The Rise And Fall Of Chuck E. Cheese

With a combination of arcade games, pizza, and animatronics, Chuck E. Cheese became the go-to spot for kids' birthday parties in the '90s. But a $1 billion debt load and shuttered dine-in service due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced Chuck E. Cheese to file for bankruptcy in June. So what happened?
CEC Entertainment did not respond to our request for comment.
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The Rise And Fall Of Chuck E. Cheese

[@ryoon1761]

If you went here as a kid you’re immune to COVID 19

[@violinkornroller2433]

And you shouldn't worry about the vaccine

[@RedRoseSeptember22]

I definitely went, I still remember the ball pit, so much fun ^_^

[@hanifsulistiyo3559]

@@RedRoseSeptember22 And the thousands of germs from other people who touched it

[@Toyeboy89]

False I got Covid and was buried in the ball pit often.

[@718ant5]

Facts

[@D3C0Y]

Welcome To Chuck E. Cheese. Everything is visibly dirty and our mascot is a rat. Eat some pizza near a sneezing child.

[@annadartanagle104]

*eat some RECYCLED pizza

[@necrosegamingreaction]

And you can also get an sickness

[@itsuxs2beu]

Come on down for some rat pizza at our child casino.

[@roberto5870]

True😂😂😂

[@lunahetfield]

I never thought of if until now lol

[@catography4164]

"The company will be fine, it carries a recognizable name". RIP Blockbuster LLC.

[@tomfuelery2905]

RIP Toys r Us.

[@kswisssss]

Lol rich kids shopped at Toys R Us

[@Angelinaslifefl]

Don't remind me :(

[@lukuswagner9652]

It's amazing and disgusting to think that one person posting something on Instagram could destroy a company that's been around so long.

[@FingeringThings]

That ticket hurricane machine was my childhood

[@luketheepicpersonwholikest3556]

I have my old ticket😰

[@kamaledinemehdani3490]

@@luketheepicpersonwholikest3556 are you selling it. I'm willing to buy.

[@luketheepicpersonwholikest3556]

@@kamaledinemehdani3490 no

[@luketheepicpersonwholikest3556]

Its my childhood

[@kamaledinemehdani3490]

@@luketheepicpersonwholikest3556 lmfao you thought I was actually gonna buy? But I understand that it contains memories.

[@crab2195]

I find it odd that they’d change the mascot so drastically at a time where nostalgia is a huge marketing point

[@SalamanderMagic]

cause he was kinda creepy looking

[@crab2195]

@@SalamanderMagic i never saw it like that but that’s just because that’s the one i grew up with

[@Burning_Gojira_1995]

@@SalamanderMagic what are you on about avenger chuck is Awsome not creepy

[@austinmurphy3232]

I worked at chuck e Cheese and my restaurant had the mascot costume from before 2012 and they gave it to me when I stopped working there as a good bye gift

[@samwrihiro]

But aren't they catering to kids? They don't really care about nostalgia yet.

[@JSMIN-gg3xl]

I wish they didn’t change tokens to cards I really hate that, especially winning a game and not getting any tickets cuz it goes on the card, it doesn’t feel as fun and exciting anymore. Trust me it’s not cuz I’m getting older ! they just changed everything and added new games that aren’t really all that, I was really upset when I found out they got rid of my favorite game that I played all the time there too.

[@alondraalvarez8786]

I work at one in Puerto Rico and we still give tokens and exchange tikets. The problem with that is that we need alot more employees to be on floor working on machines because either tokens get stuck or tickets go empty, making the experience for the custumer more stressfull because they have to wait for the guy fixing matchines to come, and the lack of employees is in an all time high, so we are highly considering the cards even if its a big investing in machines

[@nancia24]

Your so right even tho I was born early 2004 I remember having tokens and getting excited for tickets to when prizes but now I'm 18 I'm not feeling it I feel bad for my nephew he didn't experience this good era we had

[@jenniferleresche4983]

I miss it too. Walking around with one pocket full of tickets and the other pocket full of coins.

[@rollthedice5682]

I think the problem is getting tickets or card with points for prizes is what shuts down arcades, as a kid it amazing but as an adult it a rip off, you feel cheated. I'm from England and all the ticket arcades pretty much shut whereas the ones that don't give tickets seem to have survived because I feel like people feel less ripped off when they just paying for a game rather then playing to get tickets for prizes that you could of bought for less than a dollar or pound

[@Frosty98206]

Hmm... Yh Counting ya Tickets to see what ya could get was a Real Highlight Shame they Converted to Cards.

[@fbi9792]

The backstory of Chuck E Cheese as an orphan who decided to help celebrate children's birthdays is actually a bit compelling as far as mascot backstorys go.

