iPic Theaters (Boca Raton)
* iPic Theatres, 301 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, Florida 33432 (561) 299-3000.
The other night, Mrs. Jeff Eats and I “went” to see the new film ‘Ted’ at the new iPic Theaters which recently open in Mizner Park in Boca Raton. The movie was funny…But based on the producer’s ‘Family Guy’ tv show, Jeff Eats expected that ‘Ted’ would have been funnier and edgier than it actually was…bet you guys a nickel- that you didn’t know that I’m also a well versed film critic!
iPic is an “upsacle” hi-tech theatre chain…iPic currently has one Florida location, 1 in California, 2 in Illinois, 1 in Washington, 2 in Texas, 1 in Arizona and 1 in Wisconsin.
Let me go on record right here and now- and predict that after the public’s novelty of paying $14-$24 for a ticket and 12 bucks for 5 mozzarrella sticks wears off, the guys who financially backed this concept are going to regret that they ever got talked into this deal. You guys do know, that the way these “things” get built is some guy has an idea and he talks others into “backing” him, don’tcha?
If memory serves me right, there are 8 small “theaters” in the Boca location, each sitting something like 60 people. IPic also has Tanzy-an upscale Italian restaurant in the facility. When you check www.ipictheaters.com you can check movie times/Tanzy’s menu/theater food offerings.
Now back to my rant–Give me a freaking break…When I’m on an airline, I am totally grossed out by the pillows/blankets offered. Do the folks at iPic Theaters really think that I or anyone else really needs a pillow & blanket to watch a movie in a movie-theater? Obviously they do, because the $24 reclining seats come with them.
I don’t know about you guys, but going to a movie “for me”—means, buying a huge overpriced bucket of popcorn–a huge overpriced Coke and a huge overpriced box of Goobers Chocolate Peanuts and then sitting down to watch seemingly endless trailers and finally the movie. AND…every so often, catching a second movie on a sneak in. In my book– going to the movies doesn’t “include” reclining beds, food being delivered to me at my seat, trying to sell me $1600 paintings in the lobby, pillows & blankets, real-restaurant food offerings at top dollar prices “at” the concession stand, Italian restaurants that I have to walk through in-order to get to my car parked outside.
Trust me here, the current Cinemarks and Muvicos with their stadium seating setups are about as far as I want my movie-going to be enhanced. Now, I’ve been wrong many times, but the bet here is, that the “fun” of a couple spending around 90 bucks for two seats, two alcoholic drinks and a couple of snacks will wear off real fast. I don’t know about you, but in my humble opinion, going to the movies–was never intended to require a person to have a second job to pay the fare…or for that matter- to have bedding so they could doze off if necessary. Now, for sure–you could go to iPic on the cheap…buying tickets but nothing else—but then why would you go there in the first place? The first two rows of $14 seats are so close to the screen that it…well, it had me almost actually reaching out and touching Ted (for those who don’t know, Ted is a talking Teddy Bear)!
Only time will tell, if I’m right or wrong on the Boca location. What I do know, is that Muvico in Boca Raton is no longer Muvico…it’s now “a” Cinemark. I think if you check, a few years ago- Muvico’s financial problems resulted in its sale to Cinemark. By the way, the guy who created iPic also created Muvico.
One final thought, iPic Boca has a grand total of 480 seats. My math says, that with so few seats… you sure got to sell a hell of a lot of food, booze, art to pay the rent etc.
Gotta run…the mailman just dropped off an envelope from Netflix.
Jeff, Got to compliment you. Only guy who would even think of this stuff. I agree with you, down the road it fails. Not a place for families. Also with meters at Mizner parking isnt as easy as it use to be.
Love the blog.
jeff, saw ted it was a very funny movie.
havent been to ipic yet.
good observations.
a troop of cub scouts wont be going there is fast same for soccer and basketball teams.
maybe friday and saturday nights for young couples but during the week its going to suck wind.
as for the restauarant. yardhouse just opened across the street. that wont help.
My wife and I tried this theatre. To be perfectly honest we thought it was too fancy for a movie theatre. Very luxurious theatres that someone has to pay for.
We’ll stick Shadowwood on 441 in Boca.
Kind of have to agree with you, that this is a very limited concept that after the novelty of going once wears off is going to have trouble drawing a constant paying audience.
Jeff
Don’t know if you are interested but Jill and I went to the new Mizner iPic cinema last night to try out their premier (almost fully reclining seats) seating and at-seat menu.
We both thought the food we had was pretty good. The menu offered quite a few choices. As it happens, without really thinking much about it we chose finger food items and I cannot recall if any of the choices actually need knife and fork. The food comes up from the Tanzy restaurant.
