Craving movie theatre popcorn? Now you can order Cineplex goodies for takeout
Tomas Kauer 
Cineplex Inc. is giving unsold concession snacks the sequel treatment.
The movie theatre chain announced Wednesday that the majority of its 168 locations across 10 provinces will sell surplus popcorn, nachos and hot dogs at a discount through a partnership with mobile app Too Good To Go.
The app, which expanded into Canada in 2021, aims to help restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries and other retailers cut down on waste by selling excess food at reduced prices.
The program is a “simple and scalable” solution for the national chain to redirect its extra treats, said Kevin Watts, Cineplex’s executive vice president, exhibition, LBE and film.
“Like in many food service environments where demand can vary throughout the day, some surplus concession items at the end of service were unavoidable,” Watts said in an email to the Financial Post. “Prior to this partnership, those unsold items would typically not be resold and could go to waste.”
To find snacks on the cheap without buying a movie ticket, consumers can look up nearby participating Cineplex theatres through Too Good To Go. Theatres will sell two types of “surprise bags”: one with popcorn for $5.99 and one with a mix of concession snacks (popcorn, nachos and/or hot dogs) for $8.99.
“Once reserved, customers visit the theatre during the designated pick-up window, show their in-app receipt, and swipe to confirm pickup with a concession stand employee,” Luke Slinger, head of key accounts for Too Good To Go Canada, said in an email.
Watts said a pilot program on the app had “encouraging early demand” and Cineplex expects the appetite for discounted concessions to grow over time.
More than 46 per cent of food in Canada gets tossed out every year, according to a 2024 report from Second Harvest Canada. The non-profit found 41 per cent of that is avoidable food waste — edible goods that were fit for consumption before being thrown away.
The report said that avoidable food waste increased 6.5 per cent over a five-year period and estimates the total value at $58 billion.
Founded in Denmark in 2015, Too Good To Go operates in towns and large cities across Canada and works with major chains such as Tim Hortons, Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and Metro Inc., as well as local independent restaurants, cafes and grocers.
Slinger said Canadian consumers currently save nearly 100,000 bags of unsold food every week through the marketplace app.
• Email: jswitzer@postmedia.com
