MoCo Date Night: An Evening At iPic

MCS Staff January 17, 2018 at 9:19pm

iPic brings a new meaning to the phrase “dinner and a movie.” Though it has been in Pike & Rose for over 3 years, I have always been hesitant to go because I wasn’t sure what to expect when it came to how much it would cost. It’s a bit on the expensive side, but that’s different than being overpriced.

Regular movie theaters can have crying babies, loud teenagers, uncomfortable seats, and snack bars that charge restaurant prices for 7-11 quality products. iPic eliminates the distractions and replaces them with a comfortable recliner, a pillow and blanket combo, an adjustable table, and a call button that allows you to reach a server at any point during the movie. They take an ordinary movie experience and turn it into something you want to brag to your friends about. The Premium Plus seats also have free unlimited popcorn!

Let me start with the prices (prices stay the same regardless of when you go):
Premium seating: $16 (seats don’t recline and in seat food and beverage service is not included)
Premium Plus: $28 (reclining seats, food and beverage service, pillow and blanket, and unlimited popcorn)

Getting your ticket is an easy process. You go on the website and choose your exact seats on a seating chart, depending on what is available. Even if it’s a full house, the theaters aren’t crammed and you never have to worry about moving your legs to let someone walk by or having your view obstructed by a tall person sitting in front of you. I know they’re $28 per ticket, but I highly recommend the Premium Plus seats. They really made the experience amazing.

We went up the escalator to the front desk where we gave our names and were given our tickets. We had arrived about 15 minutes early and walked past the waiting area. The waiting area had a full bar and included access to the full iPic food menu, but we didn’t take advantage and went straight to our seats. This was a new experience for me, so I really enjoyed walking up to my leather recliner and seeing the pillow and blanket waiting for me.

The seats were perfect. We had a great view and the recliners were huge! I couldn’t resist playing with my seat when I first sat down, but I felt compelled to stop when our server approached. We ordered two cokes to drink and Chef Carla Hall’s Grilled Cheese and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken to eat (the menu had a wide variety of items ranging from pizza to a Mediterranean Salad wrap).

A few minutes into the movie, a server came around with complimentary popcorn. The servers seem to move around in stealth mode… I didn’t really notice them unless mine came to speak directly to me. About halfway through the movie, we ordered a seasonal dessert that consisted of two chocolate cookies with a peppermint cream filling (think whoopie pie, but much better). A great way to finish things up.

The overall cost of the night for 2 people was just over $100 + tip. Considering we watched a movie while literally being treated like royalty (sure we paid for it, but still 😊) and had dinner during the movie, it’s a small price to pay for a great experience.

As you can see in the picture below, I was ready to call it a night.