02/05/09

20 Theaters-Great Place

by NeighborPerson

We love this theater! The lines are sometimes long but they move quickly. Workers clean between each show. Seats are very comfortable and not too cramped. Not a bad seat in the house. Restrooms are huge and very close to theater doors so if you have to run out during the movie you don't miss much. Don't be fooled by the small restrooms near the entrance-once inside the ticketed area, each wing has its own. There is a big 'lobby' for waiting if necessary but I have never seen people hanging out as if they were looking for trouble, thugs or nasty looking people lurking anywhere. There has always been a police presence in the parking areas which are huge when we've been there. I feel totally safe going there. Looks to me like a well run place.

• Pros: Very large, Clean, Plenty of options
• Cons: Kinda pricey but matinee and senior discounts help

01/12/09

Good Experience

by DCfamily

Took my daughter this past weekend for her birthday. Read many of the reviews here. The Theater was very clean and continued to be cleaned while we were there. Staff was friendly. Bathrooms were adequate. Popcorn was stale, even though we were originally not going to get any, based on some reviews (we got a kiddy pack). The theater is definitely overpriced, especially all the snacks!

I am probably going back this weekend with my husband.

01/02/09

Long Lines, Overpriced, Dirty, Inadequate & Untrained Staff

by SchweerFourBellsouthnet

We went to the restroom when we first arrived. There were only two stalls and only one had toilet paper. Needless to say the line was about 10 people deep. Luckily, we had arrived early. After waiting in that line and then the line for the concessions for an additional 30 minutes, I wasn't sure we had arrived early enough. Once we got to the concession counter, I noticed the staff was handling both the money and the food--YUK! Also, the scoops they were using to serve the popcorn from the counter bins were sitting on the counter that the customers were using instead of hanging on the santized bin--DOUBLE YUK! When I addressed these issues with a manager who was standing by me, he simply dismissed it all as they were short staffed as they always are on January 1--one of their busiest days of the year. I told him if he knew it was one of their busiest days of the year and they are always short-staffed that day, a good manager would have been more prepared. It is a shame that such a nice theatre is getting run in the ground so quickly!!!

• Pros: Good Movie
• Cons: Long Lines, Inadequate & Untrained Staff, Dirty, Overpriced

08/19/08

Carmike's problems run deep

by Ghoul

My son works at the Carmike Cool Springs and has been there for about a year. He likes it but the management treats him with very little respect as I see it. Nine weeks ago he drew his regular paycheck but unfortunately it was damaged before he could deposit it(they will not do direct deposit). He returned the check to the Theatre Management and was told a replacement would be issued. He is still waiting. I don?t know how those people work or how much they care about their employees welfare but if this is an example and I had the power they ALL would be fired for dereliction. During my work history I have been responsible for millions of dollars of equipment and dozens of employees and their wellbeing. The way I see Carmike Cool Springs operation it is the poorest of examples of employee / employer relationships and service. Its no wonder the company has so many problems with the young people they hire to conduct business. They figure the boss is not going to look out for them so they might as well do it for themselves. The results are problems you find in the day to day operations.

If this was someone that depended on that paycheck to support a family this would have turned into a disaster or worse. I know this is not the right forum for this but my son has been up his local chain of command and no one seems to care or be concerned.

• Pros: thinking??
• Cons: Bathrooms are inadequate for the number of patrons using them.

04/21/08

No way

by incognitofrito

This theatre is horrible. I live near Franklin and was really hoping it would be better. :( The staff are totally rude even if you just call to ask a question. But the main problem...the popcorn is bad! I went the first time and ate the popcorn and started feeling a little bad before the movie was over. I thought it might have been a one-time incident. I went back again several months later, ate the popcorn and got really, really sick to my stomach for the whole weekend. It was definitely the popcorn because I hadn't eaten anything else that day. They need to start cleaning their popcorn machines regularly and the staff practice correct sanitation procedures because they are making people sick. My sister went another time and got sick as well. I'm about to file a sanitation complaint against them. There is no excuse for this kind of laziness.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Horrible sanitation, rude staff, this place is super gross

01/05/08

Best quality theater around

by johnnysack

I have been going to this theater for years and it is easily the best theater I have been to in middle tennessee as far as ambience and luxuries go. Even the smallest of their theater rooms have huge screens, great sound and comfortable seating. Thoroughbred 20 offers a wide selection of films at all times. The only negatives things about this theater are pretty minor. Such as, they play mostly mainstream films. So if you are looking for a particular indie film, you will have to go to Regal Green Hills or the Belcourt because you mostly likely will not find it at the Thoroughbred. The main gripe most people have about the place is the rude, loud, obnoxious rich kids that take over on the weekend nights. This is a valid gripe to have and I can say it is my biggest problem with the theater too. But I've found that can be easily avoided by just not going there late on Friday or Saturday nights. It is what it is. So, if you choose to go see a film here at those times just be prepared to be annoyed throughout the entire show and spending more time telling people to be quiet than paying attention to the movie. Seriously, these kids act like they are hanging out in the middle of a mall as opposed to a movie theater. It is unfortunate but there's nothing anyone can really do about it. Despite this, it is still easily the best theater around and one of the best theaters I have ever been to.

