What a great concept!!! I love it.
Now we can go eat out at the movies!

From what I see in the video, this place is no longer young people friendly. It's a great idea, but where would our kids go now? If anyone has ever dropped off their kids there on Fridays, they'll understand what I'm talking about.

My family and I went to the grand opening last night and had a great time. It's a totally different atmosphere geared to an older crowd. The concession stands are gone, replaced by a nice long bar. The ticket booth is gone, replaced by the e-ticket and the ticket corner inside; kind of like when you go to a ticket booth at a show.

You have to be 18 years of age, I believe, to go because of the bar and for the ultimate theater (or whatever it's called) you have to be 21 because they serve alcohol during the movie. We had fun last night, the food reminded of TGIFs, the drinks were perfect. They have some food serving glitches to work out but the staff was extremely pleasant and helpful. It wasn't as distracting as I thought it was to have my food served during the movie. The seats were PERFECTION. They felt like the in-home, movie theater seats that adjust and everything. Someone said, like being in first class on the airplane.

I do wonder how it would be for the 16-17 year olds that like to go there for date night or something, if it's true you have to be accompanied by an adult. It does feel like it takes away from that young crowd a lot because that's not the atmosphere anymore. It does feel like it will be a nice destination spot, though, like a great time out with the girls. Or maybe you can just stop in for drinks and not go to the movies, hum. The rub is that it will cost $80 - $100 for a family of 4 to attend -$10 for a ticket & $10 or $15 min charge for food/drinks.

The timing of this venture seems ill-conceived given the current economic conditions. The idea of not being able to go to a movie for $10 and just have a tub of popcorn and a soda is kind of sad. I question the success given the prices and the exclusion of people under the age of 18. It is definitely excludes a large part of the community. Too bad.

I am glad to see this experience has come to the theater in West Orange. I used to go to the theater before the renovations and new age limits, and there used to be very rude and disrespectful kids there on a regular basis. I've seen some of the teens talk and throw stuff throughout the movie and curse/swear at older people that kindly asked them to stop. Anytime you need uniformed police officers to be security at a theater and eatery (TGIF's) there's a problem.

I do have a young family, and I look forward to taking my kids there to catch a movie, as well as, be able to go there for a nice girls night out without the kids. The price is a slight concern but for those that would normally catch a movie and then take the kids out to eat afterward the cost works out to still be about the same. Even if you were the type to just catch a movie and get a tub of popcorn and a soda it's still almost the same cost considering a small popcorn was running $4 and up, and a soda was running about $3-$4 and up.

Kudos to AMC!

WOW, what an experience! We watched a movie in the cinema suite. The chairs were SO COMFORTABLE! They recline all the way back into a sleeping position!! The food was pretty good too. Because this is a brand new thing, and there are always kinks to work out in the beginning, I didn't give to much thought to the 2 things I noticed that could have been different. 1. Our table trays were not wiped off from the last people who sat there. 2. The electronic device the server used to take our order was not working properly so she used a pad/pen (the old fashioned way).

All-in-all, I think this is a great place and plan to return. The people complaining in the lobby about having to purchase food just don't understand the concept of 'dine-in theatre'. (think of midevil times....you pay the ticket price, and whether you want food or not, it's still the same price). Don't knock it till you've tried it!!

I went to the movies on Saturday night with my husband, to see Harry Potter. I, unfortunately, had a much different experience than most of the posters here. Harry Potter was not playing in the Cinema Suites, but rather in the Fork and Scene theater. Both of us found the "experience" to be one that we do not care to repeat.

The server was helpful, but as we were at a 9:15 pm movie, we were not excited to eat any of the heavy food on the menu. We ended up with a glass of wine, a glass of water and a (small) popcorn and forfeited $1.83 of our $20 experience fee. Yes, the popcorn was refillable, but that would have required us to push the call button for the server during the movie and interrupt the movie to order it, which I was not inclined to do. However, the people to my right had no such problem, and did press the call button and proceeded to talk with the server for about 5 minutes about their order. About 1/2 hour before the end of the movie, the servers came around and gave everyone their bills - explaining if you did or did not owe any money.

Throughout the movie, servers were walking by and talking with customers, delivering food, etc. Similar to in a restaurant, people were clinking/clanging/dropping/breaking glasses, cutlery and dishes throughout.

I found the whole "experience" extremely distracting and it totally took away from the movie for me. I was really excited to go to try out the Dine In concept, and now that I have, sadly I will not return.

