AUSTIN (KXAN) — The movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse will soon replace its paper-based system for ordering concessions with a mobile phone interface, a decision that has drawn opposition from film critics, staff and celebrities.
In February, patrons will order food and drink via their smartphones both before and during a movie. Previously, a server would pick up orders written on paper by attendees.
The use of phones has long been discouraged by theaters. Drafthouse’s policy went further than most: After one warning, moviegoers who use their phone get kicked out without a refund.
It’s a policy the Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) said made the Austin-based movie theater chain successful. AFCA represents 36 professional film critics in the Austin metro who write for local, national and international publications.
“[Drafthouse’s] growth into a national cinematic institution has been in no small part due to audiences knowing they can have a disturbance-free experience, and that staff will intervene to prevent the distraction of cellphone usage,” reads an AFCA statement.
“The Lord of the Rings” actor Elijah Wood shared AFCA’s statement on social media. He added that the decision was “a misguided blunder.”
Association President Jon Partridge added that he’s not aware of any other movie theater requiring attendees to use their phones during a movie.
“It’s an inversion of the entire strategy that’s built them a fan base, a body of support,” he said. “The decision … is a gross self-inflicted wound and it’s going to be interesting to see how that pans out in terms of long-term support.”
Drafthouse said in a FAQ post that the new system isn’t a change to its rules against talking and texting. The company also said that mobile ordering will let staff “move faster and more efficiently, creating a smoother, more responsive experience without added distraction.”
In a dark theater, it may be hard to tell what someone else is doing on their phone. That’s something Drafthouse staff will be trained to spot — the ordering interface uses “a custom-built dark screen” that they’ll know to look for, according to the company.
“For nearly three decades, Alamo Drafthouse has been a cinema by filmlovers, for filmlovers. That won’t change,” it said.
AFCA has its doubts about that.
“The new process puts staff in an impossible position of policing the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ kind of phone usage, opening the system to abuse, and the potential for piracy,” it said. “This is particularly worrying as Drafthouse locations are often used for festival and pre-release screenings, potentially damaging the ability of filmmakers to get distribution.”
The association also asked film PR teams to keep those points in mind when planning press and promotional screenings. These screenings are common practice during Austin’s South by Southwest festival in March.
‘Second-screen viewings’
AFCA’s statement says that the preference of local critics is to watch movies under “optimal conditions.”
“We’re all just movie lovers. We’re trying to do the best we can to cover film and represent film in town,” Partridge said. “I don’t think you can fully appreciate something unless you give it your undivided focus.”
Attention is something that companies in the film and TV industry are working around. Actor Matt Damon recently said in an interview that Netflix asks for scripts with dialogue that reiterates a film’s plot multiple times “because people are on their phones while they’re watching.”
When KXAN asked Partridge about “second-screen viewing,” he admitted that he’s been “guilty” of “doom scrolling … while having something on in the background. But it’s not something he does during a serious viewing of a work, nor is it something he recommends others do.
Rather, he said that viewers should appreciate the art before them, and the hard work that created it.
“What you’re seeing on screen is something that is the product of years and years of work on the part of hundreds if not thousands of people. They channeled a lot of time, a lot of love into putting that work together,” he said. “Turn off your phone and, you know, just try and absorb and let that experience wash over you. I think you’ll appreciate the movie a little bit better that way.”
“We are seeing the arts being kind of denigrated,” Partridge added. “We’re seeing social divides being put up, and I think pushing back on this issue and … protecting an experience within the theater is one way that we can contribute towards social good.”
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
