The AMC cineplex at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg has gotten a total makeover, and it's not just cosmetic. They've dropped the Loewes co-branding in favor of
AMC Dine-In Rio Cinemas 18, which emphasizes the major additions of a MacGuffins Bar in the lobby and a restaurant-quality kitchen. Now you can "dine-in" at your seat on upscale burgers topped with hipster finishes like fig jam, Brie cheese(!!), arugula and Royal Sauce, outclassing many actual burger joints.
 |
Build a burger, or try one of the
premium burger selections |
Other changes you immediately notice upon entering the theater's lobby besides the bar include a new box office, and an escalator. Now you no longer have to exit the theater to access the other floor of the two-level cineplex.
 |
Working hard on the final of
15 auditorium total renovations and
projection/sound upgrades |
When i visited this week, a crew was putting the final touches on one of the auditoriums. In about two weeks, the cineplex will be one of a handful to have the latest IMAX laser projector and 12-channel sound system. The sound will hit you in the seat of the pants - literally; some auditoriums will now have 4-D rumbling seat cushions.
 |
| MacGuffins Bar |
 |
| MacGuffins Bar has a TV |
How are customers responding to the big changes? The cineplex is regularly selling out auditoriums, and is now ranked as AMC's second in ticket sales behind one of their Texas theaters. That's impressive. Thousands of the new burgers have already been ordered by moviegoers, and
Avengers: Endgame and
Godzilla: King of the Monsters have been doing blockbuster business here, the manager reports.
 |
| Would you like tater tots with that burger? |
 |
Chicken tenders come with house-made ranch and
honey dijon sauces, red coleslaw, and
garlic-cheddar buttermilk biscuits |
 |
| Southwest Chicken Bowl with nachos |
 |
Or go big with Ultimate Nachos that
include house-made guacamole |
 |
| MacGuffins Bar in the lobby |
 |
Special cocktails for big movies
like Godzilla: King of the Monsters |
 |
| Over the Top Oreo Milkshake |
 |
| Custom M&Ms Milkshake |
 |
| New box office |
 |
Upper lobby stand-up for
47 Meters Down: Uncaged |
 |
| Final auditorium renovation! |
 |
| Leather seats in place |
 |
Coming in about two weeks:
the newest IMAX laser projector |
 |
| Lighted row indicators |
 |
| Can't wait to try this |
 |
You can still get traditional concessions treats
like popcorn, candy and hot dogs at the snack bar |
I'm generally happy with the new complex and upgrades. The Prime Auditorium's Dolby Atmos audio system is fantastic! The only problem I have is that a couple auditoriums have new red l floor/wall lighting which reflects back up onto the screen, so any 'darkly' lit movie is ruined by this ancillary light.
ReplyDelete