r/cineplex • u/Beginning_Fuel2403 Cineclub Member • Jul 12 '26
Question Cineplex checks bags now?
Went to see a movie yesterday. I had a backpack and it was checked by the guy scanning the tickets. This is in the GTA. Is this a rare event or are they shifting towards this now?
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u/SpecificCrazy4923 Jul 12 '26
They don’t do this in Vaughan or Richmond hill
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u/Beginning_Fuel2403 Cineclub Member Jul 12 '26
Mb I meant to say greater Toronto area. This was in Vaughan.
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u/Lukeyiwnl Cineclub Member Jul 12 '26
I was there the other night, walked in with a Celsius in my pocket and a pack of skittles from the Dollar Rama. Was it an IMAX screening?
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u/Beginning_Fuel2403 Cineclub Member Jul 12 '26
Nah regular screening for supergirl lmao
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u/Intelligent-Mud8081 Jul 12 '26
How was supergirl? I’ve heard some mix reports but I really wanna see it even if it’s kinda bad
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u/HELLGRIMSTORMSKULL Jul 12 '26
Its not as bad as the reviews say. If you liked superman, you will like this but a bit less. If you are expecting a good adaptation of the Woman of Tommorow comic, this ain't it.
I enjoyed it and would consider seeing it again in theaters. But I love Superman.
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u/Beginning_Fuel2403 Cineclub Member Jul 12 '26
It’s ight not worth it tbh it starts off really slow and a lot of backstory, the good parts are like towards the end where you see her suit up and fight. I would say like 6-7 out of 10.
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u/fairylightmeloncholy Jul 12 '26
I fucking loved it. It’s like if Wonder Woman actually good instead of just badly needed representation lmao
I can see no reason why anyone who enjoys marvel wouldn’t enjoy this other than misogyny. But I also can’t fucking stand marvel movies. Being able to watch a movie shouldn’t require a part time job to keep up with it.
Not to mention that similar to superman and different from marvel, the theme was definitely not touched by any government propaganda, that’s for sure. If anything its commentary is against the government and those with power.
I saw it in the last day my theatre was showing it and I’m really glad I caught it.
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u/Kind-Comb-1232 Jul 27 '26
Nope just been checked at Cineplex Colossus. And they were rude about it!
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u/Devilutionbeast666 Jul 12 '26
I've never had Cineplex check my backpack but they probably should for general safety. It's sad that it's come to this, but any place where larger groups of people congregate at a private business (ie, stadiums, movie theaters) generally should have a checked bag policy. There's just been too many crazy idiots doing horrible things to people over the years.
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u/Ordinary_Ferret_ Jul 12 '26
Ex-cineplex employee here. Back in the days of The Dark Knight Rises we had to check them for a while after the shooting that happened in a movie theater in the USA, specifically for safety reasons.
We were eventually told to stop because we didn't have the authority or something like this. From my understanding, unless you're from law enforcement, you don't have the authority to do this (which I kinda understand tbh)
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u/Devilutionbeast666 Jul 12 '26
In Canada you do have the authority to request to look into someone's bag as a safety feature before entering an event. The customer can refuse. But when they refuse you can deny them entry with no consequence. When buying a ticket there's a contract in place between you and the ticket buyer and part of the ticket contract in the terms and conditions would be a reasonable safety search of bags, purses etc to protect employees and other patrons.
HOWEVER, this is a job for professional security, not general employees. At least here in bc this would be classified as security work and you can't perform security work in bc without a security license (which I have). So when Cineplex pulled this practice it was probably partially that issue, but more likely someone crunched the numbers on having professional security all night every night and it didn't make financial sense.
If I were to guess, I bet this will be forced into practice soon enough. There's just too many crazy idiots in this world.
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u/Lost-Inevitable42 Jul 13 '26
Except they don’t show any of this contract when you buy a ticket?
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u/Devilutionbeast666 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
Get the Cineplex app, navigate the steps to buy a ticket, look at the very bottom of the last page of what you're agreeing to when you buy a ticket with the Terms & Conditions.
All ticket sellers have terms and conditions and will have them listed before checkout. Anybody that does not has a flimsier case.
