Crave
Danielle Issa

How to Save Money Going to the Movies in Lebanon

Anyone else notice how costly a trip to the movies can be? Aside from the price of the ticket, the concession stand inside the theater is exorbitantly expensive. A small box of popcorn with a thirst-quencher will often run you as much as the ticket itself. Candy bars have massive markups, and you’d think the water was bottled at the North Pole with a price tag like that.

So how can you make your movie-going experience a bit friendlier on your wallet?

Well for starters, go to the matinée showing: the first movie of the day is substantially cheaper (8,000 LL) than a normal séance (12,000 LL). Second (and don’t pretend you’ve never done this before!), smuggle in your own party mix in that oversized sack of yours. Who’s to say you weren’t conveniently grocery shopping just before the movie?

If you’re visiting CinemaCity at City Mall, hit the aisles of the TSC Mega Supermarket and stock up on candy, chocolate, chips, pretzels, bite-size carrots, and more. We prefer the Lebanese gourmet nut mix from the Al Rifai counter, where you can custom create your own grab bag with everything from flavored coated peanuts to premium cheese-dusted cashews.

ABC Dbayeh’s got the small but handsomely equipped Black Pepper, which is a foodie’s heaven. We adore their bold Chex Mix, which you can scoop up by the gram.

Beirut Souks’ Cinema City is just a few steps from TSC Signature, and Grand Concorde in Verdun is nestled just below TSC. Planning a night at VOX in Beirut City Centre? Your neighborhood Carrefour to the rescue!

So get creative, and get snacking! But be nice, and be prudent: when the movie ends, take your rubbish with you. Wouldn’t want management cluing in on the mischief, would we now?!