AMC hopes bold new offers will get customers back into theaters

AMC Theatres (AMC) has recently been ramping up its efforts to win back customers after seeing a startling change in attendance earlier this year.

In AMC’s first-quarter earnings report for 2025, it flagged that its total revenues fell by about 9% year-over-year, while movie theater attendance in the U.S. declined by 11%.

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AMC also reported a net loss of $202.1 million during the quarter, an increase from the $163.5 million net loss it faced during the same quarter last year.

“Setting aside those first quarters directly impacted by Covid and its aftermath, the January to March industry box office in 2025 was the lowest it has been since 1996,” said AMC CEO Adam Aron in the report.

AMC’s average movie ticket price in the U.S. reached $12.31 during the first quarter of this year, which is higher than the $12.19 average it reported for the same quarter in 2024. As movie ticket prices rise, more consumers have been opting to watch movies at home.

Consumers have been increasingly staying home due to the high cost of movie theater tickets.

Image source: Kevin Winter/Getty

AMC doubles down on winning back frugal customers

Amid recent challenges, AMC has been focused on making moviegoing more affordable for consumers.

For example, earlier this year, it updated its flagship subscription service AMC Stubs A-List to have “increased benefits designed to ease the pain of a healthy price increase,” which includes a new lower-priced subscription tier.

In May, it also announced that movie ticket prices for AMC Stubs members will be 50% off on Wednesdays, a change that began on July 9. Recently, AMC revealed that it has expanded this generous discount to Tuesdays.

In addition, the theater chain is also now offering AMC Stubs members 50% off its small popcorn and drink combo on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

“Following the overwhelmingly positive guest response to our announcement of 50% Off Wednesdays ticket pricing, two things became clear,” said Aron in a July 7 press release. “First, our Discount Tuesdays program will benefit from clear, concise messaging that resonates with value-seeking moviegoers. So, we are changing our Tuesday prices and our Tuesday consumer communications such that Tuesdays and Wednesdays will both feature the same 50% Off pricing offer.”

AMC recently warned customers about a major change in theaters

The move from AMC comes after it finalized a deal last month with cinema advertising company National CineMedia to run more commercials before movie screenings begin at its theaters.

AMC said this deal will allow it to rely less on increasing movie ticket prices to boost its revenue.

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“For the past five years, AMC has sought out crucial revenue that is not reliant on the increase of base ticket prices,” said AMC in a statement to the Times last month, adding “while AMC was initially reluctant to bring this to our theaters, our competitors have fully participated for more than five years without any direct impact to their attendance.”

Now, a notice on AMC’s website warns customers that “movies start 25-30 minutes after showtime.”

Despite declines in movie theater attendance earlier this year, the box office has recently been rebounding thanks to huge releases such as “Sinners,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “A Minecraft Movie,” “Superman,” and “Jurassic World Rebirth.”