[@ilostmyearpodsbtwiamhannah815]

It’s low key scary idk why …

[@legendofman12]

A noble rat

[@missbleach8767]

Federal bureau of investigation or CIA, central intelligence agency

[@magikindian]

It’s all money laundering now

[@bruh-rk8yh]

Ever since they got rid of those tokens I knew it was going downhill. My childhood 😭

[@jesss.7788]

They also needed to let kids grab better prizes! All the best prices took awhile to win...they at least did not keep me coming for more. The day I realized I got a lame 😒 plastic toy with my hard earned tickets 🎫 I didn’t not want to return ever again

[@ItsEv]

tokens despite being nostalgic, it was really just a pain in the ass to hold them all, rather than just storing them on a single card

[@bruh-rk8yh]

@@ItsEv no

[@ItsEv]

@@bruh-rk8yh yes

[@bruh-rk8yh]

@@ItsEv what da dog doing?

[@kylep3514]

"Locations across the globe" *Shows only 5 locations outside the Americas*

[@cranberry9409]

Kyle P across the globe doesnt mean everywhere in the world

[@sethhorst6158]

The funny thing is even the Rock Afire Explosion has made their way out of the US, there's one performing in the Wolmi theme park of South Korea, one that performed in a fair at Ireland, and one that performed at Scandia Golf & Games in Canada.

[@e.moonbound2420]

something is something

[@kazuvids6534]

@@cranberry9409 ur profile picture is mother pp

[@cranberry9409]

Hobby_Los TV what

[@palientologist]

I feel legitimately sad that most childhood memories for people now will not consist of going to wild and wacky cool places with other people but just sitting in front of a screen in their room.

[@masterpringle9434]

Yes it sucks!!!😔

[@Dan-di9jd]

It was fun but I feel bad for my parents having to spend all that money while I'm running around screaming. You can do that for free at home.

[@hollybear7247]

They should bring back the animatronics and the tokens. That was a big part of the novelty.

[@ronnieeilert8491]

Dave and Buster’s (an food and arcade place) have the same thing. They have just the plastic card you slide in and out of. I’ve seen some kids there (I think it’s targeted to everyone) but it’s more for the parents I think because they can let their kids go wild at the arcade machines and then the parents can drink, eat, and watch some TV at the bar or a table.

[@rocknroll9159]

@@ronnieeilert8491 they have like 10 of those in Dallas… could tell you.. they are fantastic

[@tallwonder]

I didn’t even realize Chuck E. Cheese’s was open past 2010

[@xraymind]

Basically people don't really know that CEC is still around until they have kid.

[@LaSombraa]

Lmao I thought it closed in like 2009....... dang time flies!

[@ninja1676]

I’m your hundred like

[@user-vi4xy1jw7e]

Do you people ever leave your house? Lol

[@michellecastro8154]

I didn't even know this existed pls don't ask

[@ninja1676]

I don't understand how most kids aren't afraid of those animatronics mascots, The massive sizes of those things dress as human like animals are really unsettling. Of course that's my experiences with them.

[@blakefantasy2600]

You scared of fnaf

[@blakefantasy2600]

@Spirit Halloween And More I was two a long time ago

[@blakefantasy2600]

@Spirit Halloween And More And it kinda affected my experience with chucky

[@fightttttt]

some kids are dumb some arent. whos gonna be scared of a robot thats dumber then their cellphone

[@SquidCena]

I don't understand why you're afraid of a costume that can't do anything to you...

[@s.schultz1157]

Having worked at Chuck E. Cheese as a teenager, I can tell you that the recycled pizza thing is pure bull crap. Most pizza was made to order, if you didn't buy by the slice and we also made fresh cotton candy daily. Wasn't all roses, the chairs were disgusting and cleaning them took *AGES* Also, since I'm under 5 feet tall... when kids puked in the play tubes, I had to be the one to climb in there and clean it.

[@DSN262]

Tough break, Shazza

[@Phlglh1029]

I can empathize with this, I worked there as well and had to clean shit off the top of a little ride/game, yes the top

[@Frosty98206]

Bless ya Heart on the Last Bit that Job Must have made you develop a Strong Stomach after dealing with that.

[@HeyhitmeBAM]

Can u explain the pizzas with various size shapes ending unevenly? Real Italian pizzas usually aren’t perfectly round but they don’t look like that lol

[@Siyaex]

@@HeyhitmeBAM It’s the knife/saw thing they cut the pizza with. Due to injuries they made the saw dull, and the pizza also gets shuffled around a lot which explains uneven slices. Please do research.

[@Zeldafan1ify]

When the memory of a smell is so strong, that the mere mention of "chuck e cheese" still ignites the lovely scent of crusty pizza, musty feet and diaper contents smeared into a slide. Lovely memories

[@AdmiralRamirez7]

I remember only going the twice as a kid

[@mushmush4980]

So about the slide

[@bruhcheese6520]

"The first restaurant opened up in 1977 in San Jose California" *Shows Los Angeles*

[@42boombox]

😂😂😂

[@kimjong-il1547]

I live right next to it lmao.

[@gilberttorres8]

Lol was wondering why it looked different since I grew up in San Jose and used to go there all the time

[@zlataisawsome]

What’s even funnier is that the picture they show for San Jose’s Chuck E. Cheese isn’t the original location (the original was on Winchester Blvd. which closed February 1985) but instead showed the location that DOMINATED San Jose (which was Tully Road; it’s the largest Chuck E. Cheese in the US and opened in 1981)

[@KodiD420]

🤣😂😂😂🤣

[@albertarbelo]

To think that my son most likely wont know what Toys R' Us is was bad enough. But now Chuck E. Cheese's too?

