Movie theatre chain Cinemark Holdings, Inc has announced the phased reopening of its theatres. Cinemark will kick off its four-phased reopening with select Dallas-area theatres beginning Friday, June 19, with the remaining phases to take place between July 3 and July 17. All will reopen with enhanced cleaning and sanitising protocols and showcase some of moviegoers’ favourite films before welcoming this year’s newest hits.
“There is nothing quite like the awe and power of great cinematic storytelling on the big screen, and Cinemark is proud to once again welcome guests to enjoy the shared, immersive experience they crave in a way that provides them confidence and peace of mind,” said Mark Zoradi, Cinemark CEO. “While Cinemark already takes significant precautions to ensure the health and safety of our employees, guests and communities, we have developed The Cinemark Standard for an extra level of cleaning and sanitizing that guests will notice from the moment they walk back through our doors. Our teams are trained, prepared and eager to once again entertain movie lovers in an environment that cannot be replicated in-home.”
To ensure moviegoer confidence and peace of mind, all Cinemark theatres will uphold enhanced cleaning and sanitising protocols as well as have elevated expectations for employees and guests. Employees will undergo extensive training prior to reopening and will wear face masks and gloves while working, in addition to completing a wellness check-in prior to every shift. Each theatre will also have a designated Chief Clean and Safety Monitor on duty to ensure the highest standards of safety, physical distancing, cleanliness and sanitisation.
- All public and high-touch spaces, such as concession stands, door handles, drink stations, self-ticketing kiosks, benches and restrooms will be thoroughly sanitised every 30 minutes using products identified by the EPA to be effective in eliminating COVID-19.
- Each auditorium will be disinfected every morning, and all handrails and occupied seats, along with those on either side, will be sanitised between show times.
- All theatres will reopen with reduced operating hours and staggered showtimes to maximise physical distancing.
- For additional assurance, there will be seat wipes and ample hand sanitiser available for customer use.
- Auditoriums will have limited capacities that meet or exceed local ordinances and the seats adjacent to parties will be automatically blocked upon ticket purchase.
- In accordance with CDC recommendations, guests are strongly encouraged to wear face masks. Where applicable, Cinemark will adhere to local policies that require residents to wear face masks in public.
- Cinemark will be employing new tactics to increase the fresh air intake to enhance the overall air quality of its theatres and using High Efficiency Particulate Absorbing (HEPA) filtration in all vacuums.
- Cinemark has streamlined its in-theatre ticket verification processes, no longer requiring digital ticket holders to carry a paper ticket, and moviegoers purchasing tickets at the theatre will no longer need to hand their printed ticket to an usher. All are encouraged to purchase tickets online and use contactless payment methods for a more contact-free experience. Guests who are not feeling well are asked to stay home, and Cinemark will gladly provide a full ticket refund.
- To help reduce potential contact between cash and food-handling areas, cash payments will not be accepted at the concession stand. However, each theatre will have a designated area where cash will be accepted, and gift cards will be available.
- There will be plenty of in-theatre signage that will encourage moviegoers to practice proper physical distancing as well as showcase the new protocols involved in The Cinemark Standard.
- Moviegoers are asked to properly dispose of their trash to further protect our employees and allow for maximised cleaning between showtimes.