Food and Films - Is This The Future?

Mark Lawson, for The Guardian, discusses a slight-change in cinema viewings at a shopping centre:

"However, a new initiative at the Odeon atop the Whiteley's shopping centre in west London tantalises cineastes with the possibility one day of an evening's movie-going that is both Oscar-nominated and Michelin-starred. Chef Rowley Leigh, from nearby Le Cafe Anglais, is introducing a range of superior at-seat meals including a fillet-steak burger and red mullet risotto. Ordered on arrival, these will be served by waiters "during the trailers", which, given the picture houses' current recession-led desperation to advertise everything arriving in the next year, would allow time for a five-course banquet in many venues."

Read the full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2011/dec/05/cinema-restaurant-rowley-leigh

The idea of huge meals in the cinema, initially, sounds ridiculous. Loud, monstrous-munching of a burger and crunching of salad accompanying the soundtrack of cinema. No way.

But then look - consider the 'delivery' of the food during the trailers ... consider the regular 20-minute length (maybe more...) of the adverts and trailers before the film. You'd be finished before the opening credits. Or at least all the big-munching and crunching would be finsished - at the start of the actual film, you would merely be picking at the left-over chips or small vegetables that are sat on the side.

The idea of utilising the ever-growing trailer-time might be a great change to a cinema night out.

Then again ... what about the smell ...