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Outside North America just about every country I’ve ever lived in or visited had assigned movie ticket seats.

And in some places there are so few movie theaters that, at least on weekends, you have to buy days in advance or you might as well stay home.

As European, I can tell that it depends on the kind of cinema, and country.

My experience, being discussed in another thread, is that only big commercial multiplex do it, many small cinemas with more alternative content, usually don't do assigned seats, only ticket reservations.

I'm also in the northeast (Europe). It is quite normal to have assigned seats.

It's shifted a lot in the past few years: AMC has assigned seating in most (all?) theaters, for instance. Our regional theater, Harkins, same.

Personally, I like being able to select the exact seats and pre-order popcorn and soda and just have it show up to me right as the trailers end.