The Exhibitor (1960)

EXTRA PROFIT TIPS This is the secoyid installment of a series featuring important comments made by Industry leaders during the 1959 TOA-NAC Convention in Chicago, and at other im¬ portant meetings throughout the country. Although the following comments do not necessarily reflect the views of this department, it is hoped that these provocative ideas will give theatremen new insight for more EXTRA PROFITS. NEW IDEAS ON MEATS FOR CONCESSIONAIRES By Moreland Martin Of The Chicago Natl. Live Stock and Meat Board “We realize that frankfurters are an im¬ portant item in most of these concessions, as well as hamburgers, barbecues, etc. Did you ever stop to realize just how important frankfurters are? How many would you say were consumed in the United States last year? The ‘average person’ consumed approx¬ imately 57 frankfurters. They are approxi¬ mately five inches long. If we would lay these frankfurters end to end they would reach from the earth around the moon and back, and then encircle the earth 141/2 times at the Equator. “You can tell a top quality frankfurter from one of mediocre quality. One of the guides of quality is revealed when it is cooked — it stays straight if it is high quality. If it tends to curl it is one of the cheaper variety. You be your own judge as to which one you use, because the red meat in these frankfurters has the same nutritive value. “To get quality (whether it is frankfurters, ground beef or hambirrgers) you will have to pay more per pound. When you skimp on quality, you get a less desirable product. Serve a good hamburger, dress it up and give it a special name such as ‘Big Wheel.’ Do not skimp on the meat! Put some relish or a little garnish with ih-^it always adds to the attractiveness of the plate. For ground beef, a good mixture recommendation is 20 per cent fat to 80 per cent lean. Definitely, you need fat in ground beef to make it flavorful, because the fat gives it juiciness and moisture when cooked. “For cooking a hamburger, it is important to cook it at a relatively low temperature. You have seen many of the short order Chefs throw a hamburger on a red hot grill which drives off all the moisture. You may serve a relatively thin piece of ground beef but don’t overcook it. You may consider building up a trade for an order of a ham¬ burger that is medium or medium rare. “In different seasons of the year, certain meats are more plentiful. You can buy beef at a lower price in the fall because of the number of cattle coming into the market. If you have a way to freeze some of these items, like ground beef, or meats that you intend to barbecue, you can buy when plentiful, freeze and store it for later use. In the sum¬ mertime, steaks are not relatively cheap be¬ cause everyone’s cooking meat out-of-doors. You should take advantage of this seasonal trend and purchase these products in quan¬ tity when they are lower in cost.” THE 15-CENT CANDY BAR By Frank Register Of The Nat’l Confectioners Ass’n “A recent news story in the ‘Wall Street Journal’ reported that the ‘15-cent candy bar is creeping into the economy. From movie houses, it’s moving out to supermarkets and vending machines.’ “The National Confectioners Association has in the last month surveyed its membership to determine how many of its candy manufac¬ turer members are producing 15-cent items. We were somewhat surprised to receive re¬ plies from 31 manufacturers all indicating that they produce one or more 15-cent candy units. Not all of these items are bars, how¬ ever, and included are 15-cent bag items, which could conceivably be sold in conjunc¬ tion with 15-cent bars. There are no doubt other 15-cent items being produced which are not included on the list we have provided for you. So, without a doubt, the 15-cent item is emerging as an important force in the candy mdustry. “In an experiment conducted in a West Coast location. Canteen has found that sales of the 15-cent candy items held up as well as the 10-cent bars which were previously vended. While Canteen does not reveal the names of the 15-cent items vended, they report that these are 15-cent versions of the so-called standard nickel and dime candy items. “When there is a display of nickel and dime versions of the same bar side by side, consumers seem to feel that they should select the lower-priced item. Therefore it would follow that the 15-cent items likewise should be kept in a separate section to achieve maximum resiilts. “For those interested in candy sales, the growing market for candy items that are not in the traditional price category is viewed as a healthy thing. It gives greater flexbUity to candy sales. It enables us to maintain and expand our markets in the face of rising costs of ingredients and labor.” EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER By Leonard Pollack Of Loew’s Theatres “Today you have candy from the small 5 cent bar or bags to the new offerings with 15 cents, 25 cents or 35 cents printed on the candy. From the old popcorn ma¬ chines, today you have the big popcorn machines that really merchandise popcorn. You now have buttered popcorn in a 20 cent or 25 cent bag. From the old closed ice cream case, today you have the beautiful open ice cream cases, some of them self-service, and others closed. From the old vending ma¬ chines that you had years ago where people had to shake them to get their candy or money back, you now have beautiful pieces of machinery. You have machines vending cigarettes, candy, soda, popcorn, ice cream, coffee, and many other things. “I have found that the only way you can tell whether an item is worthwhile selling . . . is to try it. It doesn’t mean that you have to continually try everything, and do every¬ thing. But the only way we are going to progress in this business is by trying new items — by merchandising these items in the best way possible. “My belief is that we are only in the stage of infancy of this game and that many people will come up with newer and better items. I do not say they will all be acceptable, but I do say to you that five years from now we will look back at this time the same as we look back now to 10 years ago when only a few had drink machines when few people had these modern means of merchandising, when few theatres had concession stands head-on and took seats out. We will look upon five years from now the same as we look back 10 years ago now; and say to you, ‘Have an open mind,’ let’s try these things, let’s progress with the times, because, experience is the best teacher.” THE CORRECT METHOD OF POPPING CORN By H. E. Chrisman Of Cretors and Company “Popcorn has been, and still is, your high¬ est profit concession item. So much so, I think, that many times it is neglected be¬ cause many popcorn machine owners feel popping corn is so simple and the profits so (Continued on page 37) NEW EPRAD SPEAKERS GIVE YOU BETTER SOUND . . . NEW HI-FI Speaker of incompara¬ ble excellence. New 2.15 oz. "Alnico 5” magnet. Die-cast alum¬ inum case with two-tone epoxy enamel finish. 4 in. driver. TWO YEAR GUARANTEE, jy 25 Suggested List Price MERIT Value-packed speaker. Passivated die-cast aluminum case. 1.47 oz. "Alnico 5” magnet. 4 in. driver. J5^4Q Suggested List Price EPRAD MANUFACTURES: SPEAKERS • HOT-SHOT ELECTRIC HEATERS • JUNCTION BOXES 34 PHYSICAL THEATRE • EXTRA PROFITS DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR March 16, I960