At 20:51

I predict that Regal Cinemas will be the next theater chain to permanently cease to exist. It’s a dying industry and some will survive for quite some time as relics, but Regal just made sure that they won’t be in that list.
- Model 31 August 20, 2015 At 21:42
  
  Yep, building a new house now which will have a good internet connection and movie theater w/concession/bar, low level indirect lighting, more comfortable seating, sound system and hd projector -4k will have to wait. Concessions menu will include popcorn, hamburgers, BBQ chicken and smoked sausage fresh from the pit…pretty much whatever I’m in the mood for. Show times will be whenever I’m ready for them to start. Admission will be limited to whoever I decide, always free, and only granted to those carrying a firearm -preferably new, open carried in a retention holster and prepared to tell me all about it before the movie starts.
  Oh, and 50 shades of twilight will never be shown.
Southern Cross August 20, 2015 At 20:52

Yet another reason to watch movies at home. The other being the rip-off prices at the concession stand.
gsnyder August 20, 2015 At 21:03

Total hysteria in control of an entire company, foolish. No one will ever search me going into a movie. It’s over, don’t go to a theater, they do not deserve our money nor are they interested in our well-being. Either allow the Constitution to stand or hire full-fledged armed security in all viewing rooms.
I1ULUZ August 20, 2015 At 21:09

While at the range today talking about this, was told most likely this is an excuse to search bags, what are they more concerned about, high def video recording equipment. Great video, just poor audio, but shoots their profits to death. If they find a firearm that is just a bonus.
- Stinkeye August 20, 2015 At 23:27
  
  I think they’re far more worried about people sneaking in snacks than bootleg recording gear. For one, internet bootlegs aren’t that much of a concern to the theater chains, it’s the movie studios who really care about that. The kind of people who are going to download cam-pirated movies generally aren’t going to the theater, anyway. For two, the number of people sneaking in HD cameras to record the movie is microscopic compared to those bringing in outside food. The real profits in the theater business are on snacks and drinks.
  - I1ULUZ August 21, 2015 At 06:34
    
    That is what I thought too, my side of the discussion, but they made a good case for the video side, guess people use a clamp for the camera on the back of the seat in front of them.
    
    With the snack theory, they are searching people to allow them to rob them at the snack counter. But we don’t a weapon just the smell of hot fresh popcorn to force you to buy popcorn and a drink and 1000% profit.
    
    I don’t understand how anyone could watch a movie on a smartphone, well to be honest on anything less than a 7.2 surround sound. Also if you do, make sure everything on the wall is secure, rather not say how I learned that fact 🙁
    
    I think most theaters are seeing the end of their usefulness with streaming, Blu-Ray, 4K disc coming out, Sony streaming 4K over PSN, prices, etc…. This is a last gasp before going under.
Wood August 20, 2015 At 21:09

DVR is great. No commercials, never see movie ads, never desire to go to movies, save money, spend money on more ammo.
- Gunr August 20, 2015 At 22:28
  
  Yes sir! way to go, I’m gettin old now, when I go, I’m taken my DRV with me, or I ain’t going!
Gamecockfan August 20, 2015 At 21:19

Took the family to a matinee movie at the local Regal this past weekend. Saw the search sign on the door. Wife flashed open her purse, revealing snacks for 4 people, but no weapon. Meanwhile, I had my weapon on my hip and the teenage ticket taker waved me on through. Interestingly, this is in SC and the theater did not have a state compliant no firearms allowed sign on its doors….no sign at all stating firearms weren’t allowed, just that they were searching bags for them.
- Gunr August 20, 2015 At 21:24
  
  Don’t keep us in suspense! Did they seize the snacks!
- WS in SC August 20, 2015 At 21:25
  
  Does this happen to be the regal in Columbia?
  - Gamecockfan August 20, 2015 At 23:11
    
    Yep…..Regal at Harbison. And no, the snacks weren’t confiscated….not even noticed really.
Galtha58 August 20, 2015 At 21:24

