Elijah Wood says Alamo Drafthouse’s new QR code food ordering system is “truly awful,” arguing it adds steps and forces moviegoers to open their phones to order more during films. His criticism comes as union workers in Colorado previously struck over the chan
Elijah Wood didn’t mince words the moment he tried Alamo Drafthouse’s new QR code ordering system.
On Tuesday. the “Lord of the Rings” alum posted on X that the experience was “truly awful. ” telling fans it didn’t make ordering more efficient. Instead. he said the system “actually adds steps to the process. ” and that if he wanted to order additional items during the film. he “HAVE to open your phone.”.
Wood also pushed back on the idea that the moment is somehow self-aware. referencing a “How To Alamo” video of the chain. “No. your cute reference to that irony in your How To Alamo video doesn’t negate how ridiculous this is. ” he wrote. He then urged the theater to “revert back to physical menus and order cards. ” adding. “Please don’t cut corners with your staff.”.
His timing landed just as QR ordering has become a real point of friction for workers and customers. Earlier this spring, union employees at a Colorado theater went on strike over the move to QR code food ordering, saying it “creates a worse experience for customers and makes our jobs harder.”
Alamo Drafthouse. for its part. rolled out the pivot in January and explained it on its website as a change meant to improve the moviegoing rhythm. The chain said QR ordering “will reduce distractions (goodbye check drop during the climax)” and that. “in the long term. ” it would “make the experience even better.” It also argued that giving ordering control directly to guests would let the staff “move faster and more efficiently. ” creating “a smoother. more responsive experience without added distraction.”.
Alamo Drafthouse representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wood’s concerns.
Wood’s frustration hits a little harder for a simple reason: he’s been a longtime fan of the theater. He told Austin Monthly in 2017. during Alamo Drafthouse’s 20-years-in-business celebration. that his first experience involved going to see a 35mm print screening of “Halloween. ” which he called “one of my favorite movies.” He described the theater in its early days as a place that stood out not just for current releases. but for 35mm screenings of classic cinema—and for a sense of community.
Back then. he also praised the theater as an option that felt more special than staying home and watching through streaming services. “They created an experience that’s just that much more special. from my perspective. ” he said. pointing to the projection and cinema experience. including the “capability of being able to screen 35mm and 70mm. ” along with “really good food.” He added that “You can have a beer. ” and that the combination made the decision to go out feel “more exciting.”.
Time will tell whether Wood’s latest take changes how people feel about the chain’s food ordering experience—especially if the QR code system keeps clashing with what moviegoers expect during the show itself.
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