Chuck E. Cheese's

[Pikapower]

And the outside with the old "Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza" sign and the 1995-1998 "kiddie mouse" Chuck E. Cheese

I'm not sure when the Amherst, NY Chuck E. Cheese's opened? But  my guess is around 1989-1992

[TheFugitive]

There was one in West Mifflin, PA next door to a Service Merchandise where I was working.

It was surreal to walk in there during the daytime.  You'd see tables with 2 or 3 moms
sitting around finishing off a bottle of wine while the kids ran absolutely wild.

This store closed after a well-publicized incident in which a toddler found a loaded
gun inside the ball pit.  Apparently a man with a carry permit became ill, and lost his
gun in the restroom.  It was presumed that some other child had found it and carried
it into the ball pit.

That location is now a gym.

[Pikapower]

I read somewhere that Chuck E. Cheese got rid of their ball pits in 2004 in the majority of locations due to upkeep and the rumors of kids stealing balls from the ball pit and now I've heard that some locations are getting rid of the Skytubes playgrounds as well.

So in conclusion to what I've said Chuck E. Cheese is turning into a "Dave & Buster's Jr.", except for the Friday's/Applebee's style foods, the bar, and the arcade "credit" cards!

[buzz86us]

I remember the one in New Hartford which I think is still open I think I have been in there once as a kid.
Does Chuck E Cheese still have those animatronic things? I think Water Safari up in Old Forge NY must have bought some out from one of them a long time ago.
https://www.watersafari.com/rides-and-attractions/enchanted-attractions/rocky-ramblin-rascals
^^^^ this looks like a reconfigured version

[ynkeesfn82]

I went to the one in Newington, Connecticut once when I was in 3rd grade. It was a day off from school and a neighbor took his 2 sons along with me and another friend of his sons. I wasn't very impressed with the place.

[Pikapower]

Chuck E. Cheese's wasn't as good as Discovery Zone, but I had my birthday party at CEC three times!

It seems like the only thing that Chuck E. Cheese's has in the way of playgrounds is the toddler play area, the older kids just have coin op kiddie rides and arcade games no more Skytubes since Chuck E. Cheese's are phasing them out like McDonald's and Burger King are phasing out their playgrounds.

[Bdubs]

New London location has closed. I believe it happened this week. All signage has been reomwved and the inside is empty.

[Pikapower]

Do you guys think that those bounce house fun centers are going to be the "exterminator" for Chuck E. Cheese's?

[ynkeesfn82]

The one in Danbury, Connecticut closed. It wasn't even open that long. It was in the same plaza as Buffalo Wild Wings. The one in Meriden, Connecticut closed a while back too.

[TRU7536]

Orange, Waterbury, Manchester, and Newington are still open.

[Pikapower]

Chuck E. Cheese's should get a bounce house or two since bounce house are the latest trend in family fun centers.

[Bdubs]

New London location was pretty much forced out.  Landlord did not renew the lease.  I'm not sure what is going on with the property, but that location is a stand alone building and behind it is a large empty lot which once was home to a bowling alley.  They have been talking about doing something there forever, but could never find an interested buyer.

[TheFugitive]

Do you guys think that those bounce house fun centers are going to be the "exterminator" for Chuck E. Cheese's?

Not based on the feedback of a young mom at my church.  She took her kids to one of those centers, and was horrified by the cost ($17 per hour per kid!)
The insurance premiums you have to pay to run a place like that are quite steep apparently.

[Chuck E. Cheese]

Here's are some photo of what the Amherst, NY CEC looked like before it got "remodeled"

Those are Great Phase 3 Photos!

[Pikapower]

Here's are some photo of what the Amherst, NY CEC looked like before it got "remodeled"

Those are Great Phase 3 Photos!

What was "Phase 3" of CEC, was that the "phase" when the "Showbiz Pizza" name was phased out in favor for Chuck E. Cheese's?

[ynkeesfn82]

The one in Southington, Connecticut opened in June 1983 and closed in February 1984.  :o According to an article in the February 23, 1984 Southington Observer there were problem with the company internally and the closed 20 under performing locations nationwide and restructured. They were in what is now Shoprite Plaza where Joann's is now located. Back then their parent company was called Pizza Time Theater Inc.

Article starts on Page 1 and continues on Page 14.

http://southingtonlibrary.org/PDFFiles/newspapers/1984/02_23_1984.pdf

[Chuck E. Cheese]

The one in Southington, Connecticut opened in June 1983 and closed in February 1984.  :o According to an article in the February 23, 1984 Southington Observer there were problem with the company internally and the closed 20 under performing locations nationwide and restructured. They were in what is now Shoprite Plaza where Joann's is now located. Back then their parent company was called Pizza Time Theater Inc.

Article starts on Page 1 and continues on Page 14.

http://southingtonlibrary.org/PDFFiles/newspapers/1984/02_23_1984.pdf

Yep, around 1984 SPT (ShowBiz Pizza Time, the company that recently bought out the then Pizza Time Theatre, Inc.) closed a bunch of stores. After the Video Game Crash, I guess they couldn't handle that many units.

[Pikapower]

I do not forgive Chuck E. Cheese's for buying out Discovery Zone in 1999!  :-X

[Pikapower]

Chuck E. Cheese's used provide some corporate funding for many of PBS' kids shows mostly notably Barney & Friends.

[Chuck E. Cheese]

^ (That's back when they used Original artwork everywhere, too. Nowadays it's the same stuff plastered all around their website.)

[Pikapower]

Didn't Chuck E. Cheese's at one time test marketed those arcade "credit" cards to replace tokens?

[Chuck E. Cheese]

Yep. Around 2007 they tested "Chuck E.'s Token Card" at stores around Dallas(bear their headquarters) but it ended up not taking off because smaller children were swiping too much. Tickets were stored electronically. http://showbizpizza.com/tokens/cards/06card.jpg

Recently they brought it back with "Play Pass" but tickets are still Paper and there's no swiping, but passing over,(hence the name) on an NFC like chip(similar to Nintendo Amiibo and Skylander). This update is planned to go system wide by the end of next year. Your store might already have it.

[Pikapower]

^Something tells me that Chuck E. Cheese's might be phasing out tokens.

[Pikapower]

I remember when Chuck E. Cheese's did commercial comparing "boring" restaurants to Chuck E. Cheese's!

[Chuck E. Cheese]

You Mean This?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRHaZtSBsa4
That's a classic. :)

[Pikapower]

You Mean This?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRHaZtSBsa4
That's a classic. :)

Yes of course, but I was thinking more of this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yLvuDlDofo

[Chuck E. Cheese]

They are both from 1994 and I know they were made by the same people..The one I linked to is more common, haven't seen that one in a while.


This was their first commercial(that we have archived, We think there was an earlier one):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX-L4_2CHjA

[Pikapower]

This was their first commercial(that we have archived, We think there was an earlier one):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX-L4_2CHjA

Yeesh, the 80s version of Chuck E. Cheese (the character) look kind of creepy compare to Chuck E.'s current look!

[Brian the Helenman]

Me likey this place.

[Pikapower]

I think that maybe Chuck E. Cheese's should consider bringing back some of their "retired" animatronics like Pizzacam, Mr. Moon, Munch Jr., and Mr. Building.

Pizzacam


Mr. Building


Mr. Moon


Munch Jr.