Major movie theatre chain Cinemark has announced that they will be opening back up on Wednesday, beginning with five theatres in Dallas on June 19. The rest of their locations will open up between July 3 and July 17.
They have also announced the measures that they will be taking in order to keep their employers and guests safe.
In an interview with Variety, Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi said, "If a particular state or county requires face masks, we will abide by that. We will strongly encourage it, but if the county or city has not deemed it a requirement, we will not require it on top of that."
For employees, though, the rules will be different. They will be required to wear face masks and gloves while they are working. They will also be required to undergo training to keep things safe and they will also be required to do a wellness check before each shift.
"We know people want to come back to the movies. It's just a matter of making sure people feel secure and safe. That's why we've taken so much time and effort and invested millions of dollars. We know it's the right thing to do," said Zoradi.
Below is a list of actions Cinemark will take for reopening:
- All public and high-touch spaces, such as concession stands, door handles, drink stations, self-ticketing kiosks, benches, and restrooms will be thoroughly sanitized every 30 minutes using products identified by the EPA to be effective in eliminating COVID-19.
- Each auditorium will be disinfected every morning, and all handrails and occupied seats, along with those on either side, will be sanitized between showtimes.
- All theatres will reopen with reduced operating hours and staggered showtimes to maximize physical distancing.
- For additional assurance, there will be seat wipes and ample hand sanitizer available for customer use.
- Auditoriums will have limited capacities that meet or exceed local ordinances and the seats adjacent to parties will be automatically blocked upon ticket purchase.
- In accordance with CDC recommendations, guests are strongly encouraged to wear face masks.
- Where applicable, Cinemark will adhere to local policies that require residents to wear face masks in public.
- Cinemark will be employing new tactics to increase the fresh air intake to enhance the overall air quality of our theatres and using High-Efficiency Particulate Absorbing (HEPA) filtration in all vacuums.
- Cinemark has streamlined its in-theatre ticket verification processes, no longer requiring digital ticket holders to carry a paper ticket, and moviegoers purchasing tickets at the theatre will no longer need to hand their printed ticket to the ushers.
- All are encouraged to purchase tickets online and use contactless payment methods for a more contact-free experience. Guests who are not feeling well are asked to stay home, and Cinemark will gladly provide a full ticket refund.
- To help reduce potential contact between cash and food-handling areas, cash payments will not be accepted at the concession stand. However, each theatre will have a designated area where cash will be accepted, and gift cards will be available.
- There will be plenty of in-theatre signage that will encourage moviegoers to practice proper physical distancing as well as showcase the new protocols involved in The Cinemark Standard.
- Moviegoers are asked to properly dispose of their trash to further protect our employees and allow for maximized cleaning between showtimes.