Movie theaters are dying. This kind of policy will make it worse. False sense of security for the Sheep. The rest of us don’t feel like being targets for some Wacko without being able to protect ourselves. So, Redbox, Hulu, Amazon Video, Zulu, etc.. The list goes on. There are many ways to watch a movie if you want to. If you have a nice large, fairly new TV and are a cable subscriber or have a DVD or Blueray player there is really no reason to go to a theater anymore. You will have to wait a bit longer to see the movie but you will also get to see more reviews by real people and may decide not to watch it after all. Save time and money while you relax in your own home with your gun, your beer and your own popcorn. All at reasonable prices.
- John hope August 20, 2015 At 21:33
  
  That’s the smartest thing anyone has said on this thread. With the clarity and overall better picture if the new tv’s I would rather wait and get it in blue ray and see a much crisper and better quality picture anyway.
- Gunr August 20, 2015 At 21:38
  
  Your absolutely right! I have said that myself on the blog, more than once. Good post!
- LarryinTX August 21, 2015 At 16:34
  
  And for those who don’t know about today’s prices, I recently replaced my Blu-Ray player with a new one, this time equipped with all capabilities to receive Wi-Fi and Netflix HD streaming, etc, and it cost me $80 at Best Buy. No more excuses, family of 4 can spend that at the movies in one visit.
Pantera Vazquez August 20, 2015 At 21:33

Gamecockfan: “….no sign at all stating firearms weren’t allowed, just that they were searching bags for them.”

“I had my weapon on my hip and the teenage ticket taker waved me on through.”

No prohibition, but searching for them, while ignoring open carry……..

Security theater at the theater……….The irony is……
Rusty Chains August 20, 2015 At 21:38

I have been to the one near me exactly once in the last five years and that only because they were showing something that my daughter really wanted to see. In the state of Georgia their no guns sign has no force of law. Otherwise the one near us is more expensive, older, less clean than the others that are just a bit closer.
Josh Wood August 20, 2015 At 21:46

This is happening with pretty much all theater chains. Most won’t enforce it. Mine doesn’t restrict customers carrying, but the signs went up just the same.
M August 20, 2015 At 22:12

What’s the poor high school kid going to do if he actually finds something?

A stupid policy that does nothing and potentially puts their employees in even more danger.
- Bob102 August 20, 2015 At 22:25
  
  Actually, it does something. It puts all the potential victims in a convenient single line so the bad guy has a clear shot at everyone. The bad guy doesn’t even have to buy a ticket or enter the theater. In Iraq, the terrorist found that bombing the people waiting in a security line was rather effective. I wonder what bozo from Regal thought of this new bag check stupdity.
  - Dirk Diggler August 20, 2015 At 23:14
    
    Someone who never served, thought about serving, or think that those who served are “icky”
Warlocc August 20, 2015 At 22:22

Where I work security, there is a Regal Cinema with a “no weapons” sign, and a similar sign to that. I asked once, who enforces the “no weapons” sign if somebody walks through with a shotgun looking to kill everybody.

The answer was effectively “the magic gun free barrier that the sign creates will protect us”.
louringe August 20, 2015 At 23:01

Happiness is being a Diabetic, my wife (a retired LE) carries all I need to go see a movie
Bigred2989 August 20, 2015 At 23:17

“Sorry sir, we need to inspect you bag and pockets. It’s for safety reasons. Oh look, snacks and a water bottle. Sorry, no outside food allowed. Company policy. Please head to the concession stands and pay 15 dollars each for the things we just force you to throw out.”
Dirk Diggler August 20, 2015 At 23:19

I carry to the movies near me with the big no guns sign up. . . . whatever. If they try to frisk me, I will punch the phucker who does (but certainly not the ticket taking kid in the wheelchair). . . this is just feel good mental masturbation. WHat is the real question is what happens when another jackoff smokes a crowd like a pack of Kools at a Regal theater with such a search policy? A jury is gonna eat them alive,.
cknarf August 20, 2015 At 23:41

My wife snuck in a Big Mac once.
- Gunr August 21, 2015 At 00:53
  
  20 years in the slammer!
- Roymond August 21, 2015 At 00:56
  
  LOL Nice.
  
  Best we ever did was an entire 12-pack of Coke, in a fluffy insulated hunting jacket — never tried doing actual food!
  
