AMC Theatres is not ready to roll credits on American moviegoing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The theatrical exhibition giant will enforce a new attendance guideline, only filling its theaters to 50% capacity so customers can engage in “social distancing” and potentially stave off the transmission of COVID-19.
In addition to the audience restrictions, AMC said each of its reported 661 locations will enforce hourly cleanings of the following “high touch” surfaces: kiosks, counter tops, restroom areas, glass, handrails and doorknobs. In addition, AMC cleans every auditorium between every showtime. No single AMC screening room seats more than 250 people, an insider noted, the maximum amount of individuals that the state of California recommends gather in one place at this time.
“These are uncharted times in the United States. We are very closely monitoring the guidance of the CDC. We are complying with all directives from federal, state and local health and government authorities, and with our unilateral move to reduce capacity and increase social distancing we are going beyond what governments are requiring of us,” AMC’s president and CEO Adam Aron said in a statement.
“Founded in 1920, AMC Theatres has a proud history that spans 100 years. As we enter our second century, AMC remains firmly committed to offering a clean, healthy, entertaining environment every time our guests come to movies at our theatres,” Aron concluded.
Read more from AMC’s response plan:
Beginning tomorrow Saturday, March 14 and continuing until April 30, 2020, AMC will cut in half the seating capacity of every one of its theatre’s auditoriums. It will do so by capping ticket sales for each showtime in each of its theatre’s auditoriums to an amount equal to 50% of the normal seating capacity. In those auditoriums with more than 500 seats, AMC will further cap ticket sales to a maximum of 250 in any case. AMC is also actively complying with all local authorities’ directives on social gathering and is further reducing the availability of tickets to comply with any current or future federal, state or local governmental order.
ENHANCED THEATRE CLEANING
AMC theatre teams are following AMC’s stringent health and safety cleaning protocols, which have been enhanced to ensure that at least once per hour within an AMC building, the theatre team is cleaning high-touch point areas, including kiosks, counter tops, restroom areas, glass, handrails and doorknobs. In addition, AMC cleans every auditorium between every showtime.
GUIDANCE FOR GUESTS AND THEATRE STAFF
AMC has mandated that any theatre associate who feels ill is excused from work and should not come to the theatre. Additionally, AMC urges all its potential guests to stay at home and seek medical assistance if they are not feeling well.