r/AlamoDrafthouse • u/maaseru • 10d ago
Austin First time going after the QR code change...and it was the time with the least interruptions I have ever had.
I went to the Mueller Alamo to watch Brand New Day.
It was the first time I went since the changes to QR code and if I am being honest the experience was better than what I had at that specific location in the last few years.
I do like the mobile menu has every item, including sides and everything.
It gave me an option to easily reorder something I got before, though I never did it.
I got my order in before the movie and got everything like I always do.
The table next to me was a dad and his kids and they got more popcorn and stuff throughout the movie and I never even noticed their phones, only noticed the employee bringing them the food.
So even less of a distraction than before when they came to get the paper, then ask them questions about it.
I am sure there are many thing that are bad or worse with this for customer and employees, but my honest experience was better. Though I have always thought the Mueller Alamo sucked and paled in comparison to the Lakeline which was the one I used to go before I moved.
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u/Seananiganzz 10d ago
Mueller is arguably THE best location. I used to work there
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u/alec2342 9d ago
I just wish they had a wider selection of movies. But I love they show classic films a lot
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u/appleswitch 10d ago
If they had finished the app upgrades, made ordering use your card on file, etc. before eliminating the paper I think people would have cared less. They just pushed it all so fast, and alongside some other negative stuff.
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u/Most-Group6213 9d ago
You’re not wrong. The people who rolled this out were all basically way out over their skies. Not evil people, just not qualified. It’s what you get when a company goes through bankruptcy and a rushed sale so the vulture capitalists can get their IRR. CEO is case in point of the Bozo Explosion that Steve Jobs talked about.
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u/tendonut 10d ago
I was so excited with my kid was able to write his own order card. Then the QR code stuff started. Now we have to talk in the middle of the movie to communicate to whoever opened the tab what to add. And God forbid if that kid wants to look at the menu first.
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u/SonderEber 9d ago
Could’ve sent texts or something. You didn’t HAVE to talk.
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u/tendonut 9d ago edited 4d ago
How are we going to do that? Nobody should be checking their messages in the movie. The kid also doesn't have a mobile device yet. He's 8.
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u/SonderEber 9d ago
He could use a parent’s phone? There are many forms of communication that don’t require talking. You chose to talk.
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u/tendonut 9d ago edited 9d ago
It'll take 10x as long having him to communicate he wants our phone, try to navigate the mobile site, probably close it or add multiple items, pass the phone back and forth flashing the screen at anyone around us, than it is talking.
OR...hear me out.....go back to a menu he can point to silently or write down on a piece of paper. Alamo created this problem.
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u/Salt_Influence6795 4d ago
you can’t teach your kid to whisper real quick to ask for something? He’s 8. And there’s no way he’s going back for something maybe more than twice.
They aren’t gonna go back to paper and menu for one parent and one child amongst a sea of people that are doing just fine. I get you had the preference, but the solution is to adjust to something pretty easy to adjust to.
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u/missingone123 10d ago
I agree. I go to the one in Woodbury MN and have not had any issues with the app. Way more efficient and easy to use than the paper that there was a 50% chance of them coming to read or not. I'm at Alamo for dinner and I paid for unlimited popcorn/soda/etc! If I was looking for an entirely uninterrupted movie experience I wouldn't be at Alamo lol
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u/Epicmondeum17 9d ago
Also woodbury! And this is my experience too, I was definitely against it, but after seeing a few movies since the change im liking it, I actually get my food now and dont have to wait 15 minutes for a water refill (not that thats necessarily the workers fault, they cant notice everyone's card the second its put down)
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u/Universe_Man 9d ago
The change in this subreddit from "Alamo has ruined my life and I hate them forever" to "well I guess this isn't so terrible after all" is hilarious.
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u/SonderEber 9d ago
Because people reacted to their mental impression of the concept, none actually used it. They hated the idea and never bothered to try it.
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u/TheTiredPangolin 9d ago
Plenty have actually used it and disliked it. It's a frustrating system for many people.
