Chuck E. Cheese files for bankruptcy protection

[pstokely]

Source: Los Angeles Times

But in recent years, the chain has struggled. Newer competitors like Dave & Buster’s offered bigger venues, while trampoline parks like Launch and AirTime offered party alternatives.

In 2014, CEC was bought by private equity firm Apollo Global Management. Under Apollo, it remodeled stores, introduced updated technology like gaming cards and revamped its menu, adding coffee drinks and premium beer and wine. It also refocused advertising to appeal more directly to parents.

In 2019, the chain’s same-store sales — or sales at venues open at least a year — were up 3%. They rose in January of this year but began falling in February and March.

The pandemic was a final straw, hammering restaurants like Chuck E. Cheese that relied on dine-in traffic and weren’t set up to do takeout.



Read more: https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2020-06-25/chuck-e-cheese-bankruptcy

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does anyone go to Chuck E. Cheese for the pizza instead of the overpriced games? the ballpits have always been germ filled

[kimbutgar]

1. I hated taking my son there when he was little and he ended up the next day with colds or stomach

Virus.

But isn’t it ironic that another hedge fund ending up taking down something for children? No longer do we have stand alone toy chains. K Bee Toys, Toys r us and another chain that I can’t remember it’s nMe now that was destroyed by hedge funds. They really don’t want children to have joy their their lives anymore.

[pstokely]

2. he went in the ball pit, didn't he?

McDs around here seem be phasing those out, does the pizza rodent still have those? haven't been inside one in years, maybe you won't have go to a grandkid's party there

[kimbutgar]

3. Yes and the crawling tubes.

[Under The Radar]

4. If their games spit out coins like slot machines...

....their pizza was better and served beer, they would be as big as Vegas.
Then you could replace the animatronics with the lines of Garth Brooks and David Copperfield

[pstokely]

7. they've served beer at most locations for years

but limited selection, and they've opened new locations without the band

https://www.insideedition.com/investigative/21437-violent-boozed-up-adults-create-chaos-at-some-chuck-e-cheese-kiddie-parties-across-america

[Under The Radar]

9. Really I was just Joking. When I was a young father ...

...and first took my children the Chuck E. Cheese, I told my wife that “this is a casino training ground” and would make regular gamblers out of those who loved CEC the most.

[dem4evah]

5. Hope I don't offend anyone but this place was "Covidy"

before Covid 19 ever existed. My wife and I called it the 'germ factory' and never took our kids there. I think they're still relatively well adjusted despite being denied....whatever.

[Initech]

10. The last time I was at one was maybe 5 or 6 years ago.

And I really had to take a shower afterwards, it was one of the dirtiest places I've ever been. And I barely touched the pizza.

[RhodeIslandOne]

15. I went there as a kid

Back in the 80's. Never got sick. Maybe it built my system to this shit now.

[Canoe52]

6. I wish this had happened when my kids were little!

Couldn’t stand the place.

[iluvtennis]

8. My girls (and their friends) love Chuck E Cheese. I'm a sentimental being and will miss it. nt

[paleotn]

11. Better alternatives and kind of dated....

Covid-19 was the undertaker. Chuck has been going down hill for years.

[Warpy]

12. No adult ever went their for the food or the ambience

However, this is just another sad story of a place bought by vulture capitalism, overextended and burdened with debt, and killed off by an economic downturn. Children will miss them and maybe struggling pediatric practices will, also, as fewer children bring home crud from items difficult to clean, let alone sterilize.

I'm from one of the pre CEC generations. We got playgrounds with swings and monkey bars and other things now considered too dangerous for kids.

[pstokely]

13. that's why they had sell their shitty pizza on Grubhub under another name

also other places that serve booze for grown up at kids birthday parties, but will kids even care?

[dhill926]

14. took a friend's kids there once...

when they were on a trip. Thank god for the beer. It was shitty...but it was beer....