Alamo Drafthouse
3 HN recommenders · recommended in 9 months, 2011–2026
1:47 · 5.1M views · Jun 4, 2011
Alamo Drafthouse posted an angry voicemail from a customer who was kicked out for texting in the theater. The theater turned it into a humorous in-house preview.
It is cited as a viral example of Alamo enforcing its no-talking and no-texting rules with humor.
12 comments from Hacker News
This video Alamo posted to youtube of an angry customer bitching about getting kicked out for texting is amazing . this video tl;dwatch: customer: I was texting and you kicked me out; whine whine whine alamo: gtfo and don't come back
Yes, agreed! I want to attend one of the Alamo Drafthouse theaters. Friends and family, where they currently do business, have reported a great experience! That's what they are supposed to be selling. Hell, I would! Also, anyone who will do this? this video I'll go just on principle. That's bad ass great, and a service to everyone spending their money on what they want to be a good experience.
Not only are they very strict, but they have a lot of fun with it. See an angry voice mail from one customer this video , or the playlist with a long list of PSAs, many of which include celebrities, asking you to please not talk: [LINK] Props to anyone who can get Neil Gaiman to make a please no talking PSA in the form of an Agnes Nutter prophecy.
I'm a fellow Austinite and will vouch for the Drafthouse as well. The prices --while still obviously above raw cost-- are fair in comparison to the traditional competition. Four dollars for bottomless coke; six dollars for popcorn. They have a gigantic selection of brews and wines. There are various entrees available at the same price of a typical restaurant. The pre-show entertainment isn't just a thinly veiled sequence of advertising. It can be hit or miss --apparently they're _all_ edited by two fellas in an office somewhere-- but it's nothing like the "LOOK AT THIS AWESOME PRODUCT!" strategy. Regal FirstLook, I'm looking at you and don't particularly care if the tablet survived a thousand foot drop from the sky or not. Finally, they are able to cater to various crowds and match the atmosphere and the expected behaviour. Traditional movie-going? STFU and watch. "Quote-alongs" for the hits of the recent past? Feel free to revel in your shared heritage of Big Lebowski references, (polite and relevant) chatter welcome. Movie Marathons? Be prepared for Harry Potter supersaturation for the next 24 hours as you go from Sorcerer's Stone to Deathly Hallows. Don't have cable television but still want to enjoy The Walking Dead? There's a screening for that. Oh, and regarding their no talking and texting rules. Think they don't take it seriously? Think again :) this video
I keep my phone in my pocket unless I am answering a call. (I used to keep my phone in a holster unless I was answering a call, but "smart" phones have an inconvenient form factor for that. So I've modified my wardrobe to include more shirts that can hold a smart phone in one pocket while all the usual things I've put in my primary shirt pocket for years can stay in that pocket.) One of the most enjoyable aspects of dining with other people is the conversation over dinner. I would hate to miss out on that for telephone calls that I can answer later. Voice mail for the win. AFTER EDIT: Other comments here mention using phones in movie theaters. The response of the Austin Drafthouse theater in Austin, Texas is famous. The theater's video with a recorded comment from an ejected customer became a viral video on YouTube, this video reported on in various news outlets. (The language of the video is rather crude, but it makes the theater's point that it doesn't want customers who use their phones in the theater.)