I could not see from your Jeff Eats web site if you have reviewed the place but maybe it would be worth a visit sometime? I will understand if you decide it really is priced too expensively for the types of joints you customarily review, but it is up to you
Regards
David
Was there last Saturday night.
Too expensive.
Too much going on.
I’ll stick with Cinemark.
My wife and I went to I pic, imagine that they actually have people at entrance explaining how the theater works.? That’s absurd. I’ve been going to movies for61 years and was always able to figure out by my lonesome how the theater worked. Going to fail.
I really enjoy Cinemark in Boca. I’ve been to the Premier part of it once but the basic stadium seating setup is just fine. I like the big concession area etc.
I think that IPIC is going to have a problem as it caterers to only one segment of the population that being those who want upscale viewing. Personally, I dont think that there are enough of those folks around to support the concept.
It might make it for those looking for upscale and no kids. I just a quick price check Cinimark for 2 in the premire seating (no kid section) was 40.00 for Ted tonight. With Ipic in the premiem plus section if I become a member (free) its 36.00 so you can save money and get more food options from what I can see. If you dont like to give out your info to beome a member then its 48.00 so then Cinimark would save you money
Jeff:
I think you have this one pegged right.
A very faddish thing.
This is a really dumb concept which is doomed to failure.
iPic is too small and will eventually fail.
It only has 480 upscale priced seats.
It’s counting on ancillary revenues to carry its financial nut.
The lack of seats will do this one in.
Just a fad.
“too small” works in their favor. They have to convince less people to spend the money. It’s not more expensive than dinner at trulucks, and you’re getting to see a prime movie too. The people in Boca Can afford it. You only have to get some of the people in town to go twice a year. And its a nicer place than Bogarts.
movie theatres really make their money from concession sales not tkt sales. because of its limited number of seats there wont be enough concession sales to keep this one in the black. youll see.
i’m with jeff on this one.
after the novelty wears off, it’s going to be a dud.
as for tanzy restaurant, yardhouse across the street will eat its lunch.
I think you are 100% wrong.
People don’t want to spend a lot of money going to a movie.
This experience has EXPENSIVE written all over it.
Time will tell, but my bet is that this one fails huge.
Too small is going to sink this ship. Just watch and learn.
Eh? Who even mentioned ticket sales? Not everyone is poor and low class. They make a lot more margin on “concessions” here than a regular theatre makes on popcorn and pepsi.
I own a small movie theather in Brooklyn. There is huge money in that popcorn and soda. You are so wrong on the margin question. I was in iPic and the margins they are getting for the other items doesn’t come close to the popcorn/soda generate ones.
I’m impressed with Boca’s Cinemark.
I wasn’t impressed with iPic.
Going to a movie is suppose to be an easy thing.
Going to iPic first you have to park and walk from a garage. If you chose to park in Mizner you now have meters gobbling up your money.
iPic has you going up an esculator to see movies. People aren’t really into escalators in thetres. Chuck Cheese once did one with escalators and it closed in Brooklyn.
iPic has to much going on. It’s really not enjoyable being confined in a small waiting area until the doors opened.
iPic doesn’t have enough cheap seats.
iPic doesn’t have enough seats.
iPic doesn’t have enough pictures to choose from.
IPic is counting on Tanzy’s. Most people who go to a movie don’t eat first or afterwards.
Only a matter of time to this concept wears thin.
Who the hell is going to spend 14-24 for a stinking movie ticket? I know I won’t.
These theatres are gouging the public.
Just a matter of time to the public says no more.
On weekends this will do fine. During the week it will die. Now the big question, can this survive on only doing business 2 days a week?
I say goodbye Charlie.
Jeff,
This theatre and restaurant deal will heav a very short shelf life.
Too expensive and too involved.
When a movie theatre needs people at the entrance to explain what’s going on, you got big trouble coming.
You are so right.
A few years ago a really upscale slot machine place opened in wpb. Absolutely gorgeous. You would have thought you were in a vegas casino.
I knew the owners. They must have put 1.5 million into the build out alone.
When my wife and I went to play one evening, the slot games required that a staff memeber explain how the games worked. At that time my wife said to me, that people just want to drop a quarter into the machine and then to push a button or pull an arm and watch wheels go around. No one wants to think as to how they have to play the game.
Three months later the business closed.
Too complicated.
Same thing here.
Jeff,
You are so right, TED should have been funnier and much more clever than it was.
As far IPic goes, I don’t get the concept. Cinemark in Boca has all the bases covered. iPic on the hand is only playing the upscale card and I don’t see that card being worth too much Monday-Thursday.
This theatre is a gimmick fad thing.
It will have a very short life.
Jeff Eats:
I tried it.
Didn’t like it.
Too small.
Too into itself.
Too costly.
Too much going on.