  A high school kid I knew smuggled in several dozen packets of Junior Mints, gummi bears, and other stuff: he taped them all to his jeans and pulled a pair of loose sweat pants over them.
  Oh — and he knew how to keep the Junior Mints from melting: refrigerate down to 40 degrees F till just before heading to the theater.
Roymond August 21, 2015 At 00:50

I have an incredible urge to trap enough crickets to fill a backpack and then go to a Regal cinema . . . .
- Coffee Addict August 21, 2015 At 10:21
  
  you can buy crickets at your local petsmart. Reptile food.
  - IdahoPete August 21, 2015 At 12:44
    
    AND your local bait shop – fish bait.
TwinReverb August 21, 2015 At 04:44

Boycott Regal.
Steve August 21, 2015 At 04:44

My wife used to pack a thermos full of martinis in her purse when we went to the movies…..I guess those days are over now.
Paelorian August 21, 2015 At 05:39

So they just start shooting in the lobby instead, with just as many casualties. Perhaps more, as people exiting the theaters have no other exit. Wow, that’s a great reason to violate my privacy.

I hate, hate, hate this security theater that actually makes us less safe in order to provide idiots with the illusion of safety. Don’t come in here with a weapon! You might go “from good guy with a gun to bad guy with a gun” at any moment! Of course, actual bad guys with a gun are [i]de facto[/i] welcomed in because there’s no one with the means to stop them. What exactly do these people think is going to happen? The mass murderer shows up, sees a metal detector, decides to rethink his decision?
Mad Max August 21, 2015 At 05:55

I no longer go to theaters, arenas, or malls.

I avoid large crowds but do go to gun shows and NRA events.

I’ll use the money I save onore ammo.
Mad Max August 21, 2015 At 05:56

I no longer go to theaters, arenas, or malls.

I avoid large crowds but do go to gun shows and NRA events.

I’ll use the money I save on more ammo.
Shwiggie August 21, 2015 At 07:54

Hmm. I was planning to catch a movie after work today. Guess I’ll just…

*puts on 3D shades*

…carry anyway.

YEEEEEAAHHHHHH….!
fuque August 21, 2015 At 08:08

Time to break out the camelbak.
susanw August 21, 2015 At 08:21

Just saw this posted on another site; poster said they sent it to the Regal Management:

Right…got it…you want customers and staff to FEEL safe, not to actually BE safe. Until/unless you can insure our safety, this is nothing but “security theater”. Here’s why I say this:

Generally police who do searches like this will have rubber gloves, or pierce/cut resistant gloves, often times both…. along with a flashlight and a table or something to perform the search in/on. I’m guessing you simply told a high school kid to check people’s bags w/out giving him/her adequate protection, nor training.

And what exactly is this kid looking for? (Why aren’t the “prohibited items” posted somewhere in full view, so we know what not to bring into the theater?)

I’d guess “weapons” would be your first answer…so I’d imagine guns and knives are your first priority. Will you be opening all the compartments of each woman’s purse, since many guns can fit in the smaller, zippered compartments? What size of a knife is prohibited? Is my swiss army knife a prohibited item? What about the pepper spray that many women carry for self protection, is that OK? Are you going to prohibit pens, nail files, scissors? (all can be used to stab very effectively), coins? (can be easily used as a sap or fistload), magazines & pamphlets? (rolled up and thrust to the eyes)…

Wait a minute…that “weapons” answer seems to be getting a little difficult to define. Maybe we should just skip over that and consider what will be done if this kid who’s checking the purses and backpacks, looks in and see’s your wife’s legally licensed pistol. Now what? Does he keep his cool and ask you to leave and secure your weapons, or does he freak out? Or maybe he’s got to push stuff around in the purse to see all the way to the bottom…are you going to be legally responsible for any accidental discharge that happens when he touches the trigger by “pawing around” in the purse?

And if the kid finds a bunch of marijuana or drug stuff, just what are they supposed to do? What about if the kid comes across a bottle of liquer…and the woman who owns the purse is only 17?

And what precisely is this teen aged theater employee’s course of action to be if he actually comes across a genuine nut case on a jihad mission with a bomb in their bag? I imagine he would get the privilege of being the first victim, (and I’ll thank him for alerting the rest of us with his death.) Has anyone warned him about this “job perk”?

And, most importantly…what about the gang banger/crazy who’s got a pistol tucked into his waistband? How are you protecting me from him?

