They Stole My Dignity

What a nightmare at the movies tonight!

First it took forever for the film to start – it was like they forgot that we were there and then even after I ran out and told someone they left the lights on for the first ten minutes.

So we are watching the movie and all of the sudden – BAM – the film goes off, the lights go on, and the strobe starts to flash, but no real alarm. I am sitting there and my wife gets up and goes “I’m outta here” and starts to walk back to the lobby. (Funnily enough no one went for the emergency exit – just to the lobby).

When we get to the lobby every theater is pouring out with the same story and one of the managers is asking us why we are leaving and then says someone must have pulled a fire alarm. This wasn’t an announcement – she just kinda said it. So I decide to go back into the theater since people aren’t leaving and the lobby is getting dangerously congested.

Back in the theater we wait for more than 20 minutes with the full lights and the strobe. The strobe finally goes out and a guy comes in – to CLEAN the theater. He is like – are you still eating that popcorn. No manager came in to make an announcement or anything just some guy who is on a schedule.

Then out of the blue the theater goes fully dark and the movie continues (the last 10 minutes).

So finally we leave and we are late to dinner elsewhere and it was with no surprise that there was no manager in the lobby waiting to apologize or anything. I’m sure if I wanted to say something I was going to have to work at it – I mean it isn’t like I didn’t just drop $50 for my wife and I to go to the movies (and have popcorn and drinks).

So yeah – I’m pissed:

1) Bad experience
2) No customer service
3) Unsafe handling of an emergency situation – if this was a fire there would have been no leadership – people would be trampled and burned – way to practice that fire safety.

I understand that accidents happen and people do stupid things – but I still paid for my experience and its like the managers and staff where looking out for ‘their’ experience and not ours.

Unacceptable.

So I went to email Regal Cinemas and their customer comments only allow for 255 characters – this is almost 10 times that – apparently I have to complain on their terms too.