As summer approaches and blockbuster season kicks off, moviegoers are gearing up for packed theaters, buttery popcorn, and long-awaited premieres. But, while all eyes are on the silver screen, the real action — at least from Stewart Tech’s perspective — is happening behind the scenes. At Stewart Tech, we’ve had the opportunity to work with RC Theatres, a regional movie theater chain with 14 locations, as they prepare for the increased demands of the summer rush. RC Theatres has always taken pride in delivering top-tier experiences to their customers, and that commitment extends beyond what’s visible in the lobby or on the big screen; it includes the technology that keeps everything running smoothly.
Committed to top-tier entertainment viewing, RC Theatres operates 131 screens across 14 locations in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Included in those 131 screens are two Imax screens, four RCXtremes — a wall-to-ceiling, premium movie-going experience — and two D-Box locations using specialized seats equipped with haptic technology to offer moviegoers an even greater immersive experience.
Recently, the Stewart Tech team kicked off a project to modernize the core server infrastructure across several RC Theatres locations. Like many growing organizations, their existing servers had performed well for years but were now reaching the end of their lifecycle. Performance slowdowns and limited scalability had started to emerge, signaling it was time for an upgrade. As part of our discovery process, we reviewed the technical requirements for their environment including operational demands, future scalability, and serviceability. During this review, we identified that it was in RC Theatres best interests to upgrade their standard hardware. What they were currently using had shown its limitations and wouldn’t fully support the workloads or efficiency they needed long term.
Rather than move forward with a solution that might create limitations down the road, we led the discussion to rethink the architecture. We recommended enterprise-grade server chassis with built-in, high availability and support tools to ensure better visibility, stability, and remote support functionality. This approach not only fit their current needs but positioned them for more streamlined IT support and long-term performance. It also allows for secure, remote server management, even if the system is powered off or experiencing issues. With these capabilities in place, our team can provide remote diagnostics and support in real time, helping RC’s on-site staff resolve issues quickly and without the need to wait for a technician to arrive. It’s a game-changer for multi-location businesses, especially during peak seasons when every second of downtime can affect ticket sales, concession operations, or digital signage.
The upgraded servers are being prepped and built right now at Stewart Tech HQ and will soon be delivered to one of RC’s busiest locations: the Lexington Exchange in Hollywood, Maryland. What’s most exciting about this project isn’t just the tech, it’s the mindset. RC Theatres didn’t just look to patch a problem; they listened, asked the right questions, and made an intentional decision to invest in smarter infrastructure. That kind of forward-thinking approach is what we love to see in our client partnerships. As the lights go down and the trailers start to roll, we’re proud to play a supporting role in making sure RC Theatres is ready for anything this summer. When clients embrace our recommendations and elevate their infrastructure, it’s more than a win! It’s a real-world example of how thoughtful, proactive IT strategy leads to stronger performance, greater resilience, and long-term success.