Boxoffice Pro - Winter 2020

THEATER FOOD & BEVERAGE
When Sideways opened in
four theaters on October 22,
2004, no one expected the
film to linger much beyond
that year’s awards season. The movie did
very well in its opening weekend, grossing
a little over $200,000 and scoring the
highest per-screen average in the market.
And it had legs. Word of mouth helped
expand the film to become a hit for Fox
Searchlight, crossing over from art house
theaters to multiplex screens nationwide
in what proved to be a 30-week theatrical
run. An Academy Award for Best Adapted
Screenplay and Golden Globe for Best
Picture, Comedy or Musical, punctuated a
successful $71.5 million run. The film’s true
cultural impact, however, would be felt well
beyond cinema screens for years to come.
Fifteen years on, the wine world is still
recovering from what has been called the
“Sideways Effect,” when consumers took
note of the protagonist’s strong affinity
for pinot noir and even stronger aversion
to merlot. News reports went on to
document a dramatic uptick in the sales
and production of pinot noir grapes in the
United States, while merlot suffered under
the weight of Paul Giamatti’s infamous
line in the film: “I am not drinking any
fucking merlot!”
“I was working at [Michelin-starred]
The Modern in New York City at the
time—everyone wanted pinot noir and no
one wanted merlot,” recalls Jessica Bell,
who left a career in investment banking to
become a sommelier during that period.
“This movie had just pushed this craze … [it]
turned the entire wine market on its head.”
All these years later, it’s striking that
a film that grossed under $100 million
would have such a lasting effect on
consumer choices. It also revealed an
important potential for cinema professionals
across the country: Wine drinkers
like going to the movies, yet the movies
were hardly a venue for wine drinkers at
the time.
Alcohol service has rapidly expanded
its footprint at U.S. cinemas over the last
two decades, going from a niche offering
to a full-blown trend. “Our first true bar
opened in 2002 as part of a casual-dine
concept on Long Island, New York,” says
Patrick Micalizzi, V.P. of food and beverage
at National Amusements’ Showcase
Cinemas. “Eighteen years later, a majority
of our cinemas offer liquor, beer, and
wine service in our restaurants, dine-in
operations, and walk-up lobby bars. The
demand for adult beverages at the movies
continues to climb.”
Larry Etter, SVP at Malco Theatres
and director of education of the National
Association of Concessionaires, says
alcohol service has become more than a
trend, calling it “almost obligatory” when
it comes to new builds and renovations.
“The new era of cinema now must include
food and beverage offerings, hence, bigger
menus and adult beverages.”
As Etter notes, expanded menus and
alcohol service have emerged as two of the
biggest trends at U.S. cinemas over the last
decade. These have presented both new
opportunities and challenges as cinema
concessionaires add alcohol service, says
Rob Novak, V.P. of concessions and F&B at
Right: A successful
alcohol program
requires more than
a wine list. Marcus
Theatres’ Take Five
Lounge gives patrons
a comfortable place to
enjoy a drink before or
after a movie.
Left, below:
HaloVino, a reusable
narrow-rimmed wine
glass designed for
entertainment venues
“Wine has to be delivered
in a way that feels and
tastes like wine. So many
food-service operators
offer wine in a flimsy, widerimmed
cup and wonder
why wine sales are so low.”
—HaloVino’s Jessica Bell
52 Winter 2020