Regal’s New Refillable Containers: Are They Worth the Hype When You Still Have to Pay for Refills?
Regal Cinemas is releasing refillable popcorn and drink containers, but are they worth it?
Regal Cinemas is introducing new refillable containers.
Starting on December 22nd, Regal Cinemas is offering customers the chance to buy refillable drink and popcorn containers. Unfortunately, the high price tag is making some customers wonder if this is much of a deal at all.
To score the refillable containers, Regal Club Crown (RCC) members will need to fork over between $32 and $36, depending on if they purchase the containers separately or as a bundle.
If RCC members are purchasing separately, the refillable popcorn bucket costs $22 and the refillable drink container costs $14. Buy both together as a bundle to save $4 for a total of $32 (Regal Unlimited subscribers can save an additional 10% off these Regal Club Crown member rates).
If you’re not a Regal Club Crown member, you can join for free to score the discount. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay $26 for the refillable popcorn bucket and $16 for the refillable drink container. Or, buy both together to save $4 for a total of $38.
You still have to pay for refills…
If this was all you had to pay to get free refills, this might be a good deal. Unfortunately, the Regal Refillables are not actually refilled for free. Instead, they are refilled for a reduced cost.
Regal Cinemas has a reputation of having expensive concessions so you’re going to need to go to the movies A LOT to get these refillable containers to pay for themselves.
Regal has not yet released if the Regal Refillable containers are equivalent to a large container. Let’s assume for a moment that they are. According to MovieFoodPrices.com, the average cost at Regal Cinemas for a Large Popcorn is $8.89 and a Large Fountain Drink is $6.89. That’s $15.78 total.
With a refillable bucket, you’ll only pay $10 to refill both containers at the same time. If you only bought one of the containers, you’ll pay $6 to fill the popcorn and $4 to fill the drink.
Refill once per movie and you’ll save a little under $6 if filling both containers (the exception is Regal Unlimited subscribers who can save an additional 10% off their refill).
In what scenario are the Regal Refillables a good deal?
The Regal Refillables are a good deal only if you are an RCC member or Unlimited subscriber, go to the movies over 10 times per year, and buy a large drink and/or popcorn every single time you go.
If that sounds like you, you’ll need to go to the movies 6 – 9 times just for the savings to pay for the upfront cost of the refillable buckets (and that’s assuming the refillable containers are equivalent to a large).
These refillable containers are only around while supplies last. If they are the right deal for you, scoop them up while they’re still available.
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How long is the free refill time window? My guess is 1 year?
Hi Madonna! It would be available for all of 2024. 🤗
Regal theatres have RCC value days on Tuesdays. Tickets are $5 each and popcorn is 50% off. If you order large popcorn it’s about $5 (with half off on Tuesday offer) and you can get a free refill before you leave the theater after your movie. So only about $20 for two tickets, a large popcorn and drink when my daughter and I go, with refill on popcorn too.
Wow! Sounds like a great bargain to go on Tuesdays! 🙌 Thanks for sharing all the value you score when you and your daughter make a trip, csinalaska. ❤️
Wish ours did Value Days! It’s $34 just for a popcorn and drink here and our tickets are $17.50 for adults and $14.50 for kids. We just went to see Wonka and for a family of 4 it cost us $167 (2 adult tickets, 2 kids, 2 large popcorns, and four drinks) This is why we can only go to the movies 5 or 6 times a year.
wowza $$$
Wasn’t Wonka a great movie? I was pleasantly surprised. It had just enough of the original in it to tie in as an origin story.
You need to stop by Walgreens or CVS before you go to the movies. I let my kids choose one drink and a bag of candy or small bag of chips. Theater prices are absurd!
nope!
I’d get this for sure! A large Popcorn here is $18 and a large drink is $16 so it pays for itself fast!
WOW! It sure would, Trineke! ❤️ Thanks for commenting on the prices for those items near you.
When they did this on the past, I would get ice water for free in my cup from the fountain. It was awesome! No $5 water, and the water is usually filtered. That saved my family a lot of money!
Do you get free refills at each movie you attend once you pay the initial price?
Hi Matthew! It looks like the refills aren’t free – “Unfortunately, the Regal Refillables are not actually refilled for free. Instead, they are refilled for a reduced cost.” Bummer! 😔
But do you pay the reduced cost at each movie or every time you refill them?
Great question! It appears to be for each refill. You could always call in to your location to double check on how they might honor that offer. ❤️
The math on this article depresses me:
You get the bucket and cup for $32. It’s $10 to refill.
If a large popcorn and pop is $15 (more like $20 at my theater), you only need to go ~4 times to recoup your cost.
Trip 1: $32 (I assume they fill it when you buy it.) Trip 2-4: $10 each Total: $62
Regular price: 4x$16=$64
So you’ve got to go 3-4 times to break even. Any trip after that you’re saving $6 or more.
Big question is whether they’d fill an Icee. If not, then this is a trash deal. Icee > pop.
We feel a bit of the same way with the pricing, Steve. ❤️ Thanks for sharing this helpful cost breakdown to show when the price of the “deal” starts turning into more of a savings.