Cinema Disruptions Rise as Loud Eating Tops Phone Use as Biggest Annoyance

A new survey of 1,000 British moviegoers reveals that loud eating has overtaken mobile phone use as the biggest cinema irritation. The research, commissioned by Pot Noodle, shows that the sound of other people eating now bothers audiences more than traditional disruptions like texting or calls.

Cinema etiquette appears to be declining across the board. Some moviegoers report audience members bringing "almost a picnic" to screenings, including hot dogs, popcorn, sweets, drinks, and crisps that create constant noise throughout films.

The problem particularly affects people with sensory sensitivities. One Reddit user explained they're autistic and "get overstimulated very quickly" by noisy eaters, forcing them to constantly change seats using cinema apps to avoid sitting near disruptive audience members.

Guardian readers have shared stories of confronting disruptive moviegoers, with many noting that eating-related disturbances have become more common and intrusive than traditional phone-related interruptions. The shift suggests cinema etiquette standards are changing as audiences bring more elaborate food and drinks to screenings.