Students will no longer receive a discount on movie tickets.

Marcus Theatres discontinued their student discount four weeks ago.

Lincoln’s largest movie theater company, with four movie theaters in town, declined to comment on any reason for cutting student discounts.

“There were several other discount programs in place, they just had to get rid of one,” said Carlo Patrick, director of communications for Marcus Theatres.
This means while standing in line for the final installment of the Twilight Saga, students will be expected to pay full price.

For most, a deciding factor in going to the movies has a lot to do with price.  Marcus Theatres knows this and would like its patrons to know that there are still many ways to save money at their establishment.

For starters, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Marcus Theatres continue to work together.

“Through this partnership we are able to help offer special evenings where students attend a new release film (program’s choice) for free simply by showing an ID,” Lisa Fryda, General Manager at Marcus Grand Theatre, said, adding, “One event we enjoy being a part of is Big Red Welcome week where we pay to bring in films (yearly average of four films brought in) to offer students a free viewing one evening during the week.”

Also, the usual matinée prices are only seven dollars and when combined with $2 Tuesdays, the total for two could be as low as $22.  On $2 Tuesdays movie goers receive a popcorn and pop for $2 each.

For movie frequenter’s, there are even better deals, such as the “Spotlight Movie Club” membership.  By signing up, patrons receive up to four vouchers for four movies sent via email, which breaks down to $5 a movie.  Another deal is the “VIP Silver Ticket” packs, which gives ten vouchers for a movie and a popcorn.  This breaks down to $6 movies with a complimentary popcorn.

Marcus Theatres may have cut the student discount, but this is no irregularity for Downtown Lincoln businesses.  For being a college town, Lincoln’s downtown merchants don’t really embrace their college students.  After contacting sixty food vendors in the downtown area, only seven currently provide any sort of student discount.  Valentino’s offers a large one-topping 14-inch pizza and six bread sticks for under $10, and Papa John’s offers a large one-topping for under $8.   Arby’s has a student discount on their regular roast beef combo.  Samurai Sam’s Teriyaki Grill offers 15 percent  off all meals on Mondays, while Juice Stop, Scooter’s Coffeehouse and Balee 1 each give a 10 percent discount.

Even though Lincoln lacks in its student appreciation, there is one company out there that is picking up the slack.  That company is a website called Edhance.com, which is “the nations fastest growing student rewards program in the United States,” said Bjorn Larson, president at Edhance, Inc.

The Cambridge, Mass.-based company provides students with discounts from a myriad of businesses.  By registering a credit or debit card, Edhance allows shopping at any one of the stores listed and then receive cash back on the card used.  This way students don’t have to rely on coupons or seasonal student discounts.  It also solves the problem that businesses have with people taking advantage of student ID’s that don’t expire.

There are close to two million students registered for free, with Edhance across the nation.  Bjorn, speaking in regards to his businesses growing capacity for local merchants, said, “If we don’t have any local merchants near you, we will sometime in the near future.”