While some pundits bemoan the fate of airline miles and the potential costs of loyalty programs, it’s interesting to note that, despite the naysayers, loyalty programs continue to spring up and thrive in some unlikely places.

Witness Regal entertainment, the world’s largest theater company.

Regal has recently rolled out its own “frequent-movie-watcher” program at its more than 500 theaters nationwide. Members can look forward to free snacks, discounts and promotions for upcoming films.

“The theater industry has not embraced loyalty programs, and we felt this would be a way to strengthen our brand awareness and differentiate us from our competition,” Dick Westerling, senior vice president for marketing and advertising at Regal, told the Scripps Howard News Service.

Regal believes the program can create one extra ticket sale per club member per year — precisely the type of small-time revenue that can add up to big profits in the aggregate.