Frankly, I was one of the ones who dropped their child off, mainly because I never wanted to go there myself. Too many loud, rude teenagers who roamed all over the mall. My daughter never reported the fights she now says broke out regularly because she knew I wouldn't allow her to meet friends there. It wasn't a family atmosphere. Frankly I'm glad the kids are gone, now it a place I WANT to visit. During the preview weekend, I saw movies in both the Fork & Screen and the Cinema Suites. And I agree the Fork & Screen experience was not as satisfactory as the Cinema Suites, but I'll be back. I'll probably be a regular now albeit supervising my daughter and her boyfriend.

When I go to the movies - it is to see a movie. Get it - go to the movies. Now I'm being forced to eat, forced to smell food around me, have the waiters block my view when carrying refreshments and of course now alcoholics can go to the movies to get bombed - they don't need to go to traditional bars. Alas, who is the genious who thought of this concept? When the guy sitting next to me orders 3 drinks within a 2 hour window gets behind the wheel of his car and kills someone - hope they find his ticket stub. Dumb idea - I get it! Dumber idea!

Reading the comments I would say 'cool'. It is nice to see companies make an investment like this in W.O. I would be inclined to support it. I think it could be a pretty fun concept! I love movies. I love to eat. Not a big drinker, but could stand to have a glass of wine with the movie. BRAVO!

My wife and I attended the movie and sat in the Cinema Suites. Very comfortable....Now for the negative....when I order a meal, I expect my appetizers to be just that, appetizers before the main course. What we got was our entire order dropped onto our "table", appys to dessert, with no room on the table and hot food getting colder and cold food getting room temperature as we waded through everything! Not the experience I want.

if i wanted that experience, i think i'd stick to netflix. but i'm interested in giving it a try...

How can you compare the new AMC Fork and Film to Netflix? I don't have a button on my remote that will deliver a martini and a grilled Asian chicken salad to my sofa.

Not everyone is gonna like this, that's why we all have a choice. I really enjoyed the experience. The price is not different than before, $10 for a movie and a popcorn combo was $12. It's $20 for the Fork and Film or $25 for the Cinema Suites. $10 buck is for the movie and the rest is a food/drink credit.

$5M is a lot of money! Let's make sure we support stuff like this, so more big companies will discover the gem that is West Orange!!

I think its great that middle aged-adults have a place to go to other than a bar or a club. I can have a drink, see a movie and not have to worry about a bunch of kids and the like. I wish they had a room that was for adults 35 and up!

I'm with you Sternie, someone is investing in West Orange, we need to support the investment. In turn the investment will support us with tax revenue.

I also agree with Nicole, I don't like to hang out in clubs so this is a perfect place for me (a woman of a certain age) to go to the movies and get drink afterward. A room for 35 and up would be fabulous.

I applaud all that's been done to make this a worthwhile destination. A couple of suggestions, if anyone in mgmt reads this: keep training staff to explain the set-up & sell better. I went last night to see Tron with my 'tween kids at 3:45pm. You can't go online to see what movies are Fork & Dine, for under 18 folks. I assumed Tron, rated PG, would be available for kids. I got to the ticket booth & she could only sell me 1 ticket because the 3:45pm show was only in the Cinema Suites where you must be at least 21. I asked which movies are the ones my kids can go see now. She said we had to get out of line & go back to the lobby to review those...she was sweet, but she should have been able to tell me this info. We found the 5:45pm was for the Fork and Dine. We went back & bought the tickets instead of driving to Rte 10; but she could have told us this in the first place. On a Sunday before school, shouldn't the 3:45pm be for the youth?

Someone was standing in the lobby to review how things work & which movie was with which theater, but there really needs to be a way to find out online (maybe there is & I missed it). Until then, I STRONGLY SUGGEST CALLING to make sure you are able to get a ticket if you are with someone under 21.

Seeing a movie this way makes you want to/have to talk. I missed parts of the movie, but it was good bonding time.

This isn't going to see a movie. It's going to hangout and have a good time, and the excuse is the movie playing in the background.

My husband and I have been to this theater several times now and love it. $50.00 for the two of us. We ordered 2 entrees and 2 sodas and came in 50¢ under the food credit and saw a phenomenal movie: The Fighter in the Cinema Suites. No teenagers talking loudly and texting, and we could lay back, spread out and relax. As for clinking glasses and plates, I'm not sure what that poster is referring to considering all the plates and glasses are made of a very hard plastic so they actually don't clink. Nice try. People don't like change it seems to me and people are afraid to try something new or something they don't understand. If my husband had gone out to dinner first and then to a movie it would have probably been the same $50.00. This was more fun.

