Celluloid Junkie, a leading international cinema industry trade publication, has announced the 2027 Founding Edition of the Celluloid Junkie Dine-In Cinema Awards, a new industry recognition program celebrating the achievements of cinema operators and the culinary and food and beverage professionals behind the dine-in moviegoing experience. Presented in partnership with the Dine-In Cinema Summit, the awards will culminate at the ninth annual Summit (DICS9), taking place February 1–4, 2027, in Austin, Texas.

Entries are now open to eligible cinema operators throughout the United States and Canada, with submissions accepted through December 11, 2026. There is no fee to enter.

Food and beverage have become integral to how many cinemas distinguish their guest experience, build customer loyalty and develop their businesses. Behind every successful menu, signature cocktail or innovative service model are chefs, culinary teams, F&B executives and operations professionals whose creativity and expertise help make a night at the movies memorable. The Dine-In Cinema Awards were established to recognize those achievements and bring greater industry attention to the people, programs and innovations advancing cinema dining.

“Moviegoers have never had better food offerings at theatres, but they don’t always see the creativity, hard work and operational expertise required to deliver a great dine-in cinema experience,” said J. Sperling Reich, Executive Editor of Celluloid Junkie. “Across the industry, cinema operators and their teams are developing exceptional food and beverage programs, finding inventive ways to improve service and creating experiences that give audiences another reason to visit the cinema. We created these awards to recognize that work and celebrate the people responsible for it.”

Recognizing Excellence Across Cinema Food and Beverage
The Founding Edition features 12 principal award categories spanning culinary achievement, beverage programs, special offerings, operational innovation and individual leadership.

Food and beverage honors include Best Dine-In Menu, Best Entrée, Best Appetizer or Shareable, Best Dessert, Best Cocktail, Best Cocktail Program and Best Beer & Wine Program. Additional categories recognize creative film-themed food and beverage offerings and limited-time menu items.

Beyond the menu itself, Best F&B Operational Innovation celebrates practical advances in the delivery and management of cinema food and beverage, from kitchen workflows and service improvements to technology, staffing and training. Two individual honors, Culinary Leader of the Year and F&B Operations Leader of the Year, recognize professionals whose leadership, creativity and accomplishments have made a meaningful contribution to their organizations and to cinema dining.

Judging and Live Finals in Austin
The competition combines category-specific evaluation of submitted materials with live judging where appropriate. Most categories will be judged remotely, allowing operators to participate without traveling to the Summit.

Four categories — Best Entrée, Best Appetizer or Shareable, Best Dessert and Best Cocktail — will culminate in live tasting finals in Austin. Finalists will be selected through preliminary evaluation, with winners determined by judges tasting the competing offerings at DICS9.

Two additional honors will be presented: Best of Show, selected by an expert jury from the four live-category winners, and Audience Choice, determined by Summit attendee voting among the live-tasting finalists.

The Dine-In Cinema Summit will serve as the awards’ Founding Event Partner and host, bringing the competition to an established gathering of dine-in cinema operators, suppliers and industry professionals. Celluloid Junkie will administer the awards program, including eligibility, entries and judging coordination.

“One of the most rewarding parts of the Dine-In Cinema Summit is seeing the ideas, creativity and problem-solving that operators bring to their businesses every day,” said Amy Mader, co-organizer of the Dine-In Cinema Summit. “These awards give us an opportunity to recognize those accomplishments in front of industry peers, celebrate the people making them happen and share that enthusiasm with the wider cinema community.”

Entries Open Through December 11
The Founding Edition recognizes eligible offerings, programs, innovations and achievements from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. Cinema operators in the United States and Canada may submit entries directly or through authorized representatives. Leadership nominations may also be submitted by colleagues, industry peers or nominees themselves.

Entries require category-specific information and supporting materials, which may include menus, photographs, descriptions of operational achievements or evidence of leadership contributions. Finalists in the four live-tasting categories must participate in the Austin competition through their operator or an approved representative.

The submission deadline is Friday, December 11, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Entry is free.

For complete category descriptions, eligibility requirements and submission instructions, visit:

Awards Homepage: https://celluloidjunkie.com/dine-in-cinema-awards/
Categories & Rules: https://celluloidjunkie.com/2027-dine-in-cinema-awards-categories-rules/
Entry Portal: https://celluloidjunkie.com/dine-in-cinema-awards-entries/

About Celluloid Junkie
Celluloid Junkie is an international trade publication dedicated to the motion picture exhibition and distribution industries. Covering the business, technology, people and trends shaping cinema worldwide, Celluloid Junkie provides industry news, analysis and original editorial programming for cinema operators, distributors, technology providers and other professionals involved in theatrical entertainment.

About the Dine-In Cinema Summit
Founded and organized by Amy and Matt Mader, the Dine-In Cinema Summit is an annual industry gathering bringing together dine-in cinema and family entertainment center operators, executives, suppliers and partners. Held in Austin, Texas, the Summit focuses on food and beverage, operational innovation, technology, guest experience and the exchange of practical ideas among industry professionals. Its ninth edition will take place February 1–4, 2027.