[@marlonmoncrieffe0728]

😭 You're making me cry, man!

[@snowkittten]

He won’t miss much. I grew up with Chuck E. Cheese and even as a girl I was always grossed out by the pizza and the fact that everything I touched in the play area was suspiciously sticky. That’s my experience tho.

Not all stores are closing. Just letting go you know.

[@albertarbelo]

@@snowkittten Mine was much different. The pizza at the one where I grew up was actually ok and never had that sticky play area experience. Birthdays were always there or at Discovery Zone and were the best.

[@xXxXkuramaxXx]

Sometimes technology just ruins everything. Experiences are now all online. I just miss going out to get toys, going out to parks and playgrounds, listening to a boom box on the street. We won’t get this again unfortunately.

[@indy4202]

Chuck E. Cheese was like a hang out club for kids. It will always have a special place in my heart.

[@paveladamek3502]

Says: "...locations across the globe" Shows only 5 locations outside the Americas.

[@Officialkalvinn]

Well... it’s across the globe

[@Ethan-im3kr]

After Five Nights at Freddy.. i’ll never look at this the same again..

[@dead4273]

Nah I never even knew that Freddy was a name back then. I just took one look at chucky and was like HELL NO

[@_3y]

@@dead4273 lol I hate him to but I just cant remember the band

[@Hessed3712]

Ethan Same. I just see nightmare fuel.

[@SleepSheepParade]

@@dead4273 i liike chucky(not chuck e chese) why dont you like chucky

[@gilbertmorse3674]

It’s literally not even scary though, he doesn’t even look scary.

[@mgtmusic2926]

To see Chuck E. Cheese go Bankrupt just breaks my Childhood heart

[@benl6998]

I cant believe I never heard about that before this video

[@sabresnowleopardaj8959]

Same here

[@abdullahrizwan592]

Same here, I am 14 and I have fond memories of Chuck E. Cheese.

[@veeehe]

i honestly don’t care i never really liked chuck e cheese

[@Lyenati]

@@veeehe monster

[@donsolos]

I still remember being a little kid and how mind blown I was the first time I saw the animatronics. I remember turning to my mom and asking if they were real and subsequently how disappointed I was when she said they werent lol. Chuck e cheese and discovery zone man, those were THE birthday spots.

[@7Namjoon]

I have such strong memories of kids running under the tables to hide when the Chuck mascot would come off stage and walk around the arcade for pictures. It was lowkey horrifying, my parents would make me stand there frozen in fear to smile on my birthday. The 90s were funny

[@DiaryofaWimpyKidfan15]

I never wanted to take a picture but when the person operating the costume saw me, they basically were following me all around the room. It was only after I *SAT DOWN FOR PIZZA* that they FINALLY realized I did not want to take a picture.

[@theshepherdsdog]

the longer i grow up, the more things i enjoyed and grew up with as a child goes away. it's sad to know that a piece of my childhood will never bring more memories for newer generations.

[@erikaortiz100]

Exactly!!!😭💔 the honest prime time of my life and it's so sad there might not be something similar happiness to my future children. It would be a similar feeling like going to Disneyland but for low income family.

[@transmeeshax6872]

Bankruptcy doesn’t necessarily mean the end. They might be fine.

[@BuzzzdLightyear]

That's America bro. Gotta crush profits every quarter or else you're gonna get cut.

[@roopkd]

Same! It was already bad enough that Toys R Us was taken away and now Chuck E. Cheese, it breaks my heart

[@ItsEv]

chuck e cheese lasting until 2021 and emerging from bankruptcy:

[@BH-rm1ch]

Now I feel guilty about all the tickets I stole back in the 90’s. 😭

[@squidzo1d]

dont be man. you just earned all my respect

[@jomuffins6551]

@@amoryblaine6450 You studying for Chinese exam?

[@reta2021]

@@jomuffins6551 think so. Abla espanol por que : I speak spaish u do to?

[@jomuffins6551]

@@reta2021 no.

[@jessicah3450]

Nah, I don't. Those prizes cost a lot of tickets for how cheapo they were.

[@bennyboiart7781]

As much as I’ve never personally been a fan of Chuck E Cheese, I do feel somewhat bad for the tarnishing of their reputation after watching Food Theory’s video debunking the recycled pizza myth.

[@Xalgucennia]

I had always assumed the mouse was because of the cheese in pizza, and that it was planned from the start. I can't believe it was all because they ordered the wrong constume

[@MrNight78]

This is a reminder that how resiliant the human body actually is. We ate greasy, cardboard pizza made by underpaid workers, played games that are probably only cleaned once a day, touch our face, run in giant tubes and swim in ball pits, and were alive. Wow. Lol I didn't grow up in the 90s i grew up in the 2000s and 2010s, I ain't old. Yes, I now know the recycled pizza rumor isnt true. Apologies.