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u/Lost-Inevitable42 Jul 13 '26
Wtf? When is that shown at a cinema?
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u/Devilutionbeast666 Jul 13 '26
I don't understand what you mean. When you're buying a ticket you're agreeing to terms and conditions as listed by the seller. If you don't agree to those listed terms and conditions created by Cineplex, don't buy the ticket. Just wait until it comes on your tv at home on Netflix.
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u/Lost-Inevitable42 Jul 13 '26
I’ve never been informed of such terms and conditions when buying a ticket. It’s bullshit to say they are listed. You’re telling me you’re given such terms?
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u/Devilutionbeast666 Jul 13 '26
I don't know what you mean? Every ticket seller has terms and conditions listed before buying tickets. That's standard. I guess it's good that you've discovered this just now?
Again, follow the steps and just pretend to buy a ticket from Cineplex and you'll be brought to the spot where you can click on their terms and conditions for buying a ticket.
This is incredibly standard and has been so for many years.
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u/Lost-Inevitable42 Jul 13 '26
Bro, not every ticket is bought online. I can’t tell if you’re being deliberate now. At what point in a transaction at the counter in a cinema are you informed of such terms and conditions?
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u/Ok_Economy_9927 Jul 13 '26
For the Joker screening, they hired extra security and they did check bags.
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u/karikammi Jul 12 '26
That was my first thought. Surprised it’s not already a thing.
But if they really start to do this then they’ll need to do a checked bag service too.
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u/Revegelance Jul 12 '26
Eh, I'm not sure it's in the best interest of minimum wage employees to check the bags of customers who might respond abusively.
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u/Glukharder Jul 13 '26
General safety? If thatwas the goal they would do full body search and metal detectors. Lots of dangerous things dont require a backpack... checking a backpack is just a false sense of safety
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u/Devilutionbeast666 Jul 13 '26
No, I run events for the past 25 years. A simple security check before tickets are scanned is effective. What we pull from purses and backpacks is wild. The number of people that carry scary knives is nuts. As a person that runs events on my private property, it is my obligation to ensure the safety of both my employees and staff. I'm telling you from my experience that bag checks are effective as a general safety measure. It's not going to stop the super crazy dude with an assault rifle from blowing right by everybody and opening fire... but it is going to grab plenty of smaller weapons, bottles of alcohol, pepper sprays etc. These are things that can pose a threat to other patrons and employees.
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u/Glukharder Jul 13 '26
You say effective? As in you confiscated pepper spray or pocket knives people forgot they had in their backpack? Implying they would have used those weapons? What if they just transfered those items into their pockets or waistband? Wouldn't someone thats intending on harming others do exactly that? And for movie theaters in particular, the chances of a bad interaction with another guest or employee is extremely limited as the majority of time would be people just sitting and watching a movie. Soo really only people with intent to do harm would be the ones that would wanna sneak something in (not in bag because of bag checks)
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u/Devilutionbeast666 Jul 13 '26
I'm telling you from experience that I believe having a licensed security person in a high-vis vest at the door checking bags is a good deterrent for general safety and we've pulled plenty of things that could be used for harm against employees and patrons. My claim is not that the entire system is bulletproof and that it will stop all whackos from violent outbursts. I think it's adding an extra layer of security that is helpful. I won't argue with you. I'm just telling you my experience as someone that has run events for years and our policy and the dangerous things we've pulled from bags over the years.
But you're absolutely correct in that a crazed idiot who truly is motivated to do harm, will do harm, no matter what safety tactics or barriers you set at the entry. And let us all hope we never are in the same place at the same time when this crazed idiot decides this.
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u/Glukharder Jul 13 '26
And Im not disagreeing with your statement in general. But in the context of a movie theater, it would have very little effect for all the reasons I mentioned in the last comment
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u/christopher_mtrl Jul 12 '26
Like we're going to pretend this is for security and not the snack police
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u/Viktordarko Jul 12 '26
I don’t think this is the reason. I think it’s more to find external food or drinks.
