ArcLight Cinemas is upping its food and drink game with a new year-long program designed to “redefine the popcorn experience.” Partnering with restaurants and emerging culinary brands across the country, ArcLight will offer new popcorn flavors, cocktails, menu items and events.
The theater chain, which now has locations in five cities, is joining the push to offer theatergoers more unique choices in food and drinks.
“The popcorn experience hasn’t changed in 100 years,” said ArcLight VP of film marketing Kevin Holloway. “We’re going to rethink the experience.”
Popped launched Wednesday at Hollywood’s Cinerama Dome, featuring a dinner from Majordomo chef Jude Parra-Sickels, who will be creating one of the theater circuit’s new signature popcorn flavors. His popcorn creation is inspired by the dinner’s crispy butterball potatoes with peanuts, chili and crunchy corn kernels. Fittingly, the meal ended with miso panna cotta topped with caramel corn.
The first new twist to roll out will be Mexican street corn-flavored popcorn in partnership with Tocaya Organica. Momofuku’s fried chicken concept Fuku will offer cinemagoers portable bites that can be taken into theaters, while non-alcoholic spirits brand Seedlip will feature cocktail creations at ArcLight’s bars.
Throughout the year, partnerships with restaurants and chefs in the markets where ArcLight has cinemas will include chef Abe Conlon of Fat Rice in Chicago, chef Kwame Onwuachi of Kith/Kin in Washington, D.C. and chef Karen Akunowicz of Fox & the Knife in Boston.
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