The hot tip is to order your tickets and pick out your seats online before you go so you don't get sold out and get there 20 mins. before the movie starts so you can order your food before it begins. As for the other poster who got their appetizer with their dinner.... that's never happened to you at a regular restaurant? It's certainly happened to me - many times. You can't dismiss the entire theater just because one waitress messed up. C'mon.

The only problem we have is the same problem we had before they changed it - people (adults) talking out loud like they're in their own living room. People really have to cut that out.

Thanks Buttercrunch, for saying there's a way to go online to order tickets. I asked at the desk and the girl had no idea. I goggled and the movie came up with the theater, but nothing to click directly to the theater. This time I googled and searched further and there it was. This is truly a great time saver, cancels out a lot of confusion on which movie 18 or younger can go to and a big help overall. We just gave a gift card to new buyers that moved into town and now will send them the link. I was telling them this is one of the jewels in town for adults and they were excited.

Wow I really hate this. My friends and I heard about this and were so excited! We thought it was a brilliant idea and wanted to try it out right away. That is until we heard that we weren't allowed to go, without our mothers and fathers. Are you kidding me? We're sixteen not six! I'm not going to a movie with my mother and my friends! It makes no sense to us how we can't go . We won't order alcohol. We won't cause a seen. We won't even talk in the theater and yet we still can't go. Way to go AMC! You just lost an entire population of viewers.

Jacquelin,
That was the idea. Unfortunately many 16-year-olds have been causing a scene at the Essex Green Cinemas for several years. The multitudes of rowdy, undisciplined, teenagers who patronized the movie and the mall over the years are responsible for the increased police presence required to maintain peace. Frankly the movie had turned into a place, adults didn't want to frequent.

No offence to the HOARDS of movie going minors, but GOOD..!! I am so happy that someone has finally given the reins back to the adults.. Un supervised teens have been a plague at theaters for far to long.. The idea of being able to go out to a theater and have a good time actually watching AND HEARING the movie is awesome..!! Thank you AMC ..!!

I would guess that AMC now sells tickets at a lower cost and let people order food if they want because of all the complaints about paying extra for food. Well, thanks to the appropriate complainers cause now the tickets all cost a few bucks more and there is no longer any food credit. I liked the original plan much better. I think what would have been better is for the people not wanting to order food pay a surcharge of $1-2 instead. Not sure I'll go back anytime soon with the higher movie ticket prices.

WELL I LOVED THIS MOVIE THEATER, UNTIL LAST NITE. TOOK MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO SEE DR. SUESS THE LORAX. WHILE WAITING IN LINE FOR NEARLY 15 MINUTES NOTICE THAT THERE WERE 4 EMPLOYEES BEHIND TICKET DESK CHATING AND TAKING A VERY LONG TIME SERVICING CUSTOMERS. WHEN I FINALLY MANAGE TO GET TO THE TICKET DESK, AND ASK FOR TICKETS FOR THE LORAX, THIS IS WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT THE SHOW WAS SOLD OUT. WELL I REPLYED MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE LET THE LINE KNOW, SEEING THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF PARENTS WITH THERE CHILDREN STANDING IN THE LINE. I WAS RUDELY TOLD THAT I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THE BOX OUTSIDE THE LOBBY, AND THEN I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THE SHOW WAS SOLD OUT! I USUALLY DON'T PAY WITH MY DEBIT CARD, SO I NEVER EVEN NOTICE THE BOX!! I'M JUST SAYING WHEN THE SHOW IS SOLD OUT. I THINK THE OVER HEAD, LISTING ALL THE MOVIES SHOULD SAY THAT!!! I DID CHECK THE TIME THE MOVIE WAS STARTING AND THERE WAS NO INFO TELLING YOU THE MOVIE WAS SOLD OUT! MY THREE YEAR WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED AT FIRST, BUT WE WENT TO JERSEY GARDEN AND THE EXPERIENCE WAS VERY PLEASANT. :-)

It sounds lovely for a night out with your husband or significant other . When you go out to the movies now it cost 12 a head anyway and when u go to dinner u pay a lot as well. So this is good

I'm planning on going in two weeks, so I will tell you how was my experience! BOOM