After many pilot tests in select theaters, AMC Entertainment has decided to drop the Sightline pricing program set after seeing minimal results. Originally intended to draw in more finances due to near-bankruptcy from the pandemic, the program continued to show baseline profits.

Earlier this year, AMC announced the Sightline program, shifting theater seating prices based on the sightline from the auditorium to the screen itself. Value Sightline, seats in the front of the theater, were cheaper than the other sightlines, and Preferred Sightline, the center of the auditorium, would be placed at a higher price than the traditional ticket prices in Standard Sightline. Meant for screenings after 4 pm, AMC had intended for this program to allow for more experience-based pricing and match up with other venue competitors. The company advertised it as a method to accommodate guests who “prioritize their specific seat and others who prioritize value moviegoing.”

However, the program failed to draw more money due to criticism and little change in patronage choices. They noted that few people did not choose the Value Sightline despite its lower pricing and continued to sit in Preferred areas if they had already sat in these areas before the program. Additionally, they noticed that competitors had not matched this strategy of raising and lowering prices based on sightlines.

As a result, AMC has decided to remove the program to ensure “AMC ticket prices remain competitive” and will now focus on a “different type of spacious front row seating – with extensive seat recline.”