When the Customer Is Wrong

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema of Austin, Texas, encourages its patrons to enjoy dinner and a movie—at the same time. "The theater is laid out like a traditional movie theater," explains the company's website, "except every other row of seats has been replaced with a long narrow table for your food and drinks."

A discreet ordering system keeps distractions to a minimum, as does a policy of warning—and, eventually, ejecting—noisy customers who disrupt the film. In a post at the Church of the Customer Blog, Jackie Huba highlights an Alamo Drafthouse PSA, for which the theater recruited a former Texas governor: Confronted with a rowdy customer, she throws him onto the sidewalk. The PSA reads: "Don't talk during the movie… or Ann Richards will take your ass out."

Importantly, the venue stands behind its stern words. After a recent screening of Where the Wild Things Are, Tim League, the theater's founder, was confronted by a man who became irate when a waiter shushed him. The outraged moviegoer followed League to the parking lot, punched the windshield of League's car, and promised never to return.

"Fabulous," responds League at his blog. "You, sir, are exactly the type of patron that I never want to see at an Alamo Drafthouse ever again. People who continue to talk when the movie has started are impolite, self-absorbed losers who were never taught common decency by their parents."

The Po!nt: According to Huba, we need more Tim Leagues—those who choose to protect their best customers from obnoxious behavior, rather than catering to those who ruin the experience for everyone. "The customer is always right," she notes, "if it's the right customer."

Source: Church of the Customer Blog. Read the full post.

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