- published: 04 Jun 2011
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The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is an American cinema chain founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas, United States that is famous for its strict policy of requiring its audiences to maintain proper cinemagoing etiquette. It has screens in nine locations across Texas and one in Winchester, Virginia, with four more to be built in San Francisco, New York City, Littleton, Colorado, and Ashburn, Virginia. Its headquarters is located in Austin.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema was founded by Tim and Karrie League at 409 Colorado St, in an Austin, Texas warehouse-district building that was being used as a parking garage. The company began as a second-run movie theater, and distinguished itself by the food and drink service offered inside the theater, including cold beers. The seating is arranged with rows of cabaret style tables in front of each row of seats, with an aisle between each row to accommodate waiter service. Customers write their orders on slips of paper, which are picked up by black-clad waiters. Soon after opening, the original downtown theater began offering occasional unique programming such as silent movies scored by local bands playing live accompaniment, food-themed films such as Like Water for Chocolate served with a dinner matching the meals shown on screen, and retrospectives of various directors and stars.[citation needed]