Going to the movie theatre can be very expensive. Luckily, our local theatres here in Frederick have plenty of deals to help you get back to the cinemas at a reasonable cost.
Thinking long term about your movie going habits can actually save you a lot of money.
Regal Cinemas offers a subscription service for unlimited movie tickets, which ranges in price from $26 to $30 a month. With a standard, non-matinee ticket priced at $17.49, you only would have to see two movies a month to break even.
According to a 2025 study from Forbes, Americans already pay an average of $552 per year on their home streaming services. Seeing the films in cinemas before they hit streaming might be more worth it thank you’d think.
However, that may not be a realistic option for everyone. Thankfully, at Warehouse Cinemas, on Tuesdays you can expect to pay only $7 for your ticket. Tuesday is also the value day at both the Frederick and Hagerstown Regal cinemas, which can put a single ticket in the $8 to $10 range.
Tuesday no good? Hitting a matinee can also make a difference, as both Regal and Warehouse tend to offer slightly lower prices for screenings earlier in the day. It’s not a drastic change, but can help the sticker shock at the cinema.
Classic reruns are typically less expensive as well. At the Hagerstown Regal, you can see a different previously released film every day for just $10, with monthly themes. In February, Regal screened romantic movies such as The Notebook and Casablanca. March will be full of flashbacks to previous Oscar winners such as La La Land, Pulp Fiction, and Oppenheimer.
Warehouse Cinemas in Frederick and Hagerstown offer a similar program, with their retro movie series tickets priced at just $5. They also have a film league that gathers at the theatre for $5 classics screenings.
In the two weeks leading up to the Oscar’s ceremony on March 15th, many theatre chains are doing rereleases of this year’s best picture nominees. You can catch films like Marty Supreme or Sinners back in theatres for only $5 at Warehouse, or $8 at Regal.
But tickets aren’t the only barrier; concessions can be just as intimidatingly expensive.
The good news? There are ways to work around that too.
At Warehouse Cinemas, you can get free refills on drinks and popcorn, no matter what size.
Water cups are always free, and so are plastic popcorn trays. Consider splitting the cost with a friend and dividing your spoils.
Warehouse Cinema also offers half priced alcohol (including their beer on tap wall) on Wednesdays, if you’re looking for a drink with your movie.
Rewards programs can save you money in the lobby, too. A free Regal loyalty membership login can still earn you points on every purchase, and those points can be put back into snacks and tickets. Even Warehouse has just launched their own similar kickback program.
Promos and combo deals are also consistently available. For example, Regal recently had a combo of a free Twizzlers pack for every advance ticket purchase to see Wuthering Heights, or $3 off a large ICEE for anyone seeing the monthly Regal series.
It pays to be informed and check the app. You may be already doing things that would otherwise be earning you rewards.
While there are definite pros to a movie night in, the cinematic experience cannot be replicated from a streaming service.
It’s hard to replicate the feeling of an entire theatre cheering for a theatrical event like Avengers: Endgame. Or to be in rows full of people holding their breath during a particularly scary moment in a horror film, or sharing in laughter with strangers during a comedy movie.
With plenty of local opportunities to take advantage of a good deal, there’s no better time to get back to the movie theatre to see films in their intended form. On the big screen.
Going to the movie theatres is a uniquely human experience, one well worth working around the cost barrier for.
