The weird future of movie theater food

Every year movie studios and theater owners come together in Las Vegas for the CinemaCon convention. There are presentations about upcoming movies, sure, but CinemaCon is also a trade show, and that means the various vendors that serve the theaters have the opportunity to show off their wares. Think of it like CES, but for reclining chairs and designer popcorn buckets.

We’re talking about an event that has an entire trade show floor devoted just to food products, and I’m not going to lie — visiting that ballroom was amazing. Overwhelmed by the smells of butter, sugar, and soda, I flashed back to my childhood trips to the movies, where the candy selection was always endless. But at CinemaCon, junk food is actually a business, and you’re not just looking at the selection that’s available today — you’re trying what theater owners may buy to stock in your local multiplex tomorrow. (Candy is such an important part of the show that no less than 24 different food products were included in this year’s swag bag for attendees.)

Below are some of the cool, weird, and frankly horrifying items I came across while walking the aisles of The Candy Show. If some of these haven’t already made their way to your local theater, don’t worry — they will be. This is your movie theater future.