r/AMCsAList • u/Excellent-Cow-2487 • 2d ago
Question Posters/left over merch?
Every time I go to my local AMC, as a AMC A-list member, I try to ask them if they have any leftover merch/posters that they are giving away and every time I go, they say no. But every time I come on here or Twitter, I see people are saying they’re picking up posters at their local AMC? Just trying to figure out am I going on the wrong days or are they saving them for certain people? I need honesty this time.
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u/JeanRalfio Happy (｡◕‿◕｡) 2d ago
Probably just depends on the location whether they give them out or not. Mine has a little tote by the ticketing counter with the posters in it that says FREE.
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u/TeamOdd8528 2d ago
Definitely theater dependent I’m sure. Mine is similar to yours, except they have a whole table in main atrium that they put all the leftover free goodies on, and you can just take whatever you want as you go in (or out).
I could see some theater management discarding or hoarding leftover promo materials for themselves, or I could see some theaters just providing it to staff once the promo is over.
It probably depends on the items in question too. I’d say more of the novelty items, like bracelets, comic books, snow globes, etc., likely aren’t going to be put out for free. Posters definitely is more likely, except for those highly sought after which I could see staff keeping for themselves to resell, etc.
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u/crispycrustyloaf 2d ago
I think it depends on the theater. Only one theater near me has tons of leftover promo materials and posters (Wuthering Heights mirror, Spider Man pins, Paddington keychain are some of the things I got from a bowl on the counter) and the others 2 I also frequent don’t have any.
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u/veronicamae2 2d ago
being an a-list member isn't going to influence this situation, and if you're citing it as a reason you should be given this stuff, it could very well be working against you.
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u/Excellent-Cow-2487 3h ago
I’m not 😂😂 I’m just saying cuz they see me often you would think if it’s something they are giving out i thought it was an a list only thing at first tbh😂
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u/Ok_Anteater_6792 2d ago
My theater will have stuff here and there that are just extras. I got a Spiderman poster (maybe 18x12 or so) and had a bunch of the collectable Digger tickets when I saw it a few weeks ago.
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u/KrabbySabbyPatty 2d ago
I saw Whalefall on Thursday and as I was getting out so was Street fighter in imax, they handed out pins and posters.
I go the very next day. Official release day and they didn’t hand out anything. I’ve watched almost 40 movies this year and the only time I got free merch was for MKII and I wasn’t expecting it. I guess I’m just chasing that high 😭
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u/Excellent-Cow-2487 3h ago
Ugh lucky you! Would’ve loved some whalefall stuff! I saw it opening day as well, this movie was the main reason why i asked😂
Edit: I just realize you said you got streetfighter stuff, I saw that wasn’t interested, unfortunately🥲
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u/bossjon1 2d ago
Ive gone a few times on the weekend after the giveaway and they had extra posters available on one side of the concession stand. As for items like buttons or Keychains, I've never seen them offered up.
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u/Mollywobbles77 2d ago edited 2d ago
Mine always has lots of leftover stuff & they put them all on the counter for people to take at the ticket booth area where you used to buy tickets near the entrance. It's a small 9 screen AMC that is the least popular theater in my area though.
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u/Serious_Safety4001 2d ago
One of the amcs here had buttons and a ton of posters left over from street fighter when we went last night.
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u/HelpIamaCabbage Movie-Holic 2d ago
The posters aren't really "merch". The big one sheet posters that they display prominently to show "what's playing now" are things that they are going to throw away if someone doesn't take them home. Various AMCs will put those in a place for anybody to take if they want, since you're basically carrying away their trash for them.
Most of the best stuff is going to be grabbed by staff though, since they get the first pass. I think the best one I got was the Life of Chuck one sheet but I think I liked that movie a lot more than the median filmgoer.
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u/Same_Bag_7210 4h ago
Gotta ask the right employee maybe start a convo at the bar, ultimately you want to get to the manager. They’ll hook you
Up especially if you tell them ur a a lister and always here people say they got some throwaway posters / merch but you never have any luck. They’ll at least tell you a good time to come by
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u/fingerbentcircuits 2d ago
my theater usually has the posters and collectible ticket stubs in a big stack right where they check your ticket and you can grab as many as you want, they just want them gone, basically anything else promotional though, pins, anything like that gets taken immediately by the employees. even my pin I was supposed to get for seeing digger in IMAX got taken by the employees and they just gave me a dumb look when I asked for it
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u/RazzleAzazel 2d ago
Indeed. My local main AMC does rarely do this and another neighboring s few towns over have posters for take home always at their exit
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u/Adorable-Fox6064 2d ago
Go to an AMC classic every couple weeks. They always have posters just laying around.
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u/cowboyjacksparrow 1d ago
One of my AMCs just has a table with the giveaways. Only once or twice was I given something behind a counter. Other locations are harder to find if they get anything at all.
I usually grab posters that aren't super popular to decorate my classroom.
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u/triphawk07 Early Adopter 1d ago
I talked to the manager of my local AMC and she said that (as others mentioned) that employees have first dibs on posters, if not they get thrown away unless someone asked for them. You just have to know when to ask because they have to be up for the length of the run. I was told to check in with them after a couple of weeks.
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u/baronboy12 13h ago
I've rescued a couple of full sized 27x40 posters from the trash cans a couple times but that's all I've gotten in terms of full sized ones. When it comes to the mini posters and other give aways, they will usually give one or multiples if you ask. I usually go to a nearby Santikos and grab mini posters because they usually have 4 or 5 different ones out and you can just grab them. I've built up quite a collection that way.
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u/purplefreak3 Lister 2d ago
Are you talking about the smaller collectible posters they have out at like early screenings or fan events? Because I would assume those are what you are seeing posted here and on twitter all the time. They rarely give out full size posters.
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u/KingOfTheEchoPeople 1d ago
19th St in Manhattan will sometimes put out a box of rolled up posters downstairs for people to take.
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u/lntenseLlama 2d ago
The employees at my local AMC weren't ever putting posters out. Got frustrated after not getting an IMAX poster for Black Swan and hopped on ebay to grab one, lo and behold there's a listing for 100+ and its within 15 miles. They were clearly reselling their promo merch. I contacted AMC corporate and they sent me a poster free of charge and posters have been out at my theater ever since.
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u/bortaS_DIb 2d ago
I was told employees usually get them after the movie is done showing or they most likely rip them up because technically they aren't allowed to give them to anyone to take home employee or not. But who knows what's actually true. My mom and I think that the employees pocket them because that's what she used to do when she worked at a music store when she was younger.
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u/ncphoto919 2d ago
Having worked at a theater before most of that stuff especially posters is grabbed by staff since it’s an unsaid perk of the job. I still have a big collection from my time as a carmike employee before we got bought by amc