why do hot dogs & popcorn from the movie theater smell better than home made?

[green papaya]

when ever Im at the theater I notice the hot dogs on the hot metal rollers have a nice aroma that I can smell from a distance, the popcorn also seems to smell better? do you think they add some type of special oil when preparing these to make them smell better? you can almost taste the hot dogs from the smell

I dont think they sell the same brand of hot dogs at the grocery store

 

[LizzieMaine]

I know, for a fact, that they do. But it's a trade secret. Hush hush. Careless talk...

 

[green papaya]

I even tried using Nathan's hot dogs in a frying pan with oil and tried to simulate the slow heating like the hot rollers dripping with oil, and they still didnt seem as juicy or have the aroma of theater hot dogs

 

[LizzieMaine]

I can give you a clue on the hot dogs: Peanut Oil.

The popcorn, though, I'm keeping mum.

 

[Insp. Bumstead]

A childhood friend of mine worked at an Indiana movie theater, and he said the popcorn butter contained 0% dairy product, but was actually soybean oil with a cocktail of added chemicals. That's might be part of what you're smelling, and good luck making that at home!

Also, don't forget that strategically placed ventilation systems are the secret weapon of bakeries, BBQ joints, and (possibly) movie theaters alike.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We used to serve real butter, but patrons complained it didn't taste enough like "butter." The better toppings nowadays do contain butter compounds, but are mostly sunflower oil -- supposed to be healthier than butter, with no trans fats.

I sometimes kid with our customers that we get the buttery smell shipped in in large cylinders, but the truth is much simpler: all you have to do is leave the doors of the popper open when you're popping, and the aroma gets around pretty fast.

 

[Adcurium]

Fer Sher. Nothing beats theatre popcorn. I think it's the machine, though. I once worked at a firm that had a huge theatre popcorn machine on the floor as a moral booster type of thing. And it was really really close to the theatre but we didn't have the 'butter machine'. That might be the real secret! But theatre popcorn rocks. When my wife and I plan a movie night for after our shorty goes to bed, I stop at the theatre on my way home and buy a huge barrel of popcorn. Sitting in your own living room with theatre popcorn is awesome.

 

[ortega76]

My girl is on a diet to finally shed some of her post-baby weight. I was surprised to be messing around with her smartphone diet plan app to earn that a hot dog was among the healthier alternatives at the concession stand! Wow, how bad is that other stuff for you?

 

[4spurs]

Beer tastes better in a theatre too, and the bottle makes a cool noise when it's kicked over and rolls all the way down to the front of the auditorium.

 

[Adcurium]

Beer tastes better in a theatre too, and the bottle makes a cool noise when it's kicked over and rolls all the way down to the front of the auditorium.

LoL!

 

[hailey greenhat]

I have no idea why its so different, but well "buttered" up popcorn definitely tastes better in theaters. If i know i'm going to a movie i wont eat much before hand, so i have room for the popcorn yuuuuum!

 

[scottyrocks]

From what I understand, 'buttered' theater popcorn actually contains no butter.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Again, depends on the theatre. Anhydrous butterfat -- butter from which the water has been extracted -- is widely used, but it's more expensive and it's not as stable under the heating/reheating cycles. The product we use -- and which is used by many upscale theatres, is basically liquid margarine made from sunflower oil, but is flavored with butter solids. The cheapest topping out there is made from artificially-colored canola or soybean oil, and you'll find that at a lot of mall-type multiplexes. Don't be afraid to ask!

 

[bunnyb.gal]

Question is, where can we nab us some of that, um, anhydrous butterfat?

 

[LizzieMaine]

This is the stuff.

Odell's is a really good company to deal with and they stand behind their products. I recommend them highly.

If you really want to go the whole hog, you can get a theatre butter pump for about $200 or so, and *really* impress the guests.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

You'll want the cocconut oil they offer, to pop the popcorn in....

 

[Lily Powers]

The quality of movie popcorn can make or break the cinema experience, in my hungry, er, humble opinion. There is a small, independently owned theatre downtown near work. The popcorn is exquisite and the theatre is next door to the (now historic) home where ZaSu Pitts grew up in early 1900's, so really, how could the popcorn not be good? Sometimes I ride my bike over there solely for a bag of popcorn, it's that good.

 

[bunnyb.gal]

I might order some of that Odells as a special treat for when I have my horror film marathons on Halloween...popcorn really is my desert island food!

 

[dnjan]

You'll want the cocconut oil they offer, to pop the popcorn in....

Yes. The best popcorn I ever made at home used coconut oil.
Some overpriced "fundraiser" popcorn packages (included popcorn and separate oil packet) that we bought from a local organization years ago.
Tasted fantastic, but I don't think they sold it again because not enough people would pay that much for popcorn.