Forget $3 admission fees on National Cinema Day and concessions bought with crypto, the new weirdness in cinema is using a potato to get into the movies.
Regal Cinemas will, in fact, give viewers a free ticket to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves on Thursday March 30 in exchange for a spud—if they happen to visit the right theater.
The promotion, a partnership with Lay’s potato chips, will take place at six Regal locations around the country in Los Angeles’ LA Live, New York’s Union Square, Chicago’s City North, Atlanta’s Atlantic Station, Dallas/Fort Worth’s Fossil Creek and Houston’s Benders Landing.
Seats are limited and the promotion is seemingly only available at the 7:00 p.m. Showing.
This. Is. Happening. Bring a potato 🥔 (yes, a real potato) and get a FREE ticket to be one of the first to watch Dungeons and Dragons on March 30th. Find a participating Regal location near you. Limited number of seats available! Pic.twitter.com/4k6YzJfZKh
— Regal (@RegalMovies) March 28, 2023
Potatoes have what amounts to a supporting role in the film, as they’re a favorite snack (and occasional battle weapon) of actress Michelle Rodriguez’s character Holga.
It might sound like an early April Fool’s joke, but the theater says it’s quite serious. It is, however, particular about what it will accept.
A solid potato? Yes. Potato chips? No. French Fries? They “will not get you a free ticket, but we will accept the fries!,” the company says.
So what does the chain plan to do with its collection of potatoes? Lay’s will donate them to local composts, which will use them to grow—yep—more potatoes.