[@dlg.studios5649]

Never thought of that! 😳

[@kjohnson954]

was only about one, maybe two lifetimes ago that kids around that same age would've been working in coal mines lol humans are, if nothing else, adaptable

[@asim9795]

@@kjohnson954 well said

[@t84t748748t6]

yes you can get sick but living your youth in a super clean place is way worse and be honest as a kid you didnt care about that

[@npc4210]

It’s very sad to think that. As this place is any child’s DREAM :(

[@CZsWorld]

Admit you only made this video because Company Man's video did well

[@varunvadhera1744]

I was looking for this comment

[@noahnoah2935]

Agree

[@GastelumTheGreat2]

They’re completely plagiarizing him. This is not the first time.

[@robonick3607]

Insider does this all of the time. I despise their mediocre, understudied videos.

[@micahjohnsonboxing6409]

I like company man but he absolutely didn't start failed business KZbin trend, if anything he copied the genre and did it really well.

[@SandraSalazar]

So many memories of Sundays at Chuck E Cheese. One time we took hours redeeming all of our tickets, my parents had saved bags of them so we could trade them in for a big prize. (I felt so cool, having so many tickets.) We would hide in the play tunnels so our parents could not find us and tell us it was time to leave. They always thought of the concept as an intro to casinos, but for kids. Who knows, maybe they will be able to make a comeback 🍕

[@Fusiongearz]

I was a little sad when the CEC I went to as a kid closed down for some reason, but not really surprised as I haven't seen it anywhere near as packed as it used to be.

[@cosmoraid3013]

"Charles Entertainment Cheese was an orphan and celebrated others birthdays to make up for his tough childhood" _-no one knew when his birthday was, so he never had a birthday party of his own. But not for long, because with so many kids at the orphanage, there was a birthday party every week._ ....dang

[@transmeeshax6872]

They just don’t put that kind of thought into sht these days.

[@darwincity]

They hired Tim Burton to write that backstory, apparently.

[@Dan-di9jd]

It's like Ronald McDonald. He wants you to eat that double cheeseburger but you never see him eating one.

[@transmeeshax6872]

When I was a kid they still had tunnels that were so convoluted and too small for adults to be able to enter them. It was like a labyrinth you could literally get lost. Good times...

[@Mrkevi123]

My little brother (age 3 at the time) got lost in those tubes. The whole chuck e cheese staff started helping us look for him. After 10 minutes we couldn't find him anywhere in the restaurant. Then some one looks up above our table at one of the clear dome corner tubes. There was my little brother, pounding on the clear sound proof dome trying to get our attention for what must of been an eternity to him.

[@sorimasn]

Lol there’s like 4 tubes, a central sitting place with windows, and a slide. Nostalgia makes you forget how quick the hide and seek games were.

[@Chuked]

@@sorimasn yeah and the tubes smelled like poop

[@Polarcupcheck]

I forgot all about that. I feel shame not remembering the mouse holes. The one I went to had that, ball pits, arcade, and animatronics like a dog playing Elvis songs.

[@missbleach8767]

@NoahDaNoob Gaming hi I'm bleach and I'm non toxic

[@baalmolech]

The best day of my life was on a Friday after school going to a friend’s birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. What I would give to feel a degree of joy like that again.

[@user-wk4np7fh2v]

"Company was doing great for decades but saw a decrease in sales in 2020, so what happened?" TAKE A WILD FVCKIN GUESS, LADY

[@ahandsomeduck5665]

What actually happened I’m not American I’m Australian lol

[@account5003]

Without chuck-e-cheese, fnaf wouldn’t be a thing

[@HamidHamimid77]

Lmao

[@TortugaBruv]

What?

[@osopotato1698]

garbage games

[@lilstanger499]

@@osopotato1698 I respect your opinion but let me say one thing...HOW DARE YOU!!!!

[@antoverlord]

@@osopotato1698 😑

[@marcusizayah]

When I was in the 4th or 5th grade, we started calling our one friend “Chuck E Cheese” because he had buck teeth like a rat lol (kids are ruthless) that later developed into just “Chuckie” to and then again into just “Chuck”.. to this day, everybody who knows him still calls him “Chuck” even his mom lmfao. His name is Justin. Great guy.

[@hamianagrande]

that’s kind of cute but also extremely rude at the same time lol

[@hamianagrande]

Does he still have buck teeth?

[@marcusizayah]

@@hamianagrande & to answer your question, yeah, kinda he does 🤣 although he has sorta grown into them

[@marcusizayah]

@@hamianagrande omg lol they keep deleting my response, where I say that MY nickname was STINKY/STINK because my mom was broke and we always got our electricity/& hot water shut off, I couldn’t do laundry or take showers and so my peers called me stinky lol, idk why they keep deleting my response this is like the 4th time I’ve typed this!!

[@penguinvic4188]

@@marcusizayah I really sympathise with you on this. First time I ever heard of Chuck E. Cheese (don’t think they ever had these in Australia but found out there was one in Melbourne it seems) but I still don’t the YT thought police should be taking down your obviously harmless posts !!

