There was a time not so long ago when I could only afford matinee shows at AMC. I was a poor college student who had an expensive hobby of going to the theaters to watch the latest movies on weekends. I had to scrimp on a lot of things because I felt that Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and the Pirates of the Caribbean series were more important than a healthy meal.
So it was a good thing that matinee pricing at AMC theatres have always been budget friendly. Otherwise, there would have been no way I could pay for those movie tickets.
What’s a Matinee?
A matinee refers to any movie, play or performance which takes place during the day, specifically in the morning or afternoon. At AMC, matinees are shows scheduled before 4pm. If you watch a movie before 4pm, the ticket prices are cheaper by as much as 25% compared to the evening ticket prices.
Why are Matinee Tickets Cheaper Than Evening Tickets?
AMC charges less for matinee tickets because more people are willing to go see a movie at that time. It’s like how some people wait for sales such as a Black Friday Sale before buying things. Since matinee movies are shown in the early afternoon, they attract a different group of people than the nighttime shows.
Matinee tickets also cost less because theaters like AMC want to fill seats during the day when fewer people come. By offering cheaper tickets, they encourage us to come see movies in the afternoon. This helps balance out the number of people watching movies throughout the day and encourages moviegoers to spread out their visits throughout the day. This in turn prevents overcrowding during peak hours and enhances the overall cinema experience for us.
How Much are Matinee Tickets at AMC?
The price of a matinee ticket at AMC varies depending on whether you’re watching a standard format film or a premium format film such as IMAX and RealD 3D. Just to give you some idea, at the AMC theaters I frequent here in Atlanta, the prices for matinee and evening tickets are as follows:
Standard – Dine In
Adults $15.49/ Matinee $11.59
Child $12.49/ Matinee $9.39
Senior $13.99 / Matinee $10.49
Standard
Adults $16.49/ Matinee $12.39
Child $13.49/ Matinee $10.09
Senior $14.99 / Matinee $11.19
Dolby Cinema
Adult $21.49 / Matinee $17.39
Child $18.49 / Matinee $15.09
Senior $19.99 / Matinee $16.19
IMAX
Adults $20.49/ Matinee $16.59
Child $17.49/ Matinee $14.39
Senior $18.99 / Matinee $15.49
RealD 3D
Adults $20.99/ Matinee $16.69
Child $17.99/ Matinee $14.49
Senior $19.49 / Matinee $15.59
Some locations may also charge higher than others so this is something you should consider. To get the most updated matinee pricing at AMC, please visit their official website here. Simply enter the city, zip or theatre you plan to visit as well as the show you want to see in order to get the price information.
Is Watching a Movie at AMC Worth the Price?
Matinee ticket prices for adults range from $11.50 to $17.39, with the higher price points applicable to premium formats. In my opinion, these are very affordable ticket prices considering the amenities you get to enjoy at AMC. Even the regular evening tickets are reasonably priced. With plush seats, excellent audiovisual quality and newly remodeled theaters, AMC is always a good option for me.
But don’t just take my word for it. Check out these reviews of other AMC customers:
GaryJ1981
Review of AMC Theatre
This was probably the nicest theater I have ever been in. The seats were very comfortable. They reclined and had foot rest. The price for the movies were about normal but the concession was high. Nice area and plenty of stuff to do with small kids.
DawgExplorer
One of the best in the ATL
We have visited this theater over 20 times when we go to Atlanta. It is always clean, typically has good service, and has recliner seats. I like being able to select my seats before we enter the theater.
Here’s more from Yelp:
Michelle L.Elite 24
El Paso, TX
An awesome movie theater where I recently watched the 25th anniversary screening of “Titanic” and the new “Super Mario Bros Movie” 🙂 ! Most of the employees are pretty helpful and friendly. However, yesterday, when I went to the front counter pick-up area to pick up my mobile order for a large popcorn and soda, I felt ignored by the male employees at the concessions area, considering that they saw me but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t until a female employee named Winsocky asked me if I had been helped that I actually felt acknowledged and assisted.
Overall, though, this is a nice AMC in the West LA area that validates your parking for at least 4 hours if you watch a movie there, so you only have to pay $5 total for your time at the Grove.
This is still more time than you can get at, for instance, the AMC in Century City. I believe the AMC in Century City can only validate for 2 or 3 hours because of the rules of the Westfield Century City Mall. However, most movies (if you include previews) can easily go over 2 or 3 hours.
The Grove shopping center overall is much more reasonable with parking validation, which makes it a more enjoyable and relaxing movie experience + shopping experience 🙂 ! This is why I come here more often now compared to the Westfield Century City Mall, which hardly validates parking and charges an arm and a leg for even just a short duration.
Adnan K.Elite 24
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Watched the movie “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” at AMC The Grove 14 on August 12, 2023. The Theatre was crowded when we watched this movie. Unlike the AMC Theatres in Rancho Cucamonga and Montclair, this is not a dine-in movie Theatre. This Theatre looks more like old school that is still holding the old glories of AMC. The ambience of this Theatre can make people nostalgic. The auditorium where we watched the movie didn’t have recliners, the seats were not too comfortable for a longer movie. But the screen was quite big, and the overall sound quality was good. The auditorium was clean enough. The staff was friendly and cooperative. There’s a restaurant inside of this Theatre. But parking is the most challenging part for this place and it’s nearly impossible to get free parking. There’s a paid parking structure close to the Theatre. Overall, this is a nice Theatre to watch movies.