Was this at a chain like AMC or Cinemark?
Just curious.
The theaters near me are regional. Three are run by one non-profit group and the closest one is owned by a millionaire and run by the same family that has a drive-in 10 miles north of here. I pay $11 for most screenings or $5 or discount day which is Tuesday at the close one or Wednesday at the three others. Beer is $6, popcorn is $4
We just restored the one in Saugerties to a version of a 1920s facade and marquis. Very vibrant film scene here. Lots of screenings with Q&A. Festivals, revivals, art house.
https://www.upstatefilms.org/film-series-2
There is an AMC complex 30 miles away and it is more like what you describe -- kiosks, too many ads, too many trailers but if you add 15 minutes to the "start" time you can miss most of that.