• Pros: top notch audio/visual quality, wide selection of films, comfortable seating
• Cons: play only mainstream films, loud teenagers swarm on weekend nights

05/19/07

Here is the Truth behind the scenes at T-20, Health, Management, operations. part 2

by michaelgfarb2

The box office is usually busy, that is the place where most of the management stay. They do not help with problems. They argue and then if you argue too much they tell you to leave the building. Projections have problems everyday. However with digital it might be better. Storage area for trash cans in the employee breakroom are near popcorn seed and popcorn supplies. The employees spray chemicals all around and they collect in the popcorn seed. There is mold on the walls. Sinks in the break room area are used with cleaning objects from the concession stand. They only use HOT WATER. No cleaners. The Popper that pops popcorn is dirty, has machine oil in the popcorn. Metal scrappings appear in some of the popcorn. They clean it usuing chemicals that are harmful when food is near. They scrap it until black dirt comes off. There are dusty vents and dust hanging everywhere. One of the coke machines leak into the lobby causing a flood of coke. Floor staff push popcorn and other trash under the seats after a showing. Hallways are littered with popcorn, straws, and other trash. Trash is not taken out after each showing so it piles up. Employees smoke outside of the north exit, Some do illegal substances. management is never ready for the work day. They yell at staff and yell at customers that get on their bad side. Operations of the place are bad. They have one maintainance person who walks around in the morning just walking around. He rarely fixes things ontime or when they are needed. The water for the coffee they make is cloudy and tastes terrible. Frozen Coke machines are dirty and leak on the floor. They don't clean anything unless told by a manager or supervisor. This place is worse than resturant kitchen. Take my advise. If you go here to watch a movie and only a movie do so, but don't eat the food or use the restrooms. If you want cheaper food and ticket prices go to regal, but i am sure they have the same problems too.

• Cons: everything

05/19/07

Here is the Truth behind the scenes at T-20, Health, Management, operations.

by michaelgfarb

What i am about to tell you all is going to make you never want to step in this theater again. Out of my experience as a staff member there i couldn't be more upset with the place. The Health concerns. There were constant floods in the bathroom, hot dogs, and other supplies are not kept in a safe area that is clean. Management have employees during the weekend clean the bathrooms every 15 minutes but they don't do anything to make it kept clean and water free. Concessions is a total mess, floor doesn't have proper drainage systems. There are machines that break everyday and leak on to the floor. There are rodents in the the walls, there are nats flying over everything in the breakroom area where the sink is and where most of the food is stored. They also live underneath the coke towers which most of you get your drinks. The drink fountain is rarely cleaned. It is full of moldy coke syrup. Coffee shop over there is just as worse. There are marks on the floors and walls, impoper storage of items. Flies everywhere. They don't have proper methods of sanatizing things. They use only hot water. No soap or cleaners.

The individual theaters are riddled with problems. They have poor lighted walkways, broken seats, broken ceiling tiles. The walls are marked with damage and they aren't safe. Most of the Exit signs are damaged.

Storage areas, They are in the breakroom. Popcorn seed stored in a trash can, popcorn oil stored where water can touch them. Ice machine is dirty and they don't clean it for months at a time. Coke syrup storage is not sanitary. Boxes break constantly and cause rodents and insects to reproduce. Clothing is stored near the food and can contaminate it. Employees don't wash hands. Rarely have good service. Prices way too inflated.

Management, they don't do anything to run the place. They are only there because they have to be and not to make the employees work. They are rude to customers. I worked there almost 3 years

• Cons: Everything

04/15/07

Disappointed in Franklin

by acorrea01

I just moved here from Florida and really love the Franklin area. I came to this theater expecting a higher than average experience and was extremely disappointed in the lack of service and condition of the theater and bathrooms. The service was slow and inconsistent at the concession stand where the young man behind the counter was more preoccupied with flirting with a customer who had already paid and received there food instead of waiting on the next person in line. The condition of the theater was disgusting - the floors were full of popcorn, sticky and it seemed the floors were not cleaned in a very long time and the garbage cans overflowing with trash. The white handrails in the movie theather (auditorium #16) are in need of painting since the paint was all chipped black and looks terrible. The bathroom seemed to be consistent with the condition of the theaters - the stall I used had no lock and the paper towel holder was broken. The floors also were dirty and the counters full of water and soap even though the checklist behind the door reflected the bathroom were checked by an employee about 1 1/2 hours before.

I would have expected especially for the price for admission & concession, nothing less than at the very least a clean, tidy theater with higher than average service. It's a shame - I unfortunately will not be returning to this theater until the manager gets things running a whole lot better.

• Pros: Great location
• Cons: Dirty with below average service

02/19/07

Good theater. Nice seats, sound and now DLP on many screens. The usual high concessions prices.

by kbconv

I take the kids to a movie and it works well for me. There's a McDonalds and other fast food places very near by for some quick food.

I like the theater. My walk-through of a typical visit.

Enterance - I have run into long ticket lines a couple of times but reasonable wait time, you can buy tickets online if you want.

Concessions - Yes, the usual young workers and high prices, nothing I didn't really expect.

Myself, after the first round of sticker shock I just buy a large combo and head towards the theaters, not worth worrying about to me, sure not going to change things. If you do want to economize drop by the very nearby convience stores and get your snacks and drinks.

Theaters - Have always seemed nice to me. Moderate to nicely clean, I don't notice, I just know they haven't been junky but we do matinee's. I would guess weekend evenings might be wild.

The screens and sound are good, in fact a little too loud for my 6 year old. He sits through the movies with his fingers in his ears (no, he doesn't like earplugs) but he is sound sensitive anyway.

I know they now have DLP in some of the theaters at least, if not all. I watched first one the other day and it was nice and clear. I guess it they have THX sound also. Overall, sure better than what I grew up in grade school, 35 years ago.

Seats are comfortable, have cupholders and folding arms. Just fine for me during movie.

Overall, a good viewing experience. Just know that a large combo of popcorn and a drink is going to cost you $10 or so and drop by an outside store if you are on a budget. They do have a little kids combo, I think it's like $3 or so but it truely is only enough for kids.

• Pros: Nearby house and good theaters
• Cons: High concessions