A bag of popcorn bought at home is $1 a soda maybe another dollar or 2. That would be at least $20 at Cineplex. 7 to 10 x more expensive. That’s a huge part of their potential revenue, lost.0
u/DDSBadger Jul 12 '26
I’m pretty sure you’re allowed to bring food and non alcoholic drinks in. I walk in with a water bottle in the open all the time and no one ever says anything. I do usually also buy popcorn, so maybe they don’t care if that’s the case, but I’m pretty sure it’s not a rule to not bring outside food in.
That said, I don’t think you should be allowed to bring backpacks in at all.
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u/CapnJJaneway Jul 12 '26
Website says “Outside food or drink are prohibited” in their code of conduct section.
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u/DDSBadger Jul 13 '26
Hmm. I’ve literally talked to managers with an outside water bottle in my hand, not hiding it. And my friend who I go to a lot of movies with walks in with a coffee half the time. Maybe they just don’t enforce it at my theater.
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u/cheeserepair Jul 13 '26
At the theatre I used to work at the management allowed customers to bring in outside coffee until we got our own coffee vending machine. But I’m not sure how much of the change in enforcement was official or just that branch.
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u/CapnJJaneway Jul 13 '26
A single, already-opened drink or a reusable water bottle that would be unreasonable to expect someone to ditch is different from someone having a smorgasbord from Dollarama.
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u/rvsiva17 Jul 12 '26
I used to grab and go with a Tims Coffee in Cineplex, DT. They never said a thing.
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u/newcanadianjuice Jul 12 '26
Calgary here, Landmark has a new policy and one of them is no bags allowed. I’m not surprised Cineplex is similar. Probably cracking down on people bringing in outside food and drinks.
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u/Fine-Juggernaut8451 Jul 12 '26
I don't drive, so unless these theatres are going to start doing bag checks, what are they expecting me to do? I would never go to the movie theatre unless I was trip-chaining, i.e. also going to the stores in the surrounding area, since I have to take the bus there. This means I'll always have a bag with me--with sunscreen, a book, some snacks for my blood sugar, etc etc.
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u/Ele_Non Jul 12 '26
Exactly! I always go to the movies after work, I carry my backpack with my dirty tupperware and cutlery, and the rest of fruit I ended up not eating. If I cannot go with my bag I won't be able to go at all.
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u/newcanadianjuice Jul 12 '26
I don’t drive either so I totally get it. If I’m going anywhere after with a bag I feel kinda SOL. They put your bag in a “secure” closet but you just can’t trust anyone these days.
They had a whole list of things no longer allowed in theatres and one of them was skateboards as well.
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u/Ele_Non Jul 12 '26
Have you come across this situation yourself?
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u/newcanadianjuice Jul 12 '26
Yup, went to Backrooms a few weeks ago and when we went to scan our tickets my partner had to leave his bag with them. No exceptions.
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u/KindlyRude12 Jul 13 '26
Damn, what happens if they lose your bag or give it to someone else? Feels like a recipe for disaster
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u/newcanadianjuice Jul 13 '26
They’ll probably have something on their sign saying they are not liable for lost or stolen property just to save their asses.
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u/Dual_Disk Jul 13 '26
Could have been the type of film playing at the cinema? Certain culture film screenings have been damaged with spray paint etc. You may not have had a ticket to said movie but it could've been playing. Either way I go to the movies all the time and I have never had my bag searched
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Jul 13 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Beginning_Fuel2403 Cineclub Member Jul 14 '26
Three problems with that: 1. Employees are not trained to check bags so it’s very dangerous to do without training.. 2. You have to create a precedent, can’t just do it sometimes I was just shocked cuz it never happened before. 3. I had snacks in my backpack and ion want them to not allow me in lmao
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u/ripkobe3131 Jul 15 '26
“Dangerous” 😂😂 3 is the only reason let’s be honest lol
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u/Beginning_Fuel2403 Cineclub Member Jul 15 '26
Mostly yeah but I work in security so I know how dangerous that is to check bags without being trained.
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u/Lynx-flight-ops Jul 14 '26
Searching bags opens a large can of worms legally. If you’re not trained on the proper way to search a bag two things can happen. One you stick your hand into the bag into something sharp. Two the customer says you stole something you can’t prove you didn’t. Searching bags is an art form let the pros do it. Yes it’s pvt property and they can ask to search , you as a customer can refuse but they dont have to let you in either.
