AMC Evanston 12 — Attraction in Evanston Township

My husband and I had such an unpleasant and unsafe experience at this theater so many times, we have no choice but to watch a movie elsewhere.

From strange and unsettling interactions with security, to eating popcorn and drinking soda from machines that my husband overheard the staff working there was not cleaned, that they just “check off that it is done” and apparently nothing has been cleaned so we ceased to eat the food in the theater, to the perpetual plumes of smoke made from burnt popcorn and vape smoke in the air, it feels totally unsafe and unfriendly and I hope that writing this makes people think twice and protect themselves from these concerning aspects to the Evanston AMC experience.

My husband obtained a cheap ticket deal and we decided to watch the new Jurassic. We spent too long a time shopping next door, so we brought our bag with us, as we never had an issue before.

As we approached the ticket checker, we were welcomed warmly as he sees us all of the time, but very shortly after, heavily armed (Bullet proof vests, no badge number, hand cuffs no name tags, guns, tasers.) gleefully approached us and demanded we take the items we brought in to our car. A woman security guard without ANY identification but again heavily armed told us to “get out” and “put the bag in your car”

We were so shaken by the experience, I instantly recalled another unsettling experience with the same security guard at the exit when I attended another film by myself. While awaiting my husband to pick me up indoors as it was quite cold from the front exit, the same security guard approached me and a few others demanding we leave the building, indicated that we were loitering.

My husband is black and I am white. He feels that the woman who appeared to be the supervisor had an issue with us as a couple and took it upon herself to enforce rules that have never been enforced before.

She knew a lot about us and had never met us. She for example indicated she knew we had a car. She rifled through our bag and asked if they were perishables, and they weren’t so we said no. She glared at me and we left and never looked back. She is definitely bad for business as we will never recommend or go to movies here again.

Also, my husband added that he was a witness to the other male security guard, adult male, at least 25, trying to creep and ask out teenage girls. It is such a horrendous thing to have happened at such a formerly awesome theatre. We get kicked out for no reason, and this guy just walks around with a security vest, mace, and two automatic firearms and Macks on little girls. This is the security detail...

1/03/25 7:00pm REN was taking tickets as I was paying for my ticket my daughter wanted to jump in the popcorn line, so like any other time when I visit AMC I sent her and REN kept stopping her IN A VERY LOUD AND DISGUSTING DISRESPECTFUL MANNER “she needed a ticket” my daughter is 10 she almost wanted to leave!!! I explained to her the tickets are printing it must be working slow I then asked her is she wanted to see my purchase that I just made for $26.28 the Machine was just loading the tickets very slowly! She had a very horrible attitude and didn’t even tell me the movie room number! Her customer service is horrible. She shouldn’t be around guest. She should be in the back restocking. I’ve lived in Evanston my whole live and always come here but your employees like REN will NEVER make ME NOR MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS want to EVER COME BACK! Not saying you let her go but she shouldn’t be around PAYING GUESS WITH THAT ATTITUDE!! People come here to enjoy movies with their friends and family not to argue with staff about a 10 year old wanting to stand in the popcorn line because of your machines was printing slow and yelling at a child is very out of order! Very HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!!!!!! This is not a good way to start the business...

Sunday 1–14-2024 I am enjoying the beekeeper movie in row C. While watching a movie I get a text message, phone on vibrate and I check it. Seconds later an older gentleman approaches me from behind since I am sitting in row C and says turn your phone off, I turned around and a man by the name of Bill is pointing at his tag because he works for the theater and says you need to turn your phone off. I don’t comply because if this is their policy it needs to be posted in order to be enforced. After the show I speak to his manager Jesse and he says yes it is their rule, I repeat the same thing about making sure they post rules if it is company policy but again my phone never made noise and no one made a complaint. The way Bill approached me was way out of line and completely disrespectful. I asked if Bill could come up front and apologize to me in person and ironically he was already gone for the day but no worries I will file a complaint with the corporate office especially since Jesse chuckled at my request. All of this because they had people theater hopping and I wasn’t one of them. The chairs are also falling apart, the back of B5 literally fell off while we were watching the movie but this guy is concerned...