Lowe’s Has a Surprisingly Delicious Use for Those 5-Gallon Buckets

We love movie theaters for their big screens, bone-rattling sound and shared cinematic experiences. Oh, and of course the popcorn. Try as your microwave might, there’s just no substitute for the stuff they sling in buckets at the concession stand. The only problem is when you finish your entire serving before the trailers have even finished — or, worse, you finish halfway into the movie and have to leave the theater in the middle of the story for a refill. But to celebrate National Popcorn Day, one national movie theater chain is offering a solution to that problem by letting you bring your own bucket (or soup pot or cooler or whatever you want) to fill up with popcorn.

What is Cinemark's Bring Your Own Bucket deal?

To kick off 2026, Cinemark announced the return of its Bring Your Own Bucket event, which it introduced last year to celebrate National Popcorn Day. This year, National Popcorn Day falls on Monday, January 19, but Cinemark is starting its two-day celebration early on Sunday, January 18. For those two days, moviegoers can show up with any container they like, and Cinemark will fill it with up to 400 ounces of popcorn (equivalent to two XL popcorn orders) for just $5 (plus tax). Yes, not only can you get a ton of popcorn, you’re also getting a pretty darn good deal when it comes to theater snack prices, too.

According to an Instagram post, last year’s inaugural BYOB event saw everything from trick-or-treat pails to duffel bags filled with buttery popcorn.

What do you get if you bring a Lowe's bucket to Cinemark?

But if you truly want the best bang for your buck, this year Cinemark has teamed with Lowe’s Home Improvement for an additional twist: If you bring in one of those blue, five-gallon buckets available at Lowe’s stores, Cinemark will waive the 400-ounce limit and fill it right up to the top for the same $5 price tag. Lowe’s bucket holders will also get an additional popcorn coupon to use during the month of February.

Of course, if you only need a small snack to get you through your movie, the mini Lowe’s bucket could get the job done, too.

And the popcorn-inspired fun doesn’t stop there: At Cinemark theaters serving alcohol, guests can also pair their popcorn with Butter Chardonnay all month long.

Even if you forget your bucket or other giant container during the BYOB National Popcorn Day promotion, don’t worry. Cinemark says every size of popcorn on their menu will be reduced to five dollars for all guests on January 18 and 19. Find your local theater and discover more National Popcorn Day info and sweepstakes at cinemark.com.