Harkins Theatres Tempe Marketplace 16 — Attraction in Tempe

Before and during the May 14th 6:00pm showing of Doctor Strange we had issues with major disruptions. Before the showing, we had a young teen scream and yell as loudly as he could and then walked out. There were kids next to him that seemed to be encouraging him. During the showing, a woman right next to me literally reclined her seat as far as possible and slept through the entire movie. She snored loudly the whole time. When the manager, a blond female, walked through midway through the movie I flagged her down. She tapped the woman to wake her up and asked if she was ok but then just walked away. The woman fell back asleep so my wife left the theater to find another manager. She explained the situation, to a male this time, and was told that someone would come assist but no one ever did. For a while there it seemed like the woman was homeless or intoxicated and snuck into the theater to sleep until one of the her friends who was sitting a few rows in front of her came back to wake her up again. The Harkins' managers at Tempe Marketplace allowed this woman to ruin the movie for everyone. What's the point of having managers walk through the theater during movies if they aren't going to do anything? We've seen managers at other Harkins' locations remove disruptive customers but apparently Tempe Marketplace is much more tolerant. It's scary because what if this person needed medical attention or was in need? Part of being a supervisor is having to deal with tough situations like this and it seems the leadership at this location would rather avoid them and put the burden on us. Sad we have to go to Google and Yelp to get this addressed. Definitely the worst Harkins experience we've ever had. Super concerned with the visibility and availability of management to monitor safety and respond to issues at this location

At Suns games they have a number to text with your seat number if you are having any problems during the game. I feel that would be helpful for movies as well. Most theater chains have no easy way to get help or assistance beyond getting up and trying to find a manager which can set you up for retaliation as a customer if someone feels you told on them. Please consider this Harkins. We've seen violence in theaters in the past decade and there is no inconspicuous way for customers to alert management of...

Our destination was a movie screening at the Harkins Theatre Not being familiar with the city of Tempe I wasn't sure if this location is considered downtown or not. One minute the scenery was just a lot of used car dealerships with a lot of stringed lights. Then all of a sudden there were multi storied apartments and office buildings. Then it's like we dead ended into a circular outdoor shopping mall. Now there were really bright lights, so I may have overlooked directional arrows to the theatre. Then, there was a lot of driving in circles to find it. Then circling for parking. I didn't even notice any disabled parking. Then, there was walking in circles to find the entrance to the theatre. We ended up having to ask people who were leaving how we could get in. Of course they let us in. We discovered that it was the employee entrance that they had exited. It was really confusing even after finding the ticket window. Then we were directed inside to another window. Then we were told go over and stand in a line which did not move. We could see people entering and going directly to the individual theatres. There were also numerous lines for the concession. Several attendants gave several different instructions for the movie screening invitees. A combination of "Simon Says" and "Musical Chairs" right up till security gave instructions for the proper behavior in their theatre. (Hey, it is a college town.) There were no previews of upcoming movies or even ads for the concession. Just sitting in chairs that I did not find comfortable, and staring at an empty screen. There were many reserved seats that remained empty. It looked like the employees stayed for the movie. Last screening I attended had a reception before the showing. I guess in today's society that would be counterproductive to concession sales. Whether it was the visible security or an older audience responsible for the sombre atmosphere, I don't know. I got a few kicks on the back of my seat, but I may not have felt it as much if there were more padding. I was not impressed. Then, the fun part of the evening..finding the exit closest to where I parked; then finding the car; then getting out...

I've been a loyal Harkins fan for years—love the brand, the rewards, the popcorn, and the overall moviegoing experience. Harkins consistently delivers comfort and quality, which made it especially disappointing to encounter the outdoor waiting policy at this Tempe location.

Unlike other Harkins theaters that allow guests to wait indoors for screenings, this location requires patrons to wait outside—even in 110°+ heat. This concern was brought directly to the General Manager, but unfortunately, they were unwilling to address or reconsider the policy. Curious no?

This is the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding brand experience. I remain a proud Harkins customer and hope this issue is reviewed and resolved, so all guests can enjoy the same standard of comfort and care Harkins is known for. Come on Harkins, you get customer service. Do better.

UPDATE: after a number of complaints, the managers on duty were able to address this issue, at least for today and allowed patrons to form a line inside. Good call Harkins. Adjusted my 1 star to 3 since they addressed the issue. They just missed addressing it the first time.

Further update: Looks like they have indeed updated the policy as guests were invited to line up inside from the get go tonight. Bravo Harkins. You listen to your customers because you get customer service. AMC really never has. Keep it up and don't look back. Updated to 4 stars because...