When I think of a movie theater, big screens, comfortable seats, a lack of cleaning, great popcorn, and terrible food come to mind. I will never forget the feeling that hit me when I walked into the Barton Creek AMC theater to see John Wick 3; it was one of overwhelming disgust. Trash was scattered everywhere in the hallway, and the theater made me want to puke. The "feeling" was one of disappointment and disbelief, but it was also one of determination: "not all theaters are like this, right?”, I thought. The Alamo Drafthouse proved me right.
The Alamo Drafthouse is by far the best movie theater that I've ever been to. The theaters have been clean every time I've been, the pre-shows are bizarre and entertaining, and the movies are mostly projected in 4k. But the best part, by far, is the food. The menu is massive, from a large selection of appetizers to the milkshakes, and there are many options for people who cannot eat gluten.
The Herb Parmesan Popcorn was the best popcorn I ever had; a friend of mine told me to try it with Tobasco Hot Sauce, and it made it even better. The Queso was one of the best I have ever had; the pizza had one of the best gluten-free crusts I have ever had; the GF burger was one of the best I have ever had; the GF food overall was better than many restaurants in Austin, and it was at a movie theater. The reason I love the Alamo Drafthouse is because it signifies, in my opinion, the overall growth of gluten-free options/accommodation in the dining industry. Compared to experiences at other similar establishments such as the Moviehouse and Eatery (on 620), it felt like the staff were more knowledgeable on what gluten is and things like cross contamination; as someone with Celiac Disease, it was assuring to know that I wasn’t going to eat gluten even after asking the staff.
The Alamo Drafthouse does the movie theater experience right, in my opinion, while also accommodating people with dietary restrictions, including a vegan menu and many gluten-free options. With Celiac Disease being dangerous for many who have it, I am glad that the Alamo Drafthouse (at least the one at Lakeline and South Lamar) is taking this seriously, and I hope that other restaurants follow suit more in the future.
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