With an impressive haul of more than $250 million at the box office in its first two weeks of release, Top Gun: Maverick is the first true post-COVID blockbuster on the big screen.

That's the good news.

The bad news? When you go see this flick, you may have to do without one of the staples of the whole moviegoing experience.

The popcorn.

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Food & Wine is reporting that theaters across the country are bracing for a popcorn shortage.

And like so many other supply chain issues we've been dealing with, you can blame COVID for this one.

When the pandemic forced movie theaters to close two years ago, farmers across the country were stuck with a surplus of popcorn and no place to sell it.

Not surprisingly, most of those farmers have not returned to their pre-COVID production levels and now that more and more people are returning to theaters, the demand is exceeding supply.

But it isn't just the popcorn that's in short supply.

Rising materials and transportation costs and even a shortage of the paper bags that hold the popcorn aren't helping the situation either.

Maybe it's time for theaters to let you pop your own at home before you come.

 

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