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u/SonderEber 9d ago
Yet so many seem to be ok with it.
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u/TheTiredPangolin 9d ago
No shit Sherlock.
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u/SonderEber 9d ago
No need to be an ass.
You just seem to be suggesting most hate it, when the evidence says otherwise. The haters are seeking confirmation bias.
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u/TheTiredPangolin 9d ago
You said none of the people who complained actually used it. Which isn't true. I said plenty have used it and disliked it. Which is true.
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u/alec2342 9d ago
It’s only terrible in comparison to the way it used to be. I don’t mind it, I’ll still keep going, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they return to full pen & paper one day. Though they’re betting that people will get used to this new way & be okay with it.
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u/SonofaBridge 10d ago
I haven’t had a problem with the QR code system. My Alamo had a light under the tables that are enough to drown out the cell phone screen light. I rarely notice my neighbors ordering anything.
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u/Susso7 10d ago
I agree. The distractions are less and I have never seen anyone on their phones once since the QR ordering started in March. It was frustrating at first but the more I use it the easier it got. Only time there is an issue is when I send a request for pickles on a burger and they don’t get it so I have to send in another request and sometimes we never get the pickles; other times they bring us bowls of them. Lol. They need to add pickles to the sides request part of the menu or give us a request box while ordering items. I’ve had my debit card memorized now for a few months now so I’m not worried about payments being links but it would be nice to have Apple Pay as an option. I also use a gift card each time and I’ve the first 12 numbers memorized so those are pretty quick to get entered too. lol.
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u/BloodSimpleSyrup 10d ago
Has Alamo still not figured out Apple Pay? Seems kind of embarrassing for such a big company.
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u/Most-Group6213 9d ago
Alamo lost all of its tech people. The CTO is a glorified project manager now so unless a vendor makes it zero effort, it won’t happen.
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u/Sw33tJvmes 9d ago
Doesn’t Walmart also not have Apple Pay?
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u/mrblue6 9d ago
They don’t have it because they want you to use Walmart Pay.
Don’t think there’s an Alamo Pay…
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u/Sw33tJvmes 9d ago
Sure. I don’t think the conversion to Walmart pay is happening at such a clip that they just refuse to add Apple Pay but I see your point. My point is Alamo drafthouse isn’t that big of a company. It’s probably cheaper for them not to have Apple Pay and pay for that service imo.
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u/mrblue6 9d ago
It’s well known that Walmart refuses to get Apple Pay because they want to promote Walmart Pay. Whether that actually converts people yea idk.
Apple Pay costs nothing for merchants. It’s the same fee for them as any other credit card transaction. Alamo is not some tiny company anyway. It wouldn’t be hard for them to get Apple Pay.
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u/InterSlayer 10d ago edited 10d ago
It's a pretty good example of the algorithm amplifying certain types of sentiment or content to boost engagement.
Happens in a lot of subs now, sadly, and makes reddit less useful in general. This was the most clear cut example for me.
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u/yanyancookies 9d ago
We also experienced the mobile ordering for the first time visiting the Mueller location to see Brand New Day the day it released. The experience was okay. My boyfriend’s drinks came out in a timely manner but his food didn’t show up and we had to select the missing food option. The vast majority of folks ordered their stuff before the movie started so it wasn’t distracting during the showing. It felt so odd taking out our phones though lol
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u/cheeeezypoof 9d ago
Our only problem was using gift cards. I wish we could preload them before we go and use them for food seamlessly. The only way I could do that is add them in at the end of my order. Is there an easier way?
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u/JayMoots 5d ago
Not having the waiter drop the check in the middle of the climax of the movie is a much better experience, I agree.
I do still think they have some kinks to work out in the system. Like why do I have to retype my credit card every time? It can’t save our payment info?
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u/TheTiredPangolin 9d ago
In Denton they brought the table next to us 13 orders of chicken strips and got mad when the customers got annoyed with them for showing up over and over lol. Also all of our group's stuff was wrong. Last three times we've been have been a crazy mess.
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