Alamo Drafthouse Kicks Out Customer For Texting, Creates Excellent New PSA

UPDATE: EXCLUSIVE: Alamo Drafthouse’s Tim League on Why He Won’t Hesitate to Kick Out Rude Customers

The Alamo Drafthouse kicked out a patron for texting in the theater. And when the livid (former) customer left a voicemail outlining the extent of her dismay, they turned it into the best before-the-movie PSA, ever.

Per Alamo Drafthouse principal Tim League:

As many of you know, I really can’t abide people who talk during a movie. A couple of years ago I was accosted in the Village parking lot by a patron who was warned for talking in a movie. I’ve nearly come to blows more than a few times over the years with rude customers over the same issue. When we adopted our strict no talking policy back in 1997 we knew we were going to alienate some of our patrons. That was the plan. If you can’t change your behavior and be quiet (or unilluminated) during a movie, then we don’t want you at our venue. Follow our rules, or get the hell out and don’t come back until you can.

Recently, we had a situation where a customer persisted in texting in the theater despite two warnings to stop. Our policy at that point is to eject the customer without a refund, which is exactly what went down that night.  Luckily, this former patron was so incensed at being kicked out, she quickly called the office and left us the raw ingredients for our latest “Don’t Talk or Text” PSA. You can check it out below, or come to the Alamo this weekend where the video will be playing before all of our R-rated movies.

Here’s the video. Audio is NSFW, so wear headphones; it’s worth the trouble.