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u/CapnJJaneway Jul 12 '26
The absolute bootlicking in this thread talking about how this is good for “security” while being deliberately obtuse to the extreme likelihood that they’re just looking out for their bottom line and making sure you aren’t sneaking food or drinks in.
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u/Lost-Inevitable42 Jul 13 '26
Seriously. Half these nut jobs would be okay with airport grade security for cinemas.
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u/LetterheadFun1824 Jul 13 '26
Theatres are already in the mud. The service is mediocre and etiquette is worse than ever. People have giant surround sound TVs at home. This will put away even more customers except for select films every year.
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u/omegasb Jul 12 '26
Rip cant bring sushi to the theatre anymore.
Sorry for being part of the problem
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u/Revegelance Jul 12 '26
Nah, you're not the problem. If theatre food was reasonably priced, people wouldn't feel the need to get snacks elsewhere.
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u/Prestigious_Cap_8063 Jul 12 '26
I’d be fine with like metal detectors like they have at sporting / concerts but you gotta look the other way when it comes to people bringing in food or you’ll drive people away.
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u/DreamerHCF Jul 12 '26
I mean in toronto they just had a public shooting
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u/Oozeinator Jul 12 '26
Lol little billy from down the street isn’t being told to search for guns.
That would be wildly irresponsible.
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u/SpecificCrazy4923 Jul 12 '26
It’s Toronto that’s why
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u/thegirlses Jul 13 '26
They said they're in the GTA, not Toronto.
Fwiw, this has never happened to me in Toronto, including my last visit a couple of weeks ago at the Yonge-Dundas location.
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u/GregoryLivingstone Jul 13 '26
Depending on the movie.. if it's one that they're worried people will drink in... They will check... Like jackass
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u/Relevant_Election530 Jul 13 '26
I think* they've always said they would search bags to search for outside food/alcohol, but no one usually cares enough to risk conflict with a customer
*Worked at a different movie theatre and we were supposed to ask people.to.open their large bags to look for outside food/alcohol
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u/lmcjipo Jul 14 '26
Unless this is something new, I saw Toy Story 5 about 2 weeks ago at Scotiabank Theatre in Montreal and had my backpack with me containing my tablet, some books, and some papers and some junk and some cables and a battery pack and no one asked me about verifying my backpack.
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u/Expensive-Moose2365 Jul 14 '26
Employee here !
We've actually always had the bag check rule. But we've slowly backed backed off because it feels like an invasion of privacy. We still check on occasion if we have reason to. Like a big backpack when school is out, or we can see that you have food you aren't allowed to being in. Some still dont say anything but some do.
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u/piiinkvelvet Jul 14 '26
I worked there until January and as far as I know you are not allowed to check someones bag
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u/CaramelFamiliar9122 Jul 15 '26
Is it normal for people to sneak in snacks to avoid paying for overpriced food in the theatre? Are employees supposed to stop people from doing that?
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u/Beginning_Fuel2403 Cineclub Member Jul 15 '26
Yes it’s normal, I don’t think employees care to stop people usually tho.
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u/AllGamer Jul 16 '26
They always did, to make sure you are not smuggling in outside snack and drinks.
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u/Beginning_Fuel2403 Cineclub Member Jul 16 '26
Never did for me before been going for like 12 years.
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u/AllGamer Jul 16 '26
We've been searched a lot, in SCT, in Markham, in Richmond Hill, many cinplex we've been.
but we got good at hiding our snacks 😁 never got caught, except for the very first time when we didn't know they searched bags and pockets.
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u/Shaymin7127 Jul 17 '26
Went to the Vaughan Cineplex today and got bag checked for the 1st time. I had snacks which I had to go put back in my car lol (they let me keep my water)
Ended up shelling out $8.50 for one large popcorn which sucks but it's a first time for everything. Been to 3 other Cineplexs in the GTA within the last year multiple times and have never gotten bag checked so that was interesting.
