Alamo Drafthouse Workers Strike Over Phone Ordering

Unionized employees at the Alamo Drafthouse in Sloans Lake, Colorado, have begun a strike to protest the cinema chain's recent implementation of a mandatory phone-based QR code ordering system. The workers, represented by Communications Workers of America Local 7777, contend that this shift has led to a poorer customer experience, including overcomplicated orders and increased guest-staff friction.

Employees voiced concerns that the new QR system is not optional and is alienating long-time patrons. They also claim management is using the system as a pretext for potential future staffing reductions. Adding to the tensions, workers report management pushed for contract provisions that would silence dissent against the QR code system.

The strike commenced on Friday, coinciding with the opening weekend of "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," a period expected to draw significant crowds. This move by the Sloans Lake Alamo Drafthouse workers follows a similar development in Westminster, Colorado, where 40 employees recently voted to join the CWA union, citing the QR code rollout as a primary motivation.

Alamo Drafthouse, historically known for its strict no-talking policy, replaced its traditional pen-and-paper ordering method with QR codes in January. The company stated the change aimed to minimize distractions during films by eliminating in-theater announcements for last calls. However, the move has drawn criticism from patrons and employees alike, who argue that interacting with phones is equally or more distracting and undermines the cinema's core ethos.