Phil P.
Yelp
I don't usually review anything on Yelp other than restaurants, but the management at The Grand just did me a solid on customer service, so I HAVE to drop a review.
Why The Grand is my go-to movie house in NOLA:
1) Fantastic, RESERVED seating. Pleather recliners in nearly stadium-style arrangement. Awesome.
2) They check ID, so there won't be a pack of 14 year olds in whatever R-rated flick you see here.
3) Also, no unaccompanied minors in shows that start after 7pm. So amazing.
4) The sound set up is pretty good, so they (usually) don't simulate intense surround sound by cranking the volume and blowing out your ear drums (like the other big chain in town does). I saw 20 movies here last year and only wished I'd brought ear plugs twice.
5) Most of the movies I want to see come here. About three or four times a year, there's an art film or indie film that I want to see, and they don't screen those, but you can see ALL of the big productions here.
6) It's (pretty) clean. Every now and then I lose my phone in the seat and brush up against some popcorn that I didn't drop while retrieving the phone, but I've never sat on a sticky, obviously dirty, or otherwise suspicious seat cushion here, and they do a pretty good job at keeping the bathrooms clean (allowing for peak times when one rude person can ruin a stall until somebody says something and staff can find the time to clean it up), which brings me to my next point...
7) Friendly staff. Seriously nice people work here. Chat with them if there isn't a line behind you.
Today's Solid:
I got a great deal on some gift cards and was going to use them, but the corporate server was down, so the digital gift cards weren't working. No problem. The manager comp'd me and my wife. Seriously. I could have paid cash or credit, but he was like, "No. We got this." It's been a long time since I went to the movies and felt like somebody actually cared for me as a patron. Years. But today was great. We actually felt a little special, and who doesn't like to feel a little special?
The Downsides:
So this doesn't read as a giant strokefest, here are the things I wished were different--specific to general.
1) 3D RPX showtimes: There's an awesome large-format screen here in theater 14. When it was owned by The Grand, it was the GPX (Grand Premium eXperience) screen, and now that it's a Regal theater, it's the RPX (PLF?) screen. You pay a 20% premium on your ticket for a noticeably bigger screen and better sound quality. If you're seeing a 3D movie, you can feel immersed because the edge of the screen is right at the periphery of your vision if you sit in the middle of the theater, which is what I want; any closer and the screen swallows you, which can be awesome too. Lately, there has only been one 3D RPX screening per day, at 10pm, for movies you might legitimately want to see in 3D. Think Venom, Fantastic Beasts, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Into the Spider-Verse, Aquaman, and Bumblebee. If you work 6 days a week and have to be at work at 7am, a 10pm start ain't happening. I understand that there are economics to consider, but... My wife and I just gave up and stopped going 3D RPX, picking movie by movie which was going to be more important--3D or RPX--which has devolved into a default for RPX, cuz the 3D can feel a little forced on the smaller screens, and the sound isn't quite as good in the smaller space.
2) Buzzing: An electrician needs to get into the RPX theater and set up a power conditioner to address the electronic buzzing. It's the auditory equivalent of poor contrast.
3) The Silver Sparkle: Some of the screens have a little sparkle right in the middle. I don't know what causes this, but replacing those screens has to be on the list of future improvements.
4) Food selection: They have your standard ice cream, candy, soda, and Icee options (mmmm...white cherry...), with nothing-special nachos and hot dogs. That's about it. I realize that if you want the special eats, you have to go to Canal Place, but there you go: if you want something special that isn't a fat/sugar overload, you have to go somewhere else.
5) Concessions: If I buy a drink at the other chain, I can refill it as I desire. But you only get one refill at Regal if you go with the Jumbo size. I understand that they'd have to remodel the concession area to accommodate at-will refilling, but I'm just putting that out there for the sake of thoroughness. Otherwise, prices are pretty comparable.
6) Online ticketing: This is my beef with Regal, not with The Grand Esplanade. If I have an AMC Stubs account, I can buy my tickets online without a processing fee. Not so much with Regal Crown Club. The online ticket prices are cheaper sometimes, but not enough to balance out the processing fee. It's a convenience to be able to pick your seat from home--I get it--but still.
That's all! Have fun at the movies!