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

🍿 The Secret Behind Movie Theater Popcorn Prices

If you’ve ever been to the movies, you know the feeling: you walk up to the concession stand craving popcorn, glance at the prices, and suddenly you’re debating whether to go for a small, medium, or large. At first glance, the medium looks reasonable—until you realize something strange.

The medium costs almost as much as the large. For example:

  • Small: $5

  • Medium: $7.50

  • Large: $8

Why would anyone pay $7.50 when just fifty cents more gets you nearly double the popcorn?

That’s not an accident. It’s a psychological trick called “decoy pricing.”

🎭 How Decoy Pricing Works