A Texas man is suing the movie theater chain Cinemark, alleging they deceived customers about their drink sizes. Shane Waldrop claims that the 24-ounce drinks sold at Cinemark concessions do not hold the advertised amount. He discovered this discrepancy in February when he purchased drinks at a theater in Grapevine, Texas.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, accuses Cinemark of "deceptive and otherwise improper business practices." Waldrop purchased a 20-ounce and a 24-ounce draft beer, which were served in containers marked with their respective sizes. He noticed the 24-ounce container seemed too small.
After his visit, Waldrop took the empty container home to measure it himself. He found that it could only hold 22 ounces of liquid, not the 24 ounces advertised. His lawsuit claims this discovery indicates that Cinemark’s drink containers are misleading.
The suit states that Cinemark charges a premium for these 24-ounce drinks across its locations nationwide. It alleges that the company's packaging and advertising practices violate state misbranding laws, which reflect federal standards.
The lawsuit also accuses Cinemark of deliberately using containers that appear to hold more liquid than they actually do. This, Waldrop argues, misleads consumers into thinking they are getting more for their money.
Jarrett L. Ellzey, Waldrop's attorney, emphasized the broader implications of such practices. He told FOX Business, "It’s an example of consumers unwittingly overpaying for a supposed benefit they are not receiving."
Ellzey further argued that Cinemark is misleading customers and not delivering the full value of their purchase. He stressed the importance of class actions in correcting these deceptive business practices.
Ellzey believes that class action lawsuits serve as a means to amend bad business behaviors like this. Waldrop’s case is filed on behalf of anyone who may have been similarly misled by Cinemark’s drink sizes.