[@priscillabarcenas8344]

I was born & raised in San Jose ca. the Chuck E. Cheese on the east side was always the biggest joy back then. It’s sad that I heard recently they want to turn it into a strip club. The big windows with the characters in them was very iconic but it’s also said to be haunted. It use to be a toy store before Chuck E. Cheese

[@grubhubguy9629]

I had several birthday parties at Chucke Cheese and even attended a few. It was always a lot of fun as a kid. Kinda sad to see it close down now as it was a big piece of my childhood.

[@flimpeenflarmpoon1353]

A powerful rat named Charles Entertainment Cheese

[@3xfaster]

Ah, I see you are a fellow aficionado of Defunctland.

[@chasesin2216]

I had a birthday there when I turned 5, I just remember being horrified of the giant bipedal mouse man lmao

[@itsallagame2013]

HAhahahahaha

[@jbarral6509]

Yeah Its like it's before fnaf

[@lunahetfield]

"Giant bipedal mouse man" what the hell is that XD

[@Ivory540]

Same

[@elisabethfanfan9560]

Facts creepy

[@Inferno45]

They messed up when they removed the tokens and added the stupid plastic credit cards instead.

[@slerptds]

For real, I think it was for COVID.. But if they did have the tokens I think CEC would be doing much better.

[@amansour1150]

ngl, Chuck E. Cheese was actually one of the grandest places anyone wanted to go for birthday parties when I was in preschool. I jumped on the trend bandwagon and celebrated my 5th birthday there. I actually have an irreplaceable photo of me (and my dad holding me up closer to the camera using his lap) that still hangs proudly on my bedroom wall today. I have fond memories of my birthday party there and despite the slumps of the place and overall dirty, crummy new aspects that are expected of the place nowadays, Chuck E. Cheese will always have a place in my heart as one of the most fun places on earth in my preschool-kindergarten years. :)

[@stanleylittlejohn2265]

Honestly surprised that they didn’t mention the impact stuff like five nights at had in the business because that was a horror game literally situated around an animatronic pizza restaurant where the animatronics murder the kids. Not a good brand image at all if the kids are terrified of the thing that’s meant to be sparking joy

[@cranberry9409]

Stanley Littlejohn i dont think fnaf really impacted the image of the brand

[@arcad1ac]

karyu it’s starting to with all the annoying ass kids believing the hoaxes of 5 kids goin missing.

[@thatmemer96]

Stanley Littlejohn indeed, im VERY suprised they didnt take action against fnaf.

[@katelyng1019]

Honestly it pisses me off that a fictional horror game ruined the image of Chuck E. Cheese's. Because I mean, yeah, it's definitely not the best place, but it's a safe place for kids to have fun, and several generations of children have grown up with Chuck E. Cheese's as a part of their childhood. I loved it. I used to go there almost every birthday, I even went there when I was 13 years old. I'd be sad if it went away.

[@TheGamingParadise22]

Katelyn G Several generations? Do you know how generations work?

[@cee_el]

I feel like arcades will revive if they tried in America. In Japan’s it’s still huge and round 1 arcade (from Japan) also opened up in the United States too. The one in Long Island NY is popular. As long as arcades have updated systems and better toys, there’s definitely hope

[@sorimasn]

Dave and Busters is reviving arcades. We won’t have mom and pop arcades or well maintained arcade areas at pizza shops be as big as they used to anymore but at least we have the bar/restaurant/bowling alley/karaoke/arcade hybrids in most every major city now.

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

Japan is culturally frozen in a time 50 years ago, what flies there is irrelevant to the rest of the world. In the rest of the world, people blow their money playing the same shitty games on their iphones and androids, and they can do it without leaving their house! it's amazing

[@Brayan-hc6eu]

where in long island? do you know?

[@NiSE_Rafter]

There's some smaller retro arcade places in Austin and DFW in Texas. One of my favorites in DFW closed (mainly because it was based out of a dying shipping mall that eventually kicked everyone out to remodel) but Austin still has Cidercade. Cider and games are always a good time. Round One in DFW also has a decent amount of people whenever I've gone. There's definitely a market for this.

[@sukottotsukeshi.]

And besides Chuck E. Cheese was my intro to arcade gaming albeit maybe minus the token amusements

[@ThePoorBoy]

I was a Chuck E. kid in '80s and '90s Southern California. Celebrated several of my childhood birthdays there and always had a great time. I think the company just needs to get back to the basics. Kids haven't really changed all that much in terms of what delights them. Hope the company keeps the legacy going -- Chuck E. has become a huge part of American culture.

[@GolDRoger-hy4ei]

I remember, even in the 90s, I thought it was weird that Chuck E. Cheese video games felt outdated compared to stuff we had on consoles, especially when the N64 came out. They need to keep up with technology better. I get that they have other type of games too, but they really do gotta make some changes.

[@keepingitreal71]

When they decided to get rid of the band... It was game over for me.... When he went to a tiny mouse it made things a lot worse...

[@epicboyo4883]

Around 2017. They’re getting rid of them for cost reasons. But with COVID, it’s not going to be effective til further notice.

