BREAKING: Buying movie tickets directly from the theater’s website was supposed to be the smart way to avoid extra service fees. Not anymore. Cineplex is shaking up its core ticketing service and quietly adding a mandatory surcharge.

The Canadian theater giant is officially rolling out a new $1.50 online booking fee applied to every ticket purchased through their website and mobile app. If you thought avoiding third-party ticketing platforms would protect your wallet, this sneaky new rollout is about to change the way you plan your weekend movie nights.

There is, however, a slight catch depending on how often you frequent the cinema. The fee primarily targets casual, non-registered moviegoers. Regular members of the Scene+ rewards program will reportedly see a slightly reduced fee, while premium CineClub subscribers will have the fee waived entirely. Still, for the average Canadian looking to simply grab a ticket to the latest blockbuster, buying online just got noticeably more expensive.

This mandatory fee is expected to take full effect nationwide by the end of the week. Will this push you back to the physical box office line, or is it just the new unavoidable cost of convenience? Sound off in the comments!

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