People in two Cineplex Odeon VIP cinemas will soon be able to enjoy a beer or wine with their movie.
But the day is not yet here where adults in the company's conventional movie theatres will be able to quaff a cold one while enjoying a flick, says a Cineplex Entertainment spokesperson.
"I'd like to clarify a lot of misinformation that's out there," Pat Marshall told ctvtoronto.ca on Wednesday.
The Varsity theatre in downtown Toronto -- which counts mainly adults as the clientele for its 12 auditoriums -- and SilverCity in Oakville currently have VIP theatres and licensed lounges already in place, she said.
"It's actually an extension of a service we already provide," Marshall said, adding the VIP auditoriums are already restricted to audiences aged 19 and older.
"We provide food and beverage at your seat already, so adding alcohol is the new element there," adding the request for the service has come from customers, she said.
VIP theatres cost about $5 more per ticket, but have smaller capacity and larger seats, with a table between them.
The company, still in the application process, hopes to start offering the service by Dec. 10.
Ontario's Alcohol and Gaming Commission has established certain rules for theatres, which include
- A currently licensed lounge with trained staff
- An area physically separated and clearly delineated from non-licenced areas
- A maximum of two single-drink servings per individual in one order
Marshall said the Varsity and SilverCity locations already meet those criteria.
The company isn't currently seeking to have alcohol added to theatres such as downtown's Scotiabank, which has a licenced lounge but no VIP theatre, she said.
