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.

MORE OF RISE AND FALL:
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The Rise And Fall of USPS
The Rise And Fall Of J.Crew

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The Rise And Fall Of Chuck E. Cheese

[ryoon]

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

[DCY]

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

[lukuswagner]

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

[catography]

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

[crab]

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

[ninja]

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.

[fbi]

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.

[s.schultz]

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.

[bruh-rkyh]

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

[FingeringThings]

That ticket hurricane machine was my childhood

[JSMIN-ggxl]

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.

[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.

[tallwonder]

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

[kylep]

"Locations across the globe"

*Shows only 5 locations outside the Americas*

[Zeldafanify]

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

[hollybear]

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

[bruhcheese]

"The first restaurant opened up in 1977 in San Jose California"

*Shows Los Angeles*

[Ethan-imkr]

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

[indy]

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

[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.