Several children play near the entrance after exiting the theater on Saturday, Sep. 19, 2020. Even during the pandemic, Fridays and Saturdays tend to be the busiest days and have the most showings, according to the Cinemark website.
Cinemark Holdings Inc., a theatre company based in Plano, began its reopening phase across the country amidst a pandemic on Aug. 14 through Aug. 28, according to a press release. Along with showing new films such as Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” and re-releasing older films such “Jurassic Park,” the press release states that Cinemark will be using several safety methods to keep guests and employees safe during the COVID-19. These include daily disinfections of the auditoriums, spacing guests by two seats, mandating the use of face masks and supplying hand sanitizer.
“Through our very successful test-and-learn theaters, we have heard firsthand from moviegoers that we are truly setting The Cinemark Standard by providing the out-of-home entertainment experience they have been craving in a way that makes them feel protected,” said Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi in the press release. “Furthermore, we have been extremely pleased with the results of our 15 test-and-learn theaters across the U.S., which have consistently been top performers among the 500+ indoor theaters opened. These strong results, coupled with consumer feedback, underscore that movie-going is a favorite global pastime, and our teams are trained and prepared to safely welcome guests back to the cinema.”
Cinemark employees, such as those at the Legacy and XD location in Plano, Texas, are allowed to be photographed and identified but cannot formally speak to the press, said Cinemark media contact Caitlin Piper.
One of Cinemark’s front entrances with signs mandating the use of masks and sanitation on Saturday, Sep. 12, 2020.
A party of guests wait in line at the concessions stand in the lobby to buy snacks on Saturday, Sep. 19, 2020. There were green stickers on the lobby floor to indicate guests should stand at least several feet apart while waiting in line.
Cinemark employee Stephanie Little, right, takes stock of the items at the concessions stand as a guest stands in line in the lobby on Saturday, Sep. 19, 2020.
Concessions worker Rachel Brouwer serves a guest at the bar area in the lobby on Saturday, Sep. 19, 2020. Plastic boards separate employees and guests at the stands and guests can only use non-cash payment.
“I’m kind of living with not a lot of high-risk people right now, so I don’t feel like a huge risk to come out here,” says Plano resident Daniel Lambert, far right, on Saturday, Sep. 26, 2020. “Reading what they had online… (Cinemark) seems a lot more… public out there about what they’re doing. So, (it) made me feel pretty good.”
Usher Mike Davis wipes down and sprays the seats in an auditorium after guests finish watching a film on Saturday, Sep. 26, 2020. While separate parties are spaced out during standard film showings, larger parties can rent out an entire screening for themselves, per Cinemark’s COVID-19 policy.
A group of people gather at the front of the Cinemark on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020. A showing for Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” at 7:45 p.m. had nearly 40 reserved seats, according to the online website.
