MOSES LAKE — Cars snaked through the movie theater parking lot and out down the street as local folks were treated to a buttery gift on Saturday afternoon. Fairchild Cinemas distributed free large popcorns to residents between 4 and 7 p.m., with customers also welcome to purchase additional bags for $5 apiece.

After handing out around 4,000 bags in Tri-Cities last week, Fairchild Cinemas General Manager Mamie Gale said the movie theater distributed around 1,700 bags of popcorn on Saturday in Moses Lake. With another giveaway already planned in the Tri-Cities this weekend, Gale said they’re hoping to make it back to Moses Lake soon for another giveaway.

Gale said, with so much product on hand, they decided they’d rather give it away than see it go to waste.

“We had time to come pop the seeds and pass it out so we can get rid of all the product,” Gale said. “Plus, we’ve all been cooped up in our own home due to the isolation order, so we figured it’d be a good way to get out. We just wanted to make sure we did it very carefully so we had minor contact with other people.”

Volunteers in face masks and gloves handed out the bags. Gale said they took every precaution, ensuring every surface and equipment was properly sanitized.

Gale said it wasn’t long after the movie theaters closed their doors that they began receiving inquiries from community members, including some in Moses Lake, about what would be done with the extra popcorn kernels. Knowing people would be interested, Gale said they realized they’d be able to get through all of their product in stock much quicker by giving it away.

Seeing how supportive and community-minded everyone has been the last few weeks, particularly in support of local businesses, Gale said the movie theater just wanted to do its part supporting families that have helped support the theater.

Gale said Fairchild Cinemas was forced to furlough all of its employees when it closed its doors under public officials’ orders in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Unlike other businesses that may be able to limit the number of customers inside at a time when they reopen, Gale said the movie theater depends on the crowds.

“Going forward, when we are given the go-ahead to open, we know that it will have to be done in phases,” Gale said. “But, we’ll have to continue to make sure that we do it with social distancing in mind for the foreseeable future.”