“The popcorn sold at movie theaters makes way more money for the operators than the movie.”
Absolutely true. I worked at a four-plex movie theatre back in the early to mid 80’s. I can’t remember the exact margin between cost to make it and the price it was sold at - but it was frickin’ huge!
And then there is the “butter.” Recycled engine oil is free. Heck, they’ll pay you to take it.
Put it this way: popcorn is so cheap that some manufacturers have contemplated using it as packing filler instead of styrofoam peanuts. The only reason they don’t is that rodents (and other critters) like to eat popcorn ... and the contents of the package while they’re at it.
As a 15 year old i worked at showcase cinema in Dedham, MA around 1983.
The popcorn...my buddy Fish made it in a small room upstairs, he packed it in large clear plastic bags.
The secret was this yellow salty powder that came in these half gallon carboard milk carton like containers.
Yum....
what bags didn’t get sold that night got thrown out in the trash or often times tossed in the back of a friends car.
yea....i ate a lot of popcorn in the early 80’s..