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Muvico Theaters has started selling $1 ponchos at its guest services desks to moviegoers who come out of the dark only to discover it's pouring outside.
Few people carry an umbrella or raincoat into a movie theater these days. Yet in Florida, surprise rain storms are a frequent occurrence. So disposable ponchos made of plastic about the thickness of a garbage bag can work in a pinch. Like theme parks that sell thousands of ponchos any day it rains, Muvico plastered its logo on its ponchos.
The Fort Lauderdale movie chain got the idea from Ed Taylor, manager of the Muvico at St. Petersburg's BayWalk, where moviegoers face a two-block walk to get to the parking garage. It's the same problem at several Muvicos, including Centro Ybor in Tampa and Point Orlando.
"We're not making any money selling ponchos," said Jim Lee, the chain's marketing director. "The $1 charge just about covers our cost. We just think it's a great service."
With its initial order of 5,000 ponchos about gone, Muvico ordered 10,000 more.