Alamo Drafthouse reveals its reopening plan will include mandatory masks and some temperature checks for guests

• On Wednesday, popular movie chain Alamo Drafthouse announced its reopening plan.
• In a blog post written by founder and executive chairman Tim League, which Insider obtained in advance, League stated that all staff and guests will be required to wear masks.
• Ticket and food orders will be made in advance, and in some instances, guest will be temperature checked.
• League did not state and official reopening of all 42 Alamo Drafthouse locations, but did note that in early July 2 theaters will open as "learning labs."
• Several sources told Insider that one of those locations will likely be in Austin, Texas.
• The sources also told Insider that locations in bigger cities, like Brooklyn and Los Angeles, will not reopen for some time.

On Wednesday, Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, the popular Austin-based movie theater chain in Texas with 42 locations across the country, announced its reopening plan in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a blog post put on the Alamo website written by founder and executive chairman Tim League, which Insider received in advance, League laid out the chain's strategy which will include staff and moviegoers being required to wear masks and all food orders to be made in advance.

League also said that though all staff will be temperature checked daily, at times even guests will be temperature checked.

"We want you to feel safe," League wrote. "Our driving principle has been to make the Alamo Drafthouse experience one of the safest possible indoor activities — 'safer than a supermarket' — and far exceed the expectations you already have for supermarkets, gyms, and restaurants. We intend to make it so that you can leave your car, make it to your seat, enjoy your food and drinks, and be able to leave having never come within six feet of another person other than when your order is delivered, and having never touched a surface other than your chair and table — both of which will be sanitized between screenings with an electrostatic fogger and disinfectant."

League did not give an exact date when all the locations will be open, but he did note that in early July two locations will be reopened as "learning labs." One of those locations will likely be one of its Austin theaters, several sources with knowledge of the plan have told Insider.

The sources also noted to Insider that Alamo's locations in bigger cities — specifically Brooklyn and Los Angeles — will likely not open for some time.

Here's what to expect when you go to Alamo Drafthouse going forward:

• All ticketing will be handled online.
• Two-seat buffer in theaters to provide at least six feet of social distancing.
• Guests will be required to wear masks at all times, except when eating and drinking. Masks will be provided if you don't have one.
• Interaction with staff will be minimized with ticketing and food orders done online in advance of showing up to the theater.
• All chairs and tables in the theaters will be cleaned with an electrostatic fogger and disinfectant.
• Hand wipes will be at all tables in the theater.
• All staff will have their temperature taken prior to starting work and at times guests will also be checked.
• Staff will wear masks and gloves, changing their gloves regularly and washing their hands at least every 30 minutes.

All movie theater chains are gradually trying to reopen since the pandemic. The biggest chains in the country, AMC Theatres, Regal, and Cinemark — have stated they will be reopening in July. AMC and Regal, like Alamo, will require customers to wear masks.

You can learn more about Alamo's reopening plan here.

Here is Tim League's complete blog post:

How We'll Reopen Alamo Drafthouse
Safer than a supermarket – aggressive safety protocols, new food and beverage methods, and masks for all.

A Message from Tim League

Our team has spent countless hours working from our home offices, couches, and backyards, each dedicated to crafting the safest possible cinematic experience for our guests and team. It's not quite time to turn the projectors back on, but we're getting very close – so I'd like to share where we're at and what's ahead as we finalize how we'll reopen Alamo Drafthouse locations this summer.

We want you to feel safe. Our driving principle has been to make the Alamo Drafthouse experience one of the safest possible indoor activities – "safer than a supermarket" – and far exceed the expectations you already have for supermarkets, gyms, and restaurants. We intend to make it so that you can leave your car, make it to your seat, enjoy your food and drinks, and be able to leave having never come within six feet of another person other than when your order is delivered, and having never touched a surface other than your chair and table – both of which will be sanitized between screenings with an electrostatic fogger and disinfectant.

The steps outlined below will dramatically increase physical distancing, introduce enhanced and exhaustive new cleaning procedures, and temporarily change our service model. To do this, we're revising and reimagining how we do things, and how you experience Alamo Drafthouse. That's no small task – it means flexing a model we've refined for over twenty years – and we know we'll need to stay nimble as we learn new and better methods, continuously gather feedback from our guests, and as the battle against COVID-19 continues.

Our anticipation is that if and when the threat of COVID-19 truly begins to recede, we'll be able to carefully and gradually begin operating like normal. We'll be able to ease off of many precautions, but some of these common-sense measures will continue indefinitely, while others will evolve into new things.
Briefly, here's what to expect. To find more details in your area, visit drafthouse.com/welcomeback.

DISTANCING
All ticketing will be handled online, with at least two buffer seats providing at least six feet of physical distancing between groups.

MASKS FOR ALL
We require that guests wear masks at all times except when eating and drinking. If you need a mask, we'll provide you with one for free.
Once you're seated you'll be at least six or more feet distanced from other groups on all sides, and you may remove it for eating and drinking. In coordination with local and state regulations, we ask that you keep your mask on while you wait for your food or drink, and put it back on after you are finished.

MINIMIZING INTERACTION
In many theaters, food ordering and gratuity will be done in advance and online when you purchase your tickets. That means there'll be no payment processing at the theater, and your interactions with our team members will be minimized.

SANITIZATION
Each auditorium – and specifically chairs and tables – will be sanitized between screenings with an electrostatic fogger and disinfectant. We'll also have hand sanitizing wipes at your table for you to use.

TEMP CHECK
All teammates will have their temperatures taken prior to starting work. And where needed, guests will also have their temperatures taken on their way inside.

HEALTH AND SAFETY
All Alamo Drafthouse teammates will wear masks and gloves at all times, and they'll regularly change their gloves and wash their hands at least every thirty minutes.

The reopening isn't going to happen all at once. We operate 41 locations from coast-to-coast, spanning 23 regions and ten states, which have each been impacted by and are handling the COVID-19 threat differently. We are closely monitoring COVID-19 data trends in each community we serve. In cities or counties that have sustained a very low per capita rate of infection, we may choose to relax some of these protocols when we reopen their theaters.
However, we are not pinning our security solely to state and local regulations. Those are the base level – we intend to stay vigilant, carefully watch the data, and to escalate our protocols at a moment's notice.

Our first step will be, in early July, reopening one or two locations as "learning labs" of sorts, where we'll kick the tires and figure out how to make these new procedures work across our company. We expect other locations to come online after that – a few at first, and the rest when we believe we're ready and when we believe that the risk in that area has declined. When we can announce these first locations, we'll let you know first via our social media and email.
There's much more to share, and we've extensively outlined more details at drafthouse.com/welcomeback.

We're looking forward to getting back to what we love to do – bringing you the best of film, food, and drink. This next phase will be different from what we're all used to. It won't always be ideal. But if we all continue to do our part, it won't be forever.

Thank you. We'll see you soon.

Tim League
Founder & Executive Chairman
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema