Movie theaters don’t just sell snacks… they sell psychology. Here’s the sneaky secret behind why you almost always buy the large.

Businesses know our brains are wired to look for the best value. By deliberately making the medium overpriced, theaters push you to buy the large because it feels like a smarter choice.

Here’s the breakdown:

1. Small looks “too small” – so most people skip it.

2. Medium is the decoy – priced high on purpose, it’s not meant to sell.

3. Large looks like a bargain – thanks to the medium, the large feels like the “obvious” option.

The result? Most people walk away with a giant tub of popcorn they didn’t really plan on buying.

🍿 Why Movie Theaters Do It

The truth is, movie theaters don’t make much money from ticket sales. A huge chunk goes back to film studios. The real profit comes from concessions like popcorn, soda, and candy—where the margins are massive.