8 Of The Most Over-The-Top Movie Theater Snacks

As you might have noticed, in recent years, some movie theaters have really upped their food offerings. While it wasn't so long ago that the best food you were going to find at a movie theater was overpriced popcorn, candy, or microwaved junk food from the snack bar, now just about every major city (and plenty of small towns, too) has a movie theater where guests can enjoy a full meal at their seat. And at most of those theaters, there are a few menu items that can certainly be classified as over-the-top snacks. 

Alamo Drafthouse is a rapidly expanding Texas-based movie theater chain that's known for more than just its dining optionss — they also really, really love movies, setting up their own film festival, roadshow, and film distribution arm. But if you're in the mood for a decadent snack while watching one of their films, opt for their loaded fries, which are topped with Cheddar, smoked bacon, sriracha, sour cream, scallions, and cilantro.

AMC has always been great for stadium seating and clean theaters, but they've been really upping their luxury game recently with their Cinema Suites, complete with couches and dine-in options, at nearly 20 locations across the country. If you're a "go big or go home" type of person, pig out on their Big & Bold Sampler, which comes with truffle Parmigiano-Reggiano fries with garlic basil aïoli; a half-size pizzetta topped with bacon, Cheddar and Jack cheese, tomatoes, basil, and arugula; and jalapeño poppers with ranch dressing.         

This combination brewery and theater opened in Asheville, North Carolina, in 1995 and has since expanded to three locations. Their production brewery is open seven days a week, and you can have a meal right in the theater. Their Nacho Daddy — huge house-made flour tortilla chips topped with black beans, tomatoes, red onions, jalapeños, Monterey Jack cheese, and either chicken or tofu — should keep you full during the movie!

Located in Salt Lake City, Brewvies features a lobby pool tables, plenty of seating, and a full bar, and the two 170-seat theaters are decked out with regular seating — with counters running the length of each row — as well as couches and tables. Go for the cheese fries, a huge mound of fries topped with melted Colby Jack, loads of bacon, jalapeños, and sour cream. You know you want to spring for chili for an extra buck.

The high-end Cinepolis has 11 locations in California and Florida; many have leather reclining seats and IMAX screens. While you can buy snacks from their traditional snack bar, you'll only find the outrageous Banana Caramel Cheesecake Xangos (banana, caramel, and cheesecake wrapped in flaky pastry dough and deep-fried), their play on the traditional Mexican dessert, on the in-seat dining menu. 

This spot is both a microbrewery and a theater, and it's the only first-run movie theater in the country to incorporate a fully functioning brewery into the movie-going experience. The theater serves craft beer, six of which are their own, as well as 40 other draught beers. If you're looking for an over-the-top snack that you really wouldn't expect to see in a movie theater, look no further than the Hawaiian ahi tuna poke: fresh diced raw tuna, lightly marinated in a ginger sesame soy sauce, with chiles, onions, and scallions, served with fresh pita, diced avocado, and tomato. Aloha!

At all six Marcus Theatres Big Screen Bistro locations, a full restaurant menu and cocktails are delivered to your seat by a full-service waitstaff. While you can opt for traditional tater tots if you're looking for something fried, you should definitely go for the Wisconsin cheese curds, a regional specialty: white Wisconsin Cheddar cheese curds, battered and fried until crispy on the outside and melty on the inside. They're served with marinara sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano ranch dressing. 

Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the trendy Nitehawk Cinema single-handedly overturned the law preventing alcohol sales in movie theaters in New York, and is open only to patrons 18 and older. For those looking for a fun dessert, we recommend their crazy-good ice cream sandwiches, made with homemade cookies: Choose between a chocolate cookie with peppermint soft serve, a chocolate chip cookie with vanilla soft serve, or a peanut butter cookie with raspberry lime soft serve. If you're not feeling up for ice cream, you can also order just the cookies, which are baked to order.