[@jesss.7788]

Yes the rat 🐀 costume switch threw me off. How did he b/c so tiny and “hipster” The change of appearance is not one way of getting the 2nd generation to return when even parents can’t enjoy a bit of the old nostalgia

[@alexandredasilva8797]

as someone who grew up watching those commercials, it kinda killed a small part of my childhood to hear its gone now

[@ItsEv]

its actually fine. they made it out of bankruptcy.

[@cchavezjr7]

I love taking my daughter there. Hate the cards and wish they still had tokens but they really did step up on their food. The pizza really is good.

[@chervoviytuz]

I work there, the cards really just seem soulless imo :( and the virtual tickets as well..

[@cchavezjr7]

@@chervoviytuz exactly. The physical tickets are fun. You can see the rewards coming and then taking to the counter machine was always fun for my daughter :(

[@chervoviytuz]

@@cchavezjr7 people sometimes come up to me and ask where the coins and tickets went and their disappointment always makes me sad

[@cchavezjr7]

@@chervoviytuz Yup, my daughter asked me where the tickets were and I had to tell her they were on the card. She was sad. Kids are visual and want to have that experience :(

[@BlueAversion]

I can see how the arcade system would work really well with kids in the 90s and even the early 2000s. But trends change, and you need to keep up. By the 2010s, it would be clear its time to adapt, which it seems the company didn’t- hence bankruptcy in 2020.

[@vance836]

So you mean they filled bankruptcy in a year where everything was closed due to social distancing and mask mandates? Sure COVID had nothing to do with that.

[@securityism]

Shane Dawson is now crowned the destroyer of childhood memories and an absolute monster.

[@joelwilliam6633]

Agreed

[@inf.3904]

And food theorists just came with a test

[@ItsEv]

exactly

[@mellamojeff458]

an absolute monster in that area being very bad

[@glitteresque]

Well his theories are true.

[@edgarsmoonrocks1562]

the chuck e cheese by me was shut down by the mayor because it became a place for parents to brawl. discovery zone was better anyways

[@user-vi4xy1jw7e]

I miss DZ

[@necrosegamingreaction]

Parents at chuck e cheese pretty much fight over there

[@alfredoalcantar8691]

Nah charged to get in and they are closed

[@Hessed3712]

Edgar's Moon Rocks I totally forgot about a Discovery Zone! That place was so cool!

[@XtinaLucia]

Was looking for this comment! Discovery zone was way cooler!

[@infadel885]

You left out that Chuck e Cheese had the highest assault and battery arrests for a restaurant. The place was a ghetto nightmare for birthday parties

[@daughterofsarah2793]

My siblings and I would save our tickets and let them accumulate until we got the biggest prize or multiple prizes. We would also save some of our coins for the next time we went. My family wasn't rich at all but they did treat us to Chuck E. Cheese every now and then. Goood ol' memories!

[@justaregulardumbass]

I did the same thing!

[@CosmoMakeupgurl]

25 years ago the pizza was great! My dad would take me here almost every other weekend. I remember loving it!

[@soulhoney1908]

Did you enjoy the place? also did you get some prizes?

[@Dead-zq7id]

When she said " the golden years of chuck e cheese" that hit the spot, early 2000s were my years

[@Joshua-dx7zn]

The store by us closed down because of COVID. Then this year I saw some work being done on the place and wondered what they were putting in that location. Well what do you know, it was a fully remodeled Chuck E. Cheese with a huge 15 foot Chuck statue on the side. Place is such a rip off though, but the kids love it.

[@eatfruitsalad345]

found it super interesting throughout this series seeing how brands switch hands and ownership yet still live on owned by new people, kind of alive independently of the people who created it

[@jacobschulze4369]

The good days when we could go places....

[@illiapagan2860]

Love chuck e cheese I wish they had one in valdosta Georgia

[@derrickgibson5644]

Facts

[@eliseverheugen3689]

My parents had a friend who had their 40th birthday party there. That’s how you know it failed its mission.

[@Eugenepanels]

lmao no way really you have some mentally ill people lol

[@alizaerrr]

Who the hell would ever celebrate their 40th birthday in a little kid's place bruh-

[@eliseverheugen3689]

@@Eugenepanels it was for the irony I think? who knows

[@TheFemSniper]

@@Eugenepanels Dont know why you would literally make fun of mental illness like that but ok. You people judge way to goddamn much like this isnt your problem??? Grow up and stop insulting other people because you're "too cool" Just let people have their fun.

[@katelyng1019]

@@alizaerrr I mean, the company has been around for the past 43 years. So a lot of people in their 40s grew up going to Chuck E. Cheese's, and a lot of them probably even took their own children there. So they may have had their birthday party there for nostalgic reasons.

[@albertseabra9226]

My kids grew up going once a weeek to Chuck's Dream-Land. Upon completion of Post-Doc Programs, we returned to Europe. However, often times we travelled to the US -- and a Visit to one of the locations was always a must. Apparently, COVID 19 was also lethal to our Friend Chuck. GET WELL SOON, OLD PAL. OUR FAMILY HAS FANTASTIC AND TENDER MEMORIES OF ALL THE AMAZING DAYS SPENT IN YOUR COMPANY.

