In GoTab’s first Reddit AMA, General Manager Jim Matthes shared how mobile ordering, smarter menus and a more productive service model helped the independent dine-in theater achieve its best summer ever.
What does it take to run a dine-in movie theater when major releases are filling auditoriums and guests expect restaurant-quality service without missing the movie?
For GoTab’s first Reddit Ask Me Anything, we invited Jim Matthes, General Manager of Aloma Cinema & Grill, to answer questions from operators, moviegoers and members of the hospitality community.
Aloma Cinema & Grill is an independent dine-in theater in Winter Park, Florida, approaching its 50th anniversary. Guests can order complete meals, cocktails and traditional theater concessions from their seats. Matthes oversees its daily operations, staff, private events and ongoing efforts to improve the experience for guests and employees.
The full Reddit AMA covered everything from blockbuster menu planning to mobile-ordering adoption. Here are some of the most important lessons from the conversation.
Mobile Ordering Helped Aloma Achieve Its Best Summer Ever
Serving an auditorium is fundamentally different from serving a traditional restaurant dining room. Every guest arrives at approximately the same time, and orders can flood the kitchen shortly before the movie begins.
Under Aloma’s previous service model, servers had to reach every table, take each order, enter it and return later to process payment. During the busiest films, those steps created bottlenecks that could prevent guests from receiving their food before the movie ended.
Mobile ordering changed that workflow.
Guests can now scan a QR code and order directly from their seats whenever they are ready. Orders enter the system immediately, allowing employees to spend more time preparing and delivering food, cleaning the theater and helping guests who need personal attention.
When auditoriums are busy, Aloma now sees QR-code adoption above 80%.
“We just had the best summer in the history of the theater in terms of revenue,” Matthes wrote during the AMA. “And to be honest, we couldn’t have done that without the QR code ordering.”
Mobile ordering has not removed hospitality from the experience. It has given the team more time to provide it where it matters.
Sales Increased Without Labor Growing at the Same Rate
Aloma’s results show how a better ordering model can change the economics of a busy entertainment venue.
Matthes compared two similarly high-volume periods: July 2023, during the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, and May 2026, after Aloma had implemented GoTab.
The theater recorded:
- Approximately 21% higher net sales
- Approximately 15% fewer labor hours
- Roughly 42% more sales generated per labor hour
- Higher tips earned per server hour
The objective was not simply to reduce staffing. Aloma still schedules according to the expected audience and movie slate. The difference is that labor no longer needs to increase at the same rate as sales.
“The technology helps a smaller team handle more volume without creating the same service bottlenecks we experienced before,” Matthes explained.
The Movie Should Influence the Menu
The type of film on screen can significantly affect what guests want to order.
According to Matthes, family movies tend to generate more demand for pizza and shareable items. Concert films and special events are more likely to drive cocktail, beer and appetizer sales. Longer movies can also produce higher per-person spending because guests have more time and more opportunities to order.
On one recent Saturday, Aloma generated $13,000 in food-and-beverage revenue—its highest single-day total since the pandemic—even though longer runtimes meant the theater could schedule fewer showtimes.
Aloma uses these audience differences to shape how its menu is presented. Reordering menu items or creating a specialized selection for a particular film can direct guests toward relevant choices, reduce decision paralysis and improve ticket times.
The lesson extends beyond movie theaters. Entertainment venues should not treat their menus as static lists. Product mix and menu presentation can respond to the audience, occasion and expected patterns of demand.
A Stronger Cocktail Program Created a New Revenue Opportunity
While Aloma’s regular guests value consistency in its established food menu, the theater identified cocktails as an area with room to grow.
After investing in better cocktail offerings, sales in the category increased from $26,000 during all of 2025 to $37,000 through the first part of 2026.
That growth illustrates the potential value of looking beyond traditional movie-theater concessions. Guests attending a concert film, date night or special event may want a very different experience from a family attending an animated feature. A thoughtful beverage program gives the venue more ways to meet those expectations and increase revenue.
Adoption Depends on the Team, Not Just the Technology
Aloma’s shift to mobile ordering required adjustments to staffing, kitchen procedures and guest communication.
Matthes found that guests were generally willing to try QR ordering when employees clearly explained how it would improve their experience. The more difficult part was helping the staff adapt to a new service model.
To address that challenge, Matthes began tracking QR adoption by server. He even created an application that allowed him to identify employees who were succeeding and those who might benefit from additional coaching.
The result was a training tool based on actual behavior rather than assumptions.
“There were temporary inconveniences that led to a real measurable difference,” Matthes wrote. “I’d take that deal every time.”
Better Technology Gives Employees More Time for Hospitality
One of the clearest themes from the AMA was that self-service and personal service do not have to compete.
Aloma’s employees still make recommendations while pre-bussing tables. They still help guests who have questions or need assistance. When a guest has an open tab, either the guest or a server can add another item without interrupting the experience.
The technology handles repetitive transactional steps, while the team focuses on delivering orders, anticipating needs and keeping the theater running smoothly.
For Aloma Cinema & Grill, that balance has produced faster service, stronger sales, better labor productivity and more valuable shifts for its employees.
Join the Conversation on r/GoTab
This was GoTab’s first Reddit AMA, but it will not be our last.
The GoTab subreddit is a place for hospitality and entertainment operators to exchange practical ideas, ask questions and learn directly from the people running innovative venues.
Follow r/GoTab to hear about upcoming AMAs and join future conversations with operators and industry experts. You can also read the complete discussion with Jim Matthes and add your own questions.
