A parking drama is playing out at the Lamar Union Plaza shopping center\u2019s Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar Boulevard. And like another unfolding customer catastrophe, it involves QR codes.<\/p>\n
In a Facebook post<\/a>, Alamo Drafthouse said it recently learned parking rules at the South Lamar theater had unexpectedly changed. Now, after the shopping center\u2019s garages switched to paid parking managed by Premier Parking, moviegoers can get free parking only with validation by Alamo Drafthouse.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear whether the new parking rules are being enforced yet, although the paid-parking system is operating. Lamar Union Plaza has one parking garage dedicated to Alamo Drafthouse and two other parking garages. <\/p>\n Representatives of Alamo Drafthouse couldn\u2019t be reached for comment.<\/p>\n Here are Alamo Drafthouse\u2019s instructions for navigating the new parking system at Lamar Union Plaza:<\/p>\n 1. When you arrive, scan the QR code inside the garage you\u2019re using. \u201cRegardless of how this shakes out, we will make certain that @fantastic.fest attendees in September will be validated without additional cost,\u201d the post says.<\/p>\n Through a separate kiosk, Alamo Drafthouse validates employees\u2019 parking for their full shifts.<\/p>\n Aside from the parking squabble, Sony-owned Alamo Drafthouse is still contending with the uproar over its phaseout of paper-based food-and-drink orders<\/a> in favor of a QR code system that requires ordering by phone.<\/p>\n \u201cThe vocal response was almost entirely negative \u2014 and it largely stems from the fact that the Alamo has long established itself as a distraction-free movie viewing space with its \u2018Don\u2019t Talk\u2019 marketing campaign,\u201d Fast Company magazine says<\/a>. \u201cTo many loyal fans, the Alamo was one of the last bastions of the phoneless world, and this new mobile ordering system represented the downfall of that ethos for a corporate check.\u201d<\/p>\n Alamo Drafthouse leaders say the QR code backlash doesn\u2019t align with reality, according to Fast Company. The chain is enjoying its best year for box office revenue since 2019, guests are placing more in-theater orders than ever, and average take-home pay for employees is up, the magazine says.<\/p>\n \u201cAlamo Drafthouse has always been focused on delivering the best moviegoing experience possible,\u201d CEO Michael Kustermann told Fast Company. \u201cTechnology has evolved, and we want to embrace the ability to evolve with it if it improves the cinematic experience. We believe it does.\u201d<\/p>\n The drama has reached a peak that has even spurred film star Elijah Wood, a former Austin resident<\/a>, to publicly complain. In a post<\/a> on X, he described his experience with the new ordering system.<\/p>\n
2. Select the garage you\u2019re in.
3. Select the option for four hours of parking validation at Alamo Drafthouse.
4. Use the tablet kiosk inside the theater\u2019s lobby to confirm validation. Your debit or credit card will be preauthorized for the hourly rate, but the authorization should be released after validation.
5. Re-validate for an extra period if you\u2019re seeing several movies during one visit. <\/p>\n