Earlier this month, a man in Michigan attained minor Internet folk hero status when he sued his local movie theater for charging sky-high prices at the concession stand while refusing to let customers bring in their own grub. But now one theater owner has tried to explain just why he and others charge the so much.

You’re not just paying for the cost of the food, the theater owner told the Detroit Free Press. You’re also paying for cleaning up the mess you leave behind with your careless eating:

The life of a popcorn seed would actually be very interesting, from getting popped to putting into a bucket, to where it ends up at the end of the day, whether it’s in someone’s stomach or smushed into the seats or the floors of the theater… If people would spill that popcorn in the living room as they do in the movie theater, I think they would understand the labor costs that go into running a concession stand in a busy movie theater.

He also points out that most of the ticket money goes to the movie studios and distributors, meaning the owners’ only recourse is to charge more for food and drinks.

“If we can’t keep a majority of that ticket price there’s only one way that we can pay for everything… and that’s at the concession stand,” he says.

The owner suggests that moviegoers should shop around to find which theaters offer the best deals on concessions.

Movie theater owner explains why concessions cost so much [Free Press via Time.com]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.