Dinner and a movie: Asheville’s Carmike Cinemas movie theater set for major makeover

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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carmike_cinemas_asheville_2015The Carmike Cinemas movie theater chain, facing ever-increasing competition from online streaming services, is unveiling a remodeling in which the old theater’s get a new name and new food offerings.

The renovation and rebranding is called Ovation, and it appears that Asheville’s Carmike 10 just east of the Asheville Mall is next up for such a makeover.

Here’s what the Richmond Times-Dispatch said back in February about the change at its local Carmike:

The Carmike chain is gradually rolling out its food-and-flicks operations. Some of the chain’s theaters have beer and limited menus.
The Midlothian location — at 1100 Alverser Drive off Midlothian Turnpike — is the second of Carmike’s full-service Ovation restaurant operations. The first opened recently in Bloomington, Ill. A third is set to open this summer in Athens, Ga. Adding a dining experience is one option movie theater chains are exploring to combat ever-expanding home entertainment services such as Netflix and Hulu.

Folks seem to like the change. From videtteonline.com in March:

Gone are the days where one squeezes down the narrow rows to find a seat. At Ovation Cinema the theaters are clean, the seats are comfortable and the rows are spacious and inviting.

When you find your assigned seats, menus are waiting for you to peruse while the previews play. Within the menus, directions for how to order are printed to help guests through the process.

The menu offers a variety of choices and the food is tasty and speedy. I recommend the loaded cheese fries with chipotle ranch. They hit the spot and should not be overlooked.

The menu is a wonderful collection stocked with many favorites including appetizer options such as nachos and cheese curds, dinner items such as burgers and specialty pizzas and even has a handful of dessert choices to finish it off.

For those who are 21 and older, the cinema also has a stocked bar and offers an assortment of alcoholic beverages to enjoy during the movie.

Ovation Cinema also has an all-you-can-eat pancake special during Saturday morning matinees. Not to worry, though, movie theater popcorn and candy is still on the menu and can be ordered.

Here’s more from a July press release about new Ovations in Athens and Columbus, Ga. They lay it on pretty thick, but you get the gist:

The Ovation 12’s innovative full-service dining experience presents a customized service that brings the convenience of cinematic dining to every oversized luxury seat. Carmike’s newly developed Ovation also features an extensive menu with over 100 premium food and beverage selections to choose from allowing valued guests to enjoy the biggest Hollywood blockbusters like never before. Ovation also includes amenities such as a cocktail lounge with a full service bar available for guests to enjoy the comfort of community-style seating, accentuated by the staff’s customized service of premium beer, wine and specialty drinks. …

This exceptional luxury dine-in entertainment complex will also feature 12 large, wall-to-wall screens, luxury stadium seating accompanied by easily accessible service buttons, a cutting-edge projection system that delivers crystal-clear 2D and 3D images, as well as special services for visually and hearing-impaired guests. In addition, guests will now have the added convenience of reserved seating, which they may select through online services. Along with this additional convenience, the new Ovation 12 will also provide kiosks and guest services to allow cinemagoers an escape from the elements while experiencing fast moving lines located indoors.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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3 Comments

  1. Big Al December 13, 2015

    Is the Asheville Mall still planning on adding a theatre?

    Reply
  2. luther blissett December 10, 2015

    The Carmike isn’t showing its age that much, certainly not compared to the UA Beaucatcher. I’m not sure how streaming services are competition for first-run multiplexes (vs second-run places like APB and the much-missed Cinebarre) but we know that theatres make their money on the concessions and not the tickets, so you might as well try and get as much margin out of full meals as you do gallons of popcorn.

    Anyway, of the first-run multiplexes in and around town, the Carolina is still pick of the crop, not just for the facilities but for the events.

    Reply
  3. weavervilleman December 9, 2015

    interesting… Only if they include Stadium seating, it would probably be a big hit since Cinebarre will likely never appear again in Asheville.

    Reply

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