[@gamerx1796]

Lets be honest: The moment Chuck E Cheese dug their own grave was when they took down Mr. Nightmare's creepypasta.

[@janettevazquez244]

What? Please do tell!!

[@elenabermejo1732]

I second this

[@gamerx1796]

@@janettevazquez244 Mr Nightmare once released his own creepypasta of Chuck E Cheese which got really popular but then the retards working over there threatened to sue him as they felt that video "misrepresented" them.

[@marlinanenomeposeidonthdar4677]

Gamer X interesting, never knew of this.

[@StacySloan66]

This was my first job and this was the funniest job I ever had as a party host . It taught me customer service and really multitasking seriously! The pros out weighed the cons . I made good tips so the shitty adults didn’t make it that bad . I hope they can revive seriously I’m pregnant now and I want to be able to take my kid to Chuck e chess once she’s of age ❤️

[@soulhoney1908]

Congratulations it's a boy or girl?

[@julianvazquez437]

Your best bet is Dave and Busters

[@AkoTE.]

So, I was at Chuck E. Cheese’s and I was playing that wheel game where you hit the button when it touches jackpot, and I got the jackpot, the person in the mascot suit noticed and gave me a high five. It was one of the only accomplishments I’ve made where more than 1 person was proud of me.

[@Ava-np9xn]

I actually adore Chuck E Cheese and the characters, even as an adult.

[@beepbeepgamer1305]

oh gosh where did my childhood days go. i remember my bros and sis together with childhood friends in chuck e cheese back in the day until we moved out to india. Most fun i ever had before.

[@Markynaz]

Chuck E. Cheese didn't die, it's now rebranded as Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria.

[@Lime_1509]

No

[@JimiHendrix_67]

You mean Showbiz Pizza Place?

[@theempireofjudah9315]

@@JimiHendrix_67 no. He talking about 5 nights of freddy

[@JimiHendrix_67]

@@theempireofjudah9315 I was talking about Showbiz pizza being rebranded,not Chuck e. Cheese. BTW mind your own business next time😁

[@ItsEv]

@NoahDaNoob Gaming same bruh like chuck e cheese characters hold a place in people's childhood, and fnaf fans are trying to ruin it.

[@deep15fifteen]

"Kids attracted to animatronic animals" *Not me afraid of FNAF*

[@HaAhyashahChaakam]

This was my favorite place in the 90s. I celebrated turning 15 at Chuck e cheese. My friends were like why are we going here and complaining then, turn around, LOL everyone was playing and enjoying themselves. 😊 Memories

[@The_Horizon]

4:33 sorry

[@ReficulQwertz]

verified and two day old comment with one like? woah

[@marlinanenomeposeidonthdar4677]

Big black balls

[@marlinanenomeposeidonthdar4677]

Big black balls

[@stevenhuynh8843]

How do you confuse a rat with a coyote? 🤦‍♂️

[@johnmiller8884]

Lets talk about the state of printing and image quality in the mid 1970s. Yes general interest stores could afford full color offset printed catalogs, but specialty places selling mascot costumes probably Xeroxed their catalogs.

[@gimmecandy4918]

I kinda wanna bring back restaurants like these If you throw in some creativity and passion, it might just work out But I don't have any money or business experience so... yeah

[@nicolepelke6434]

Uhhh I work there. We don't have anything anymore, we're a glorified arcade that serves pizza and hosts birthday parties. It's not bad, though

[@carrow2250]

Anyone remember the strobe light room? It had a small door and a button on the outside that turned the strobe light on and lids danced around. Everyone I’ve told this to doesnt recall it at all. Maybe it was just the one store, who knows.

[@silent_cipher9308]

Yeah they had that attraction in a few locations. So you are one of the lucky ones!

[@mikeanaya7061]

The Chuck E. Cheese downfall I believe was that they kept changing things from better to worse. They should have upgraded there animatronic show to more of a comical show as well as performing newer updated popular songs. Even add a program so the characters could mention your name on your birthday and even sing to you. I work at a restaurant and people are always requesting we sing happy birthday to whoever is having a birthday. People love that stuff! They also didn’t do to much with adding and subtracting from there basic menu. As time goes on people tend to change what they eat after the years. Chuck E. could have added some more healthier good tasting options on the menu for the adults since they’re the payers. Another downfall is the cleanliness of the restaurant. Most establishments lacked cleanliness. You don’t want to go into a restaurant and it has a lingering stench. They also lacked good competitive games that could keep the teenagers and young adults entertained as well. No teen or young adult wants to go to Chuck E. Cheese and just sit there all day watching the animatronic show. Add competitive games. Chuck E. needed to give adults stuff to do as well. Adding games that a D&B would have might help! Another very bad idea was changing Chuck E. into a sickly skinny looking rat that looks more like a mouse. The newer Chuck E. does not look at all appealing and he lacks a stand out fun look. Whoever is making the Chuck E. decisions for the company has failed miserably. Start over from scratch Chuck and maybe the company can still be saved!!!

