How Does a Movie Theater Usher Spend a Workday?

Taking Tickets

For the majority of their workday, movie theater ushers act as a customer service barrier between the box office and the theater area. After customers purchase tickets at the box office, they hand their tickets to the usher. The usher typically tears off half of the ticket, storing one half for counting purposes and handing the other half of the stub back to the customer. Then the usher will direct the customers to the correct theater.

Theater Cleaning

Just prior to the ending of a movie, a group of ushers will usually collect their cleaning equipment and gather in front of the theater doors. Then once the showing ends and all customers have left the theater, the ushers go inside to prepare the theater for the next showing. This task usually involves picking up trash, sweeping the floor and collecting any personal belongings that customers left behind.

Concessions

At certain points during their workday, movie theater ushers may be asked to leave their posts near the theaters and assist other staff members in the concession stand. An usher might be responsible for restocking concession shelves with food from the storage room, preparing certain concession items like popcorn or hot dogs or taking orders from customers and processing payments.