PVR Inox cuts the prices of food and drinks by up to 40%

PVR Inox, a major cinema chain, cut the prices of food and drinks by up to 40% after people complained about them on social media.

From Monday to Thursday, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., the movie theater started selling food packages for as little as Rs 99. On weekends, it offered “bottomless popcorn” and “bottomless Pepsi,” the company said.

“Film fans who want to go to the movies on the weekend can get bottomless popcorn with unlimited refills, as well as attractively priced Family Meal Combos,” PVR Inox said in a statement. “This can cut food and drink (F&B) costs by up to 40 percent.”

 

According to the terms of its “Bestseller @ 99” deal, it cannot be used for group tickets or special shows, and it can only be bought offline. The mix will also not be shown as a Director’s Cut in any of its upscale theater versions, such as LUXE/Gold and TLC.

 

A tub of cheese popcorn used to cost Rs 450 at PVR Inox, while a 600-ml soft drink cost Rs 360.

 

The company lowered its prices more than 10 days after someone on social media whined about how much its food and drinks cost.

 

It started with a tweet from @tridipkmandal that said, “Rs 460 for 55gm of cheese popcorn, Rs 360 for 600ml of Pepsi. Total Rs 820 at @_PVRCinemas Noida. That’s almost as much as a Prime Video IN subscription for a year. People have no reason to go to the movies today. The price of going to the movies with the family has just gone up too much.

 

After 10 days, PVR finally replied to the tweet, which had gone popular. They said, “At PVR, we think every view matters and should be honored. We have news for you and for everyone in India who likes to go to the movies.”

 

In the statement, PVR Inox Executive Director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli said, “We have been actively listening to consumers’ thoughts on our F&B pricing strategy. As a result, we have put together cost-effective F&B deals that will appeal to moviegoers and address their concerns.”

 

He also said, “The line-up for the next few quarters looks great, and we’re sure that our newly structured food and drink offerings will match the excitement of the movies well.”

 

This week, the government also cut the rates of the goods and services tax (GST) and lowered the service tax on food and drinks at the theaters from 18% to 5%.

 

PVR Inox said that it already charged GST of 5% on all food and drinks sold at the theaters. It had said, “This clarification will help resolve industry-wide concerns for the sector, which includes more than 9,000 cinema screens across the country, by avoiding GST-related disputes/litigation, ensuring tax certainty, and reviving the theatrical business after the pandemic.”