In a bid to garner more excitement, and revenue out of theatrical experiences, cinemas like AMC feature themed promotional items. Like Wicked's boozy drinks that come with festive, light-up reusable ice cubes.
However, while these constantly blinking items may seem like a fun drink add-on, one TikToker wasn't a fan. Matthew (@neon_n) delineated his ire for the cubes, calling them a dark theater distraction. His viral clip on his Wicked theater experience seated next to viewers who had the drinks garnered over 696,000 views. Furthermore, numerous commenters who saw his clip also criticized AMC's move to use the blinking cubes.
"Do you want to know what I'm not holding space for? We went to see Wicked last night. And it was incredible, it was amazing. The hype is real go see it," Matthew begins. "But the AMC we were at was selling these drinks, these themed Wicked drinks. And the people that were sitting next to us got them."
He says that theater-goers couldn't miss the lights. "They have these glowing flashing ice cubes inside the drink. And you may be thinking, 'Oh it's just like a little twinkle light.' It's no big—no! They were bright. And when I say bright I mean they were like a police car has its lights on behind you at night bright."
His video transitions to a short recording of him sitting down while intense red and blue lights consistently flash against his side profile.
"And the whole time I'm thinking who the [expletive] approved something like this?" he asks. "Like who had the bright idea to be like you know what you need in a dark movie theater? Flashing strobing lights in your drink."
Matthew asserts that the people did try to hide the cups under their jackets, but the flashing lights still distracted others whenever they took a sip of their drinks.
"Who thought of this?" he concludes.
Another TikTok user who goes by @punnymommi uploaded a TikTok about Wicked's flashing ice cubes. In her clip, she showed just how bright the reusable drink chillers are.
She questioned AMC theaters' decision to implement this beverage accessory in a caption for her clip. "AMC…. Why are ypu serving me a drink with a LIGHT UP ICE CUBE," she wrote.
But this X user seemed stoked to receive her beverage and documented the process of one AMC employee making it for her.
If you search for flashing ice cubes online, you'll find plenty of options on several online retailers. YouTuber Ken Bee showed off some cocktails with the reusable cubes. And if you've never had these placed in a drink before, think of them as tiny ice packs. Similar to the kind you'd throw into an insulated lunch bag, except with blinking lights inside of them.
Furthermore, the flashing cubes linked to the video description of Bee's clip shows a company selling 72 flashing cubes for $40.
If you're wondering about the safety of reusable ice cubes, the Missouri Poison Center states they are generally "food safe." Additionally, they're constructed out of "BPA-free plastic containing distilled or purified water." Since they have the "same freezing properties as tap water" they can be frozen as such.
@punnymommi AMC…. Why are ypu serving me a drink with a LIGHT UP ICE CUBE ???? #amctheaters #movie #drinksoftiktok #lightup #wicked ♬ original sound - Punnymommi
One person in the comments section stated that they too were seated beside someone with the blinking cubes. "I too was victimized by the AMC Wicked ice cube. I nicely asked the lady next to me during the trailers if she could turn it off for the movie and she literally didn’t know how," they wrote.
Another replied, "I got one and I was SO EMBARRASSED every time I took a sip because we were in the front row."
One AMC bartender said that after seeing Matthew's video they were happy their location didn't receive the cubes. "As an AMC bartender, I was kind of bummed that my theater didn’t get the glow stuff, but now I know we dodged a bullet," they wrote.
@neon_m Literally who approved these strobe light drinks @AMC Theatres #wicked #wickedmovie #amctheaters ♬ original sound - Tyler Jacobs
And there was one Wicked purchaser who attested to the staying power of the flashing cubes. "It’s been 3 days and MINE R STILL GOING. Had to hide them under my seat it was so bad," they said.
There was one commenter who had the wherewithal to request their drink not contain the flashing cubes, however. "I asked the woman who made mine not to add those to my drink. I wasn’t about to be that person," they quipped.
The Daily Dot has reached out to AMC via email and Matthew via TikTok comment.
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The post ‘Who thought of this?’: AMC customer calls out ‘Wicked’ drinks for this strange design flaw. It’s ruining the movie for everyone appeared first on The Daily Dot.
