The daily deal: Theatre owners spill the popcorn on using Groupon and Living Social

When an offer of a discounted pair of movie tickets along with popcorn and drinks pops up in the inboxes of e-mail subscribers to daily-deal sites like Groupon and Living Social, thousands respond. It’s a ready-made outing, and for 50% off, even the most recession-minded consumers can find it difficult to resist. While such low prices are a great deal for customers, can small independent theatres afford to run these deals without hurting their bottom line?