Partnership connects RTS cinema management with GoTab’s food and beverage commerce solutions, bringing a more connected moviegoing experience to Schulman Theatres
ARLINGTON, Va. - August 10, 2026 GoTab, the entertainment commerce platform that powers dynamic guest experiences across the United States, Canada and Australia, today announced a partnership with Ready Theatre Systems (RTS), a trusted provider of point-of-sale and cinema management solutions.
The partnership connects RTS’s ticketing, reserved seating and theatre management tools with GoTab’s flexible point-of-sale and guest-ordering platform. Together, the companies give dine-in cinemas and multiplexes a connected system for managing ticketing, concessions, food and beverage service, and guest tabs across the venue.
Movie theatres increasingly compete on the complete guest experience, not just what is playing on screen. In-seat ordering, expanded dine-in menus, full-service bars, entertainment options and loyalty programs are now important parts of a modern cinema visit. Historically, however, delivering those experiences has often required operators to manage ticketing and food and beverage through disconnected systems, creating fragmented guest data and extra work.
One Tab for Tickets, Concessions and Dine-In Service
The GoTab and RTS integration creates a frictionless ordering experience that brings movie tickets and food and beverage purchases together on a single guest tab. Tickets are sold directly through GoTab’s point of sale, with RTS managing the underlying ticketing, reserved seating and film scheduling functions. Guests can then add concessions, drinks or full meals to the same tab, whether they order at the counter, through a server or from their seats. GoTab manages ordering, payments and kitchen routing across each service channel, giving guests one connected experience from ticket purchase through the final credits.
“Cinema operators are creating much more than a place to watch a movie. They’re building entertainment destinations where food and beverage are central to the experience and an increasingly important source of revenue,” said Tim McLaughlin, co-founder and CEO of GoTab. “By connecting GoTab with RTS, we’re giving operators specialized tools for both sides of their business without forcing them to choose between strong cinema management and flexible food and beverage service. The result is less friction for operators and more freedom for guests to order and enjoy the experience on their own terms.”
How the GoTab + RTS Integration Works
For guests, the connected experience can begin with selecting a film and reserved seat and continue through ordering popcorn, drinks or a full meal. Depending on the venue’s service model, guests can order at a counter, through a server or directly from their seats using a QR code, while orders are routed to the appropriate concession station, bar or kitchen.
For operators, the integration is designed to reduce the manual work required to keep showtimes, seat locations and food and beverage service aligned. It also enables cinemas to modernize their hospitality experience without replacing the cinema-specific technology on which their core operations depend.
“For more than 30 years, RTS has helped cinemas operate with reliable, flexible technology built around the way they do business,” said Jon Love, Director of Operations at Ready Theatre Systems. “Dine-in theatres face a unique set of operational challenges, balancing ticketing and food and beverage service without disrupting the moviegoing experience. Our integration with GoTab allows operators to pair the RTS platform they already trust with expanded options for ordering and service, giving each theatre the flexibility to create an approach that works best for its business and its guests.”
Supporting the Evolution of Schulman Theatres
The integration is being brought to life at Schulman Theatres, a family-owned cinema and entertainment company founded in Texas in 1926. Now operated by fourth- and fifth-generation family members, Schulman combines movies with bowling, arcades, scratch kitchens and full-service bars across its Film Alley and City Lights concepts.
As Schulman’s venues expanded into multi-experience entertainment destinations, the company needed technology capable of connecting multiple revenue streams while giving guests more ways to order. GoTab initially helped Schulman introduce QR ordering from theatre seats, handheld service and integrated bar operations.
At Schulman’s East Texas location, sales through GoTab’s QR ordering experience reached three to four times those generated through a previous QR system. The company selected GoTab in part because of its willingness to support integrations that could create what Schulman described as a “single pane of glass” for both operators and guests.
“Our guests don’t think about ticketing, concessions, restaurants, bars and entertainment as separate systems. They see one night out,” said Jacob Schulman, Vice President of Operations at Schulman Theatres. “That’s why connecting RTS and GoTab is so important for us. It brings together the cinema management capabilities our theatres need with the flexible ordering and food and beverage experience our guests increasingly expect. It supports our goal of making the entire visit feel connected, whether someone is buying a ticket, ordering popcorn from a theatre seat or moving between experiences throughout the venue.”
The partnership supports a range of cinema service models, including:
- Traditional box office and concession operations
- Reserved-seat and dine-in cinemas
- Mobile and QR ordering from theatre seats
- Full-service restaurants and bars within cinema venues
- Multiplexes offering bowling, arcades or other entertainment
- Multi-location theatre groups seeking scalable, specialized systems
“Schulman Theatres is approaching its second century by honoring what has always made the company special while continuing to rethink the guest experience,” McLaughlin added. “That is exactly the kind of operator this partnership is designed to support.”
About Ready Theatre Systems
Ready Theatre Systems is a trusted leader in point-of-sale and cinema management solutions. For more than 30 years, RTS has provided theatres and entertainment venues with scalable, user-friendly technology for ticketing, reserved seating, concessions, customer engagement and enterprise-level operations. Its network includes more than 900 cinemas, supported by a team available 24/7/365. Learn more at rts-solutions.com.
About GoTab
GoTab is an entertainment commerce platform designed to power complex, high-volume hospitality and entertainment venues. Its flexible point-of-sale, mobile ordering, kitchen operations, payments and guest-management tools help operators support multiple ordering channels and revenue centers through one connected platform. GoTab serves restaurants, breweries, food halls, hotels, resorts, cinemas and entertainment venues across the United States, Canada and Australia. Learn more at gotab.com.
Media Contact
Patricia Mejia
CMO
marketing@gotab.io
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