So…not effective at actually increasing SAFETY, with lots of room for very negative “unintended consequences”…does this sound like a logical response to the “Security issues have become a daily part of our lives in America” concern you stated in your policy?

NO, it does not. Unless you’re willing to hire armed security guards who are trained in TSA-style “pat-downs” combined with installed metal detectors, you are only going to be able to make me FEEL safe, but I’m not going to actually BE safe.

Rescind your policy.
- LikeISeeIt August 21, 2015 At 13:01
  
  “Rescind your policy”
  
  Great post, but balls re ‘rescind’ … Wither and Die, Regal.
  
  I see no reason to ever go there again, rescinded or not. Let it be a lesson to others in the future.
Tom in Georgia August 21, 2015 At 09:33

I’m sorry, but….no. Just no. I’ve only been to a movie theater half a dozen times at best in the last 15 years, but the simple fact is that anyone asking to search whatever bag I happen to have with me will be told NO, and have a nice day as I walk on in to the theater. Now I suppose they can call the local police and trespass me, but the answer will still be the same – NO, and get a damn warrant first.

That is all.

Tom
BDub August 21, 2015 At 10:10

Netflix and Vudu, don’t search me, so I’ll keep going there.
meccastreisand August 21, 2015 At 11:06

What the hell? Wouldn’t this have been higher up on the ethos scale if Sara were assigned to regurgitate the article? Not saying I like how ST summarizes or that I don’t like how DZ does it but cmon, it’s standard practice.
IdahoPete August 21, 2015 At 12:46

“Backpacks and bags …” Sounds like they are discriminating against women, since they are more likely to carry a purse or other large container. Where are the lawyers from NOW? Where is our female US Attorney General?
- Aaron August 21, 2015 At 20:32
  
  Hey, that’s sexist! Sometimes a man carries a shoulder bag into a theater! Gotta carry vodka and scooby-snacks somehow.
David Stadler August 21, 2015 At 14:15

Unless their personnel are trained to search and frisk, and their are armed police or security present to enforce, just a useless plubicity stunt. I will not patronize any gun free business unless they can assure that no one is armed!
Aaron August 21, 2015 At 18:06

they probably just want to confiscate snacks, and force people to buy their overpriced stuff, and are camouflaging it with “safety”.
rlc2 August 22, 2015 At 21:07

Eh, the fancy new Regal nearby opened with 150% higher ticket prices, reserved seats that are broken half the time, and cant be bought online cuz the glitchy Fandango back-end is down, and the popcorn sux.

Even if I could carry in CA, I wouldnt submit to the unconstitutional search.
Just another reason to go somewhere else.
Snug August 23, 2015 At 12:02

This is the appearance of security. Just like the TSA… 96% of explosives successfully smuggled in a recent test.
Lee August 24, 2015 At 10:05

Let’s see, Hollywood is making movies I don’t want to waste my time on, the movies and snacks are over priced and now they want to search me. I was only going to see 1 movie a year as it was I’ll just wait and watch them at home.
Imbeciles September 20, 2015 At 16:45

Yeah, that would have stopped the theater shooters. A minimum wage ticket seller checking for guns.

“Aw man! You won’t me let take my submachine gun in?!” a killer would have said, as he walked frustrated from the lobby.

The only defense against psychos with guns is sane people with guns. That’s a simple enough fact to understand. So if you don’t want guns in your establishment, provide adequate competent armed security. As liberals never actually point out when they make that stupid comparison, the Capitol provides its very own police force.

That’s *still* not going to be good enough for many hoplophiles and you’re going to get boycotted, but at least then you have a rational justification instead of a cheap publicity stunt.
Greg September 20, 2015 At 18:06

The policy will still not stop a determined bad guy; just the guy/gal who will try to save the sheep.
Todd October 3, 2015 At 22:20

My mother who is 67 years old and lives in California was told that she had to discard her mace or she was not allowed in the theater!
As she gave the attendant her ticket she was asked to open her purse, when she did the attendant tried to put his hands in her purse. She told him no and then he looked in and told her she couldn’t go in unless she got rid of it. The attendant was very rude and abrupt. So she went back out to the car and when she returned she asked to speak to the manager. They walked to the front of the line where ladies were being let through carrying purses and shopping bags from nearby stores. There was now a different attendant and no bags were being searched. This policy is absolutely absurd!
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