Gone are the days of standing in line at the box office, loading trays with goodies and beverages, and counting side-by-side seats inside theaters. Technology and innovative ideas have evolved our movie-going experience. Today, dine-in movie theaters are trending across the nation, offering plush and reclinable seats and full menus of kitchen-prepared dishes from which to order. And at most theaters, movie tickets are pre-purchased with chosen seat assignments, so there’s no need to worry about searching for seats next to one another before the movie begins.
Dine-in movie theaters are not a new concept to the Phoenix area, but several new venues have recently opened their doors and offer unique features, like a drafthouse and an on-site bowling alley. The Valley’s dine-in theaters provide great ways to get out of the heat or spend a rainy day. Parents, babysitters, and nannies alike won’t mind being waited on while watching a new release with the kids.
Studio Movie Grill
Address: 15515 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Hours: Click here for showtimes.
Phone: 480-991-3106
North Scottsdale’s Studio Movie Grill was one of the first dine-in movie theaters to open in the Phoenix area. Reserve your seats online and arrive before your showtime to browse and order from the full menu of meals. Each day of the week features a drink special and food special, like the $11 bottomless one-topping pizza (Wednesdays) and $5 desserts (Thursdays). Studio Movie Grill’s nine theaters feature comfortable recliners and state-of-the-art screens for regular and 3D films.
The theater’s age policy restricts children 2 years old and younger from attending movies with ratings of PG-13 and R, as well as from all showtimes beginning after 6 p.m. Keep an eye on the theater’s calendar for regularly scheduled film series features. Plus, Studio Movie Grill hosts family-friendly Special Needs Screenings, free for children with special needs and their siblings. (Adult tickets are available at before-noon ticket rates.)
AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14
Address: 2515 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85016
Hours: Click here for showtimes.
Phone: 602-667-0330
Across the street from Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix, AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14 attracts new-release moviegoers to the theater chain’s premium viewing venue. A full menu of dishes — everything from crispy Brussels sprouts to fish and chips to quinoa veggie burgers — is served right inside the plush theater. A kids menu is available, along with a decadent dessert list of milkshakes, doughnuts, and cake stacks. For the 21-and-older crowd, MacGuffins Bar serves a full lineup of beer, wine, and MacGuffins’ signature cocktails.
AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14 follows typical AMC age-restriction policies. For children ages 6-17, a parent or guardian is required to attend R-rated movies, and those 6 years and under are not permitted to attend R-rated movies after 6 p.m.
RoadHouse Cinemas
Address: 9090 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Hours: Click here for showtimes.
Phone: 480-750-7295
The movie theater at the Pavilions at Talking Stick Shopping Center has changed hands throughout the years. It recently underwent renovations, opening anew as RoadHouse Cinemas. The locally owned movie venue features Southwestern-style décor and menu options like nachos, quesadillas, tacos, and burrito bowls. Fries and popcorn come in several flavor varieties, and the beer menu lists plenty of local craft brews.
Kids ages 6-17 are required to be accompanied by an adult 21 and older for all G-, PG-, and PG-13-rated films. No children under the age of 6 are allowed, except for designated all-ages showings. Plan a movie outing Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for happy hour adult beverages or Tuesday for $5 movie tickets.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Address: 4955 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, AZ 85248
Hours: Click here for showtimes.
Phone: 520-213-8129
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is up to date with state-of-the-art technology for the best moviegoing experience but prefers to keep things a little old school with the dine-in experience. Diners simply write down their orders on cards and place them in the designated holders for their servers, who “grab your order with the speed and agility of a trained ninja,” according to the website. The menu spans brunch entrées, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and plenty of appetizers, like fried dill pickles and Hatch green chile pork Fries. Save room and finish off the meal with a warm cookie or an ice cream treat. True to its name, the drafthouse offers the adult crowd more than 30 beers on tap, as well as cocktails and spiked milkshakes.
On Tuesdays before 2 p.m., Alamo Drafthouse hosts Alamo for All, open to guests with special needs and new parents with children as young as infants. For regular showtimes, children ages 3 and older are permitted before 6 p.m. After 6 p.m., children must be at least 6 years old, and anyone 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult for all films.
Arrive early because Alamo Drafthouse Cinema does not offer reserved seating. A second Alamo Drafthouse Cinema location is slated to open soon in Tempe at 1098 E. Baseline Road, Tempe, AZ 85283.
FatCats
Address: 4321 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert, AZ 85234
Hours: Click here for showtimes.
Phone: 480-498-3325
Looking for more than a movie and a meal? FatCats packs a full day of activities under one roof. The family-friendly destination features 20 lanes of bowling, nine holes of glow-in-the-dark mini golf, and a full arcade. Families can relax and refuel while watching a movie inside the cinema and ordering meals from a menu of Italian-style appetizers, salads, pizzas, and panini. Kids 11 and younger can order a $5 grilled cheese, pizza, or mac ’n’ cheese dish from the kids menu, and the Pizini Pizza Cookie dessert is perfect for sharing among siblings.
FatCats features kid-friendly new releases, often with a couple options geared for the adult crowd. On Tuesdays, movie tickets are just $5 for all showtimes.
