Chuck E Cheese Just Pulled a Surprising Move to Target Adults
Description
Chuck E. Cheese recently opened a new type of arcade called Chuck’s Arcade, aimed at adults who grew up playing games and going to the entertainment venue. There are currently 10 Chuck’s Arcade locations open or opening around the United States, with more coming in the future.
The original Chuck E. Cheese location opened back in 1977, combining pizza, animatronics, arcades, playgrounds, and prizes together in one place. In the decades since, it has established itself as one of the hottest locations for children’s birthday parties and similar events. It also inspired popular video games like Five Nights at Freddy‘s.
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Now, Chuck E. Cheese is aiming for an older audience for the first time. Chuck’s Arcade is a new type of nostalgic entertainment location geared towards adults who grew up going to Chuck E. Cheese, arcades, and similar venues. These arcades feature iconic retro games like Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Mortal Kombat, Donkey Kong, and Centipede, alongside cutting-edge virtual reality games, racing simulators, and more contemporary classics like Halo and Jurassic Park.
Chuck’s Arcade – Chuck E. Cheese for Adults
There are 10 different Chuck’s Arcade locations that have been confirmed so far – many of which are open now – with more planned for the future. Each of these venues is unique; every arcade has a unique selection of games, prizes, and merchandise, all overseen by its own animatronic character, be it Chuck E. Cheese himself or one of the other personalities from Munch’s Make Believe Band. Many locations will also serve food, with the unique pizzeria in Kansas City, Missouri, featuring a full menu, alcohol, and original artwork spanning the history of the franchise.
Current Chuck’s Arcade Locations in the United States
According to Chuck E. Cheese CEO David McKillips, Chuck’s Arcade is “a natural evolution – an opportunity to extend our arcade legacy into new formats that engage both lifelong fans and a new generation through a curated mix of retro classics and cutting-edge experiences.” The venues are the company’s latest attempt at adapting to a new era after Chuck E. Cheese filed for bankruptcy five years ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic, spent $350 million on remodeling efforts across its 500 Chuck E. Cheese locations, and introduced less-expensive pricing tiers.
[Chuck’s Arcade is] a natural evolution – an opportunity to extend our arcade legacy into new formats that engage both lifelong fans and a new generation through a curated mix of retro classics and cutting-edge experiences.
The opening of these locations also comes alongside trying times for Dave & Buster’s, one of Chuck E. Cheese’s major competitors. The publicly-traded company reported a near-10% decrease in same-store sales, with “ill-advised changes” from previous leadership blamed for its troubles. Dave & Buster’s locations are already geared towards adult audiences, so Chuck’s Arcade could prove a real challenge for it. Fans will have to make their way to one of these new adult Chuck E. Cheese locations and see what these retro arcades have to offer them in the way of nostalgia and entertainment.
