AMC Essex Green Will Be Transformed Into A Dining Cinema

At over-the-top open houses, real estate agents combine art shows with property viewings. Hair salons in Dallas greet clients with margarita machines and plates of nibbles. And clothing stores in Los Angeles serve drinks with dresses.

With the decline in the economy, troubled companies are pulling out all the stops to lure in new business. And movie theaters are no exception.

Indeed, AMC Essex Green in West Orange has just announced that it will launch a $5-million renovation on Monday designed to turn it into New Jersey's first dine-while-you-watch movie experience.

In a press release, AMC said that: "Fork & Screen is the name of AMC's in-theatre dining concept, featuring Fork & Screen, a casual, in-theatre dining and entertainment experience; Cinema Suites, a premium, upscale in-theatre dining and entertainment option; and MacGuffins, a bar and lounge area."

The theater will close after its last show Sunday evening, August 8 for three months of renovation work, which includes the addition of dining tables. The theater's reopening is currently scheduled for sometime in November.

"Guests are encouraged to visit AMC East Hanover 12 in East Hanover, NJ," the company's release said.

A look around the country reveals that New Jersey trails behind other states when it comes to the trend towards in-cinema drinking and dining experiences.

At Gold Class Cinemas available in several states across the country, for example, customers can relax in the lounge, enjoy the easy-to-eat regional menu prepared fresh by an in-house chef and enjoy a drink from a the fully stocked bar which includes wine, beers, and cocktails. Movie lovers are escorted into their theater five to 10 minutes prior to the start of the movie, where they have call buttons to order dinner, drinks, or a blanket or pillow throughout the duration of the movie.

And many other theater chains, too, offer similar perks.