Movie Theatre Seating Etiquette (with diagram)

[EdCota]

thanks for reminding me how much I miss Party.

[El Diablo]

CMAR,

"However, this DID inconvenience us.

It cost us our empty seat buffers.

If these guys has reserved their seats properly, we would have had a 1 seat buffer on each side of us."

Why did you leave a 3-seat buffer? Leaving 3 seats between you and the next people and expecting a buffer seat shows a lack of movie seating experience.

While the guys could have made things a little easier by tossing a jacket or something on the reserved seats, they basically did nothing wrong. They were saving seats, and when asked if they were free, let people know they weren't. That's pretty much what their responsibility is to their friends and the people asking. Sure, they could have saved the time of asking that question, but whatever.

Nothing they did inconvenienced you. YOU made assumptions and therefore are responsible for the outcome.

I actually didn't think you were serious here and thought you were just looking for any excuse to post your idea for sweet seating diagrams.

[diamonddawg]

I would like to see a seating diagram to explain to the weenies who come into a nearly empty theater, just as the movie is starting, and sit DIRECTLY right in front of us that their etiquette is poor.
With said diagram, I can xerox it, tape it to a piece of wood, and hit them on the head with it next time it happens.

[Dids]

I think a good rule of thumb is that if you don't have jackets, you should attempt to bracket the saved seats. While I agree that the dude's approach was not the best, it's not something that should bug you and I'm an expert in being bugged by [censored] that shouldn't bug other people.

[AceLuby]

[ QUOTE ]
I would like to see a seating diagram to explain to the weenies who come into a nearly empty theater, just as the movie is starting, and sit DIRECTLY right in front of us that their etiquette is poor.
With said diagram, I can xerox it, tape it to a piece of wood, and hit them on the head with it next time it happens.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right behind you is even worse IMO, or they sit right next to you w/ an empty theater.

[DrNo888]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I would like to see a seating diagram to explain to the weenies who come into a nearly empty theater, just as the movie is starting, and sit DIRECTLY right in front of us that their etiquette is poor.
With said diagram, I can xerox it, tape it to a piece of wood, and hit them on the head with it next time it happens.

[/ QUOTE ]

...or they sit right next to you w/ an empty theater.

[/ QUOTE ]

Especially if it's Paul Reuben.

[NajdorfDefense]

[ QUOTE ]
I would like to see a seating diagram to explain to the weenies who come into a nearly empty theater, just as the movie is starting, and sit DIRECTLY right in front of us that their etiquette is poor.
With said diagram, I can xerox it, tape it to a piece of wood, and hit them on the head with it next time it happens.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Cry Me A River]

[ QUOTE ]
Why did you leave a 3-seat buffer? Leaving 3 seats between you and the next people and expecting a buffer seat shows a lack of movie seating experience.


[/ QUOTE ]

No. Leaving a three seat buffer is an advanced move.

There were two of us, my wife and I. In order to leave a perfect 1 seat buffer on either side of us we would have needed to find 4 adjacent empty seats. We could have then taken the middle 2 seats and left a single seat buffer on each side of us. This would be the ideal configuration.

However, 4 adjacent seats were not available within the bounds of other, more important parameters (not too far from screen, not too close to the screen and near to center).

So we took the next best thing. We left one a seat buffer to our left and a 3 seat buffer to our right.

A 3 seat buffer is a strong second-best move because the majority of movie-goers are couples. If a couple sit there, they will occupy 2 of those 3 seats leaving a 1 seat buffer on one side of them. If this happens, and all else being equal, by random chance we have a 50% chance of maintaining a 1 seat buffer to our right.

However, all is not equal and it's not random. I am on the big and tall side and I command the use of the arm rest. Given the choice of sitting beside me and my massive bag of popcorn and tub 'o soda most people will opt instead to sit beside scrawny college student.

So, I actually have a far greater chance of maintaining my 1 seat buffer than 50%. Likely around 75%.

The worst possible move is to leave a 2 seat buffer as that virtually ensure you will have a couple sitting there if the theater becomes crowded and seating becomes scarce.

More than a 3 seat buffer becomes complete chance. You may get a group of people. You may get some couples. You have no way of influencing the outcome.

When choosing seats in a theater, the best option is obviously to leave 1 open seat on each side of your group. However, the second best option is to leave 3 seats. That gives you the greatest likelihood of maintaining a buffer.

[ QUOTE ]
I actually didn't think you were serious here and thought you were just looking for any excuse to post your idea for sweet seating diagrams.


[/ QUOTE ]

Or maybe this whole thread is just an ironic statement on the number of nitty complaint threads in OOT lately?

[CrazyEyez]

I totally agree with your 3-seat move as you outlined in Advanced Seating Decisions for Expert Movie Go-ers.

[suzzer99]

OP I agree 100% those dudes are [censored]. Oblivious people really annoy the crap out of me.

semi-related Question: Two male buddies, or a guy and his Dad go see a movie together. Do you leave a seat in between?