Cinemark: $5 “Bring Your Own” Popcorn Bucket Sale
January 19th is National Popcorn Day, and Cinemark theaters across the country are celebrating in style.
cheddar
Popcorn is great whether you’re at the movie theater, strolling through a theme park, or just looking for something to eat at home. What better way to show your love for this iconic snack than by celebrating National Popcorn Day?
National Popcorn Day is Monday, January 19th, which also happens to be Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday, and movie theater chains across the country are celebrating the day with great deals and promotions for popcorn lovers to enjoy over the long weekend.
From giveaways to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bucket), movie theaters are having sales this year.
So, whether you want to add extra butter and salt, cheese powder, or M&M’s and raisinettes to your popcorn, popcorn lovers can throw a bucket of their favorite snacks and sit back and relax knowing they may have saved money while watching a movie.
Check out this year’s National Popcorn Day deals.
Cinemark BYOB event
From Sunday, Jan. 18 to Monday, Jan. 19, Cinemark-goers can pay $5 to participate in the Bring Your Own Bucket event and fill their favorite container of up to 400 ounces (just over 3 gallons) with water, according to a post on the movie theater chain’s Instagram.
This year, the movie theater is partnering with Lowe’s for National Popcorn Day.
From Sunday, Jan. 18 through Monday, Jan. 19, anyone who brings in a 5-gallon blue bucket from Lowe’s can fill it with popcorn for $5 at Cinemark, according to a news release. During this period, guests will also receive a 10% off online gift card.
Free popcorn at AMC
AMC is celebrating National Popcorn Day by giving away free popcorn.
From Friday, January 16th through Monday, January 19th, moviegoers with an AMC Popcorn Pass ($29.99 plus tax annually) will receive their first large popcorn for free, according to an Instagram post from AMC Theaters.
The theater will also be selling Popcorn merchandise, including Popcorn stuffed animals and figurines.
Dress up and enjoy popcorn at Regal Cinemas
According to Regal Cinemas’ Instagram account, costumed moviegoers will receive a free large box of popcorn on Monday, January 19th.
Anyone who posts a photo of themselves in costume at a Regal store and tags @RegalMovies will also have a chance to win three free months of Regal Unlimited. Regal Unlimited is a monthly subscription that allows movie fans to watch their favorite 2D movies anytime and provides additional benefits.
More National Popcorn Day Deals
Other National Popcorn Day deals include:
- cineplex– Receive a free small popcorn with any ticket purchase from Friday, January 16th to Monday, January 19th.
- marcus theaters– We’ll be giving away a free large popcorn on Monday, January 19th, as well as a chance to win discounted prizes with scratch-off coupons.
- B&B Theaters– Backstage Pass members will receive free regular popcorn with the purchase of a ticket on Monday, January 19th.
- Harkins Theaters– On Monday, January 19th, we’re offering 50% off any size popcorn. Harkins Awards Members who celebrate National Popcorn Day at the Harkins Theater will also receive a free small piece of popcorn in February.
Popcorn: A sweet that has been loved around the world for centuries.
According to the National Day Calendar, in the 16th century, Aztecs wore popcorn during ceremonies honoring Tlaloc, the Aztec god of corn and fertility. The treat as we know it today was used to decorate the headdresses worn during ceremonies.
However, it is popPopcorn became popular in America in the 1800s when candy store owner Charles Creters developed a popcorn machine that used steam to pop the kernels. Eventually, by 1900, the Creters had a popcorn wagon that ran the streets of Chicago.
One hundred years later, Americans eat more popcorn than any other country, eating about 13 billion quarts of popcorn each year.
This snack is so popular that theaters and theme parks sell popcorn buckets with elaborate designs. Examples include a music box-style popcorn bucket that spins and plays music, modeled after the Prince Charming Regal Carousel at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, sold in 2025, and the “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” popcorn bucket sold at AMC Theaters in November, where the popcorn appears to magically disappear.
Other popcorn buckets inspired by movies and characters are so popular that they can sell out almost instantly, or people can line up for hours for a chance to get their hands on one.
Julia is a trend reporter for USA TODAY, covering scientific research, natural disasters, and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn ×Instagram, TikTok: @juliamaigz or email jgomez@hannett.com..
