How High is the Markup on Movie Theater Food?

If you are like most Americans, at some point this weekend you will go to a movie.  But have you ever wondered how much the markup is on your favorite concession items?  Here is what has been discovered.

According to Yahoo, a business school professor at the University of California, Irvine analyzed how much the average movie theater charges for food at their concession stand versus how much it actually costs them.

A large bucket of popcorn sells for an average of $8.15 and costs them only $0.90.

A large soda sells for an average $6.31, and costs only 51 cents including the cup, lid, and straw.

And finally a box of candy sells for an average of $4.25, and costs only about $2.  So in terms of markup, candy is the worst deal for them, but they more than make up for it with popcorn and soda sales.

So keep that in mind this weekend while you are enjoying those items while watching a movie.