This article contains descriptions of calories.
A pair of Regal Cinema workers depicted how they deal with a customer who “changes their mind” about getting a large vs. a medium popcorn—simply by pouring the contents of the medium bag into the large bucket.
The video comes from TikToker @ric0xsuav3, getting more than 1.5 million views in just 17 hours since going up on TikTok on Thursday evening.
In it, the workers roleplay, with one coming up to the counter and asking, “Can I get a medium popcorn?”
As the other worker brings up the medium bag, with an on-screen caption reading: “When they changed their mind last minute.” The person playing the customer role asks, “Actually, can I get a large?”
@ric0xsuav3 All the time😭 #fyp #foryou #regal #regalentertainment #popcorn #worktok ♬ Can I get a medium popcorn – 061104💰
With barely any reaction, the person behind the counter pulls out a large popcorn bucket and pours the full bag into the bucket, filling it entirely. It appears, from this view, that the contents of the bag fill the bucket.
The caption accompanying the video assesses, “All the time.”
People expressed outrage at seeing a medium turned into a large in this fashion.
“WHAT?!?!!” exclaimed one. “NEVER AGAIN getting larges.”
Another commenter noted, “But you get refills on the large lol.”
Someone else reasoned, “I feel scammed but the bucket is always easier to eat out of without it spilling everywhere.”
And yet another was team refill, revealing, “I get a large so I can refill it before I leave and have popcorn all night.”
But the creator revealed the video was a ruse all along, confessing, “The bottom was fill with popcorn, get a large” in response to the commenter who swore off getting large popcorns based on the illusion.
The creator also helpfully pointed out, “We do free refills on any large drinks or popcorn!”
But there might be something to the idea that a bag holds the same as a bucket. A site called Center for Science in the Public Interest did a breakdown of movie popcorn from Regal, and noted, “A ‘medium’ (20 cups) or a ‘large’ (also 20 cups) has 60 grams of sat fat. Of course, a large means a free refill (Yay!), so there’s no limit to the damage you can do.”
It added to budget “1,200 [calories] for a medium or large,” observing, “The taller medium comes in a bag with straight sides, while the squatter large comes in a tapered tub that’s wider at the top.”
The Daily Dot reached out to the creator via TikTok comment and to Regal Cinemas via email.
