Rockford AMC Fans Might Not Like What’s Really in the Popcorn ‘Butter’

You already know I'm a movie fan and love popcorn. Besides pizza, it's probably my second-favorite food.

So you shouldn't be shocked that I have been trying to make AMC popcorn from the comfort of my own home, with very little success. Maybe I have been looking in the wrong aisle for my popcorn topping.

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Is AMC Movie Theater Popcorn Butter Actually Butter?

What I always thought was butter being dumped onto my popcorn, self-serve style at AMC spots in Rockford, might not actually be butter.

What Movie Theater Popcorn Topping Is Made From

Here's where it gets interesting. While that response doesn't independently confirm exactly what's inside AMC's dispensers, oil-based "buttery toppings" are common in movie theaters and are typically made with oil, artificial butter flavor, and coloring like beta carotene.

And that classic bright-yellow movie popcorn color isn't necessarily coming from the topping, either. Many theaters use a popcorn seasoning called Flavacol, which contains Yellow 5 Lake and Yellow 6 Lake.

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Why Movie Theater Popcorn Tastes Different at Home

There's also a legal definition of butter. Federal standards require butter to be made from milk or cream and contain at least 80% milkfat. So if what's coming out of that pump is an oil-based buttery topping, calling it actual melted butter would be a stretch.

All this time, I've been at home trying to recreate AMC popcorn at my place, and my biggest mistake was using actual butter.