Drive-in theaters across the US are seeing a surge in customers as Americans weigh their now-limited entertainment options amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Owners of drive-in theaters in California, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri told the Los Angeles Times that they had seen a rise in ticket sales as other public spaces like bars and restaurants were ordered closed to encourage social distancing.
The theaters offer an interesting alternative to staying home while staying safe, though areas like concession stands and public bathrooms could still pose a risk for spreading infection by contact.
The Drive:
Americans Are Returning to Drive-In Movie Theaters to Escape Coronavirus Mayhem.
... there are only 300 or so drive-ins left across the country, and not all are open just yet.
Cleveland.com (via Archive):
The drive-in theater, relic of yesterday.
The Showboat Drive-In Theater in Hockley, Texas, about a 30-minute drive outside Houston, normally sees ticket sales go down about 40% on a weekend when they don't have any new movies. Last weekend, they saw a 40% increase, says the theater's owner, Andrew Thomas.
Axios:
Drive-in theaters report uptick in business amid coronavirus.
“Nobody is near us, and we can actually enjoy the movie without feeling that paranoia where something like somebody coughing would have us instantly move,” Christian Singleton, who brought his 2-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son to the California Paramount Drive-In on Tuesday, told the Times.
New York currently has the most drive-in screens in the country at 49 — while Pennsylvania has 45 and California and Ohio each have 44 screens, according to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association.
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