Bad moviegoers, you haven’t been spending nearly enough on overpriced concessions. Don’t worry though, AMC is going to make you a promise: if they don’t offer you an upsell on your next visit to the concession stand, you’re going to get a free small bag of popcorn.

Reader Abby snapped a photo of AMC’s disingenuous offer while trying to use a coupon for a free small drink. For just $0.50, AMC offered to upgrade her to a medium.

Neither the sign nor the strategy are especially surprising. Movie theaters don’t make their money from ticket sales, which go mostly to studios. They profit by charging $5+ for buckets of popcorn that cost nearly nothing to pop. When people don’t buy enough, movie theaters starve. AMC and Regal already try to force people’s hands by banning outside food. This is just the next sad step down the buttery slope.

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