I agree with you and others here, its’ days will soon be numbered.
Jeff,
The guy who created the Muvico concept is also behind this one.
Do you really think that he doesn’t know what he is doing?
Muvico in Boca is printing money.
EF,
Muvico in Boca is now owned by Cinemark.
Do you think Muvico sold it to Cinemark because it was doing great?
By the way, the financial guys behind Muvico who backed the guy you are talking about eventually threw him out.
Just maybe, the guy really doesn’t know what he is doing.
Keep in mind Ford had the Model T but it also had the EDSEL.
Boca’s Muvico was doing just fine as Muvico,,the boca store( and other successful theaters of his) had to be included in a deal to buy the owner out of bad land investments elsewhere.
As so many others, he got hurt during the real estate collapse.
He waited for his 5 year non compete to expire and opened another innovative concept called ipic
He didn’t lay down and die………
Give the man credit for being an innovator,and going where no other man has gone!!!!!
I wish him nothing but luck in Boca
The guy was thrown out by the REIT that backed him long before the Muvico sale.
I believe you do not have the correct information When Muvico faced foreclosure they got rid of Whalen and requested to replace him with the original founder Hamid Hashemi- the current owner of IPIC
Way too expensive and limited in size.
Jeff, I agree with you.
Concept is too complicated to succeed.
Wow sounds like most of the people in here are just jumping on the hate bandwagon. I happen to be a “member” at ipic. (its free) and but simply doing that you save 6 bucks ($18 dollars is lest than the cinemark premier) on the movies that are not brand new, you also are entitled to food specials and special viewings. As a habitual movie goer, the ipic is great imo.. and its not only for the ultra rich as I only make about 58k per year and im at ipic once or twice a month.. and have a good amount in my IRA and savings.
Admittedly i don’t know much about the margins on food or how to run a movie theatre but i do know one thing: Since word got out about ipic (a month after it opened), I have ALWAYS had to book in advance because movies are ALWAYS sold out. The place is always lively and I also have plenty of friends that start the night off with drinks at tanzys bar.
I ALSO have yet to go with someone, or take someone to ipic and them not be amazed by the experience of it all. I’ve never heard someone say “that wasn’t worth it”. In fact more often I hear “next time I’m going to sit in the more expensive seats”.
You people clamoring here are the same people who would vilify gucci and louis vuitton for being being overpriced yet gucci has been going strong for 90 years and LV longer than that.. obviously there is a place for it.
I think ipic is a new and unique concept at least someone is trying to take the Movie experience to another level, and I applaud the innovation and risk taking. If it goes broke it goes broke, but I enjoy it and will be a fan till the end.
This place is AWESOME!!! I have been here on 6 different occasions, eating downstairs 3 times and in the movie 3 times. the food the drinks are all delish!!! Yes dinner downstairs is a teeny pricey,upstairs is more affordable. you cant beat a comfy recliner!!! and my hubby and i love having a little pillow and blanket. You have to call in advance to get a seat it is always full and its not like the “palace” wheres theres herds of people. It is by far the nicest night out for friends, couples and kids are allowed before 6pm so its a nice treat to take them to a matinee which is less $$. being a member gives you $25 back each time you accumulate a certain # of points, ive already gotten 25$ back! i LOVE LOVE LOVE it and highly recommend it!!!
Hi Jeff.
I’m a 12 year old girl going to see the movie “Frozen” tonight! I have 7 people including me in my family going to see this movie. We have to sit in the front 2 rows of the theater because it is $70 extra to sit in the luxury seats. Im super excited to see this movie but I also super scared. Now I’m not a baby about most things! Usually I’m not scared of movie theaters. But like u said in your review, the front two rows are soooo close and the movie is soooo loud! I want to see the movie but I’m really scared for the previews. You said they go on forever in your review…. Please help me! I’m not trying to sound really stupid, im honestly scared to death!! Hellllpp!
front row seats are terrible. they dont recline and its like sitting in a chair made for a giant. throw in that you are too close to the screen and you wasted your money. we got stuck with these tickets last night.
Jeff, I saw Neighbors there. Every seat was sold. If you buy tkts on line they are discounted. I really enjoyed the picture and the theatre. I have to agree that the first row is a waste of money. Seats don’t recline and you are too close to the screen.
ipic is horrible, the customer service is terrible! id rather sit upstairs at Cinemark.
Looks like most of the commenters here were dead wrong. Nearly 3 years after this review and the theater is consistently sold out. If you don’t buy tickets on Tuesday for a Friday or Saturday show you’re not going.
Sure it’s more expensive, but people love it.
Jeff,
This concept is terrific.
Jeff you called it.
Ipic just announced that it may have to file for bankruptcy.
Luxury theater chain iPic Entertainment files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, to pursue sale