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Inside Chuck E. Cheese's high-tech makeover

The 45-year-old food-and-games chain is remodeling all of its 470
locations to cater to tech-savvy Gen Alpha kids and their
always-on-the-clock parents, to the tune of more than a half million
dollars per store. By [40]Heather Lalley on Jun. 17, 2022
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Chuck E. Cheese is spending a lot of money to keep pace with high-tech
Generation Alpha kids and their hard-working parents.

The food-and-games chain is in the midst of a massive remodel project,
adding more interactive tech elements to its units, upgrading its party
rooms and even installing device charging stations so mom and dad can
log some late work hours while their kids play.

Chuck E. Cheese just completed upgrades at its 10 locations in South
Florida, its first time remodeling all of the stores in one market.

The 45-year-old eatertainment brand, which wrapped up 35 remodels last
year, is spending between $500,000 and $550,000 per unit on the
makeover and plans to complete 100 this year, with the rest of the
chain's 470 units slated to be finished in the next two or three years,
said Alejandra Brady, the head of public relations and crisis
communications for Chuck E. Cheese. (Just 18 of the brand's stores are
owned by franchisees.)

"Part of the new leadership team's mission is to bring the Chuck E.
Cheese brand to the new generation," Brady said. "We have been known,
and we are, a multi-generational brand."

Brady herself said her first job, at 16, was at Chuck E. Cheese. She
worked at the chain all through high school and college before coming
to the corporate office 22 years later.

"The brand has evolved," Brady said. "The generation of today, from the
child's perspective, is a lot more tech-savvy than I was at five years
old. And the demands and needs of busy parents and grandparents, who
maybe need to do more work after 5 p.m. ... The mindset is continuing
to consider all the generations."

Technology is "front and center" in the updated stores, she said,
building on the introduction of a Chuck E. Cheese app last year and the
rollout of "play bands" and "play passes" several years ago to replace
cumbersome tickets and tokens.

"You used to have to use the ticket muncher," she said. "Now all of
that is quick. When mom is ready to go, she's ready to go."

The remodels are a significant investment but they appear to be paying
off: Updated stores are seeing a 20% boost in business, Brady said.

Here's a look at some of the major changes at remodeled Chuck E. Cheese
locations.

Store exteriors feature more neutral tones, rather than bright colors,
along with a new look for Chuck E. Cheese himself.

Photos courtesy Chuck E. Cheese

The menu aligns with Chuck E. Cheese marketing around the "four seasons
of fun," including seasonal LTOs, such as pizza variations, new ice
cream flavors and decorated cupcakes.

All the tables now have charging stations to plug in computers and
tablets, and there's a 200-inch LED video wall.

Seating has been reimagined so it's lower and walls have been removed
from the play area so caregivers can have better lines of sight on
their children, no matter where they are in the unit, Brady said.

A new gaming area has been created for the chain's youngest customers.

The birthday room has been expanded with more seating room.

Each remodeled location features an average of 15 new video games.

Instead of taking place in the birthday room, Chuck E. Cheese's show
with all of his mascot friends takes place every hour on the half hour
on the new interactive digital dance floor. "So, even if you're not at
a birthday party, you can enjoy the show," she said. "Kids can make it
light up. We know that kids want interactivity and things that light
up."

CEC Entertainment, the parent company of [44]Chuck E. Cheese and Peter
Piper Pizza, became the first major restaurant brand [45]to declare
bankruptcy in the early months of the pandemic. By January 2021, the
operator emerged from bankruptcy protection, removing about $705
million in debt from its balance sheet.
[46]design [47]News

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