AMC hopes new ticket discounts will reinvigorate the movie theater industry

Despite being the largest movie theater chain in the U.S. (and the world), AMC Theatres is trying out a new experiment to get more viewers in seats. The company has begun a half-price ticket initiative on Wednesdays for members of its free Stubs loyalty program. While AMC previously offered discounted tickets on Tuesdays, the chain aims to boost attendance by adding a weekday. But given all of the available streaming options at home, industry experts aren't so sure.

'Make moviegoing more affordable than ever'

The half-off discounts for rewards members apply to adult-evening base ticket prices all day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at every AMC location, the theater chain said. The half-price promotion on Tuesday replaces the company's prior discount deal on that day, which allowed members to get $5 off. These promotions are "designed to make moviegoing more affordable than ever," AMC said in a press release.

AMC's executives seem to feel that the promotions will make a big difference. The company "could not afford to have made this change to our ticket pricing strategy until the box office showed true signs of sustained recovery," said AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron. Throughout 2025, the "box office has been booming, and the remainder of 2025 appears poised to continue that upward box office trend."

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'The decision still comes down to the price'

While AMC is optimistic that movie theaters are on the rise again, it is still an uphill climb for attendance to reach pre-pandemic numbers. Box office totals are "up 15% year-to-date versus 2024 due to the second quarter rebound," said CNN, which is good news for the industry. But "earnings for 2025 are still down 24.1% compared with 2019." Even with a strong start, total box office grosses this year are only expected to "reach about 80% of 2019's totals, with 2026 predicted to reach 86%," Alicia Reese, the senior vice president for media and entertainment at Wedbush Securities, told the Los Angeles Times.

Along with declining theater attendance across the industry, AMC's own attendance "declined by 11% in the first quarter of 2025" and the company "reported a near-7% fall in revenues year-on-year," said Business Insider. The decision to expand its half-off days is a clear effort to "lure more moviegoers back to the big screen."

Wednesday is "overall the slowest day of the week in terms of box office grosses," said The Hollywood Reporter, meaning the discount may not play as big of a factor as AMC hopes. But "Tuesday has historically seen a bump in foot traffic," so it remains to be seen "what type of an impact Wednesday discounts will have," said Steve Buck from the research firm EntTelligence. It is "exciting to see further market experimentation with ticket pricing to engage consumers."

At the end of the day, the "decision still comes down to the price of a movie compared with other outings," Daniel Loria, the editorial director at BoxOffice Pro, said to CNN. He noted that the average streaming subscription costs $7.99 compared to a $25 movie ticket in premium markets like Los Angeles or New York City. And while going to the movies may be cheaper than attending events like a sporting match or concert, consumers "still care about the increased cost of going to theaters compared to staying at home," said Jackie Brenneman of the cinema industry consultancy The Fithian Group. Theaters "need more dynamic offerings" to keep driving customers.