[@stacynewton34]

You forgot about the prices. They are worse than ever

[@perfectdark287]

They did add new popular songs. They did add segments of the video shows where your name would get called and celebrated if you were there for a birthday. They did add healthier options. They did more and more upkeep with cleanliness. The place just sucked lol

[@JustCameronT]

I was scared of Chuck E... Not sure how most kids loved him 😂

[@prprpr3108]

My parents used to slip 4 Chuck E. Cheese coins as “allowance” if we slept on time, nostalgic

[@yt-champ8050]

This gives me back so many childhood memories 😩😔

[@theonenani529]

They messed up when they replaced the golden token. Even worse when they replaced chuck e with a DANCE FLOOR.

[@soulhoney1908]

Yeah i can see that

[@songshit2541]

And now they have these “E tickets” (virtual tickets) which are added to your play pass instead of the games dispensing them

[@funtimefreddy1129]

Maybe they should change it back, WHO REALLY WANTS A DANCE FLOOR? No one😠

[@songshit2541]

@@kinokiita yeah Ik it’s sad now you don’t to experience that feeling of joy when you won the jackpot and seeing tickets shooting out of the game or getting mad because you only got one ticket and thinking the game is a scam. I wonder what they are gonna do when Chuck E. Cheese comes out and dance, like are the kids gonna just be catching air or candy but I like tickets better since you save them for a bigger prize

[@songshit2541]

When Chuck E. Cheese removes their animatronics completely I will just leave the fandom, no tokens, no tickets, no more animatronics what’s the point

[@moonboogien8908]

No way, the best era of CEC was the mid 80s.... When I was a kid. It was creepy and dark and weird and I loved it.

[@Tony-my3sy]

I love chuck e cheese! The ones in las vegas still have the early 2000's designs! it brings nostalgia

[@joseayala8506]

I was born in 81 and I can remember when we were little going to Showbiz pizza. My dad spoke terrible English and I can still remember how excited we got when he would say “vamos a CHOBEES” 🤣🤣🤣

[@Twitter_Posts]

I used to come here ALL THE TIME as a kid. Not gonna lie as an adult the pizza was AMAZING!!! I went back to the same one I went to as a kid, right before they closed :(

[@Dwafiz]

My favorite part was the ceiling-mounted tunnel playground. I felt so cool spying on everyone from up above :)

[@AthenaPlayz]

Before they changed to the cards I felt guilty for taking one coin home and now I feel like it’s the only part of Chuck E. Cheese I have left with me

[@leannaboyle6836]

That's when it all went down the toilet.

[@driley4381]

The last Chuck E Cheese I went to didn't have much in terms of actual arcade games. Everything was coin pushers and "catch the flashing light" games of luck.

[@TheDeltaChannel]

Any Teenagers watching business insider??

[@ruthenian.wisdom]

Ye

[@vedantchachan6509]

Ye

[@Mikaszzu]

Ye

[@serqanx1]

nope

[@sunny-lk5sr]

You little turds! Haha

[@anthonyn.7379]

I could’ve gone my entire life not knowing Chuck started out ghetto

[@allanariffle8463]

It ended ghetto to 🤣

[@blahblahblah33]

I remember going to Chuck E. Cheese and celebrating some kid’s bday and then ending the night traumatically barfing in the parking lot

[@Days-ru8jh]

7:05 IS THAT A CHUCK E CHEESE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN AT THE FAR RIGHT

[@starcherry6814]

Only memories I have of Chuck E Cheese were the *fights!*

[@JooshySushi]

they had a location in the ocean?

[@THEOGJIGSAWGMOD]

No it was an island/ village

[@toastarkat]

Their pizza was popular with aquatic life, too...

[@bimmer8602]

@@toastarkat *SPONGEBOB*

[@-avetree-8108]

When covid started. The company went down. Welp, there goes my childhood..

[@nealfiggy]

I had no idea Showbiz and Chuck E. Cheese were originally different companies until now... I grew up with a hybrid. It was Showbiz Pizza (where a kid can be a kid... same jingle) and Chuck was the main mascot but not part of the band (the Showbiz creepy band). This blew my mind. haha

[@1ynnical]

FNAF: I'm gonna ruin everyone's childhood

[@dre.s52]

gachatard

[@Jadam-ob5ej]

@@dre.s52 anime profile pic

[@dre.s52]

@@Jadam-ob5ej lol a leftist

[@Jadam-ob5ej]

@@dre.s52 you changed your profile pic 😂

[@Jadam-ob5ej]

@@dre.s52 also yea I’m a leftist because I’m not brainwashed

[@angel_caro_]

“Happy Boythay to you”

[@PeaceDweller]

..As somebody from the UK we never had a Chuck-E-Cheese here so back in 1994 when on holiday in Canada as a kid I tried one for the first time, and it is still to this day some of the best Pizza I have ever had.

[@EjRidenhour]

I went there as a kid and I’m glad I went there almost every birthday and if my friends or cousins got one we going I loved this place these new kids will never have something like this