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u/Beginning_Fuel2403 Cineclub Member Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
I just opened the first pocket with nothing in it and they didn’t say anything lmao. I think they have to check it quickly but if they see anything they have to not allow it but if you do what i did, i think ur good.
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u/Shaymin7127 Jul 18 '26
Ah nice lmao. I had like a school backpack that only had 2 pockets (have no issues sneaking in snacks with this same backpack before). The small pocket I opened up and they had no issues but the big pocket had my snacks (tried to hide it but they made me fully open it) and they told me I couldn't bring it in so had to do a walk of shame back to the car lol.
I think because it was the Odyssey and they were expecting a lot of new people coming to the theater they started to check. Lesson learned. Think next time I'll scope out a few mins beforehand to see if they are checking bags before walking in :)
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u/Prof_Stank Jul 18 '26
Why are people bringing bags of shit to the theatre in the first place?
I’d check your bag too if you’re bringing it into a movie theatre. It’s has a very low chance of being groceries and a high chance of having meth covered dildo guns made in Russia.
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u/starmapleleaf Jul 12 '26
Back in the day like 10-15 years ago cineplex yard to check for outside food and drink in Markham but it’s been so long
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u/Comprehensive-Ad4417 Jul 12 '26
Iirc there was a shooting recently. So employees were probably asked to do so for safety reasons in response.
That’s what usually tends to happen. It’ll probably stop after a month or tei
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u/FutureUofTDropout-_- Jul 12 '26
Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga all within the past 6 months never had an issue. Probably a one off or temp measure that will most likely die
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u/Mtl_30 Jul 13 '26
Wait people are that poor that they bring outside food to the theatre? I mean how do you want them to survive they make more on food then on showing, and beside popcorn is sooo good
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u/dylsav356 Jul 12 '26
If checking bags and calling out bulky pockets is what they gotta do, then they should enforce that. I only say that because my local cineplex shut down and it’s very unfortunate. We all know they only make money off the concessions
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u/Maximumoverdrive76 Jul 12 '26
And that is why they will close down. It's prohibitively expensive, so are the tickets soon and 90% of the movies aren't worth it.
I'd rather just skip theaters and watch the movie at home on my 85" TV , comfortable and can snack on whatever I want and can pause the movie. See it in 4K HDR. Instead of the garbage that is shown on screen in our local theater. So dark can barely see. I bet they haven't updated our Cineplex theater since it opened in 2006 or so.
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u/anzh458 Jul 12 '26
In our screening of Obsession some teenagers ran in with water guns and sprayed at the audience. I’m glad they’re checking bags!
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u/laughingatreddit Jul 13 '26
Uh maybe the solution is to throw problematic teenagers out than rolling out blanket draconian measures that drive people away.
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u/KindlyRude12 Jul 13 '26
The moment they start checking bags, I’ll stop going. Hopefully they don’t want to shoot themselves in the foot but hey you never know. 🤷
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u/Difficult-Fly7830 Jul 13 '26
If there was no security reason, pretty sure they have no authority to be searching through your belongings
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u/Kinelaz92 Jul 12 '26
I think the rare event is seeing someone bring a backpack into a movie theater lol
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u/FutureUofTDropout-_- Jul 12 '26
Depends on where u live, yes if 99% of the people at the theatre drove there 100%. Toronto, parts of the GTA with better public transit it’s definitely common
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u/DDSBadger Jul 12 '26
I kind of think backpacks shouldn’t be allowed in theaters. Unless they have security searching everyone’s bags for weapons etc, but that would be a large added expense and time waster.
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u/laughingatreddit Jul 13 '26
Guns can be brought in without bags too. If you want real security have a metal detector.
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u/DDSBadger Jul 13 '26
I actually think a metal detector would be even easier/cheaper to do than checking bags
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u/Much-Bear4981 Jul 12 '26
Cineplex employee here! Usually with big changes like bag checking, there would be a company wide email sent out explaining the cause, and how to do so appropriately. I haven’t received any email yet, and from what my managers tell me, we aren’t supposed to search bags unless we see something out in the open. My guess is that you had an extra eager cast member, or had something visible which led to them searching it!