Chuck E. Cheese is going under due to COVID, thoughts?

[Soldier]

Hello,
While I cannot speak for everyone here (especially those outside of the US, as i'm not sure if you've heard of it) I used to go to chuck E. Cheese very rarely as a kid. I remember going a few times when I was very little, and once every year or so for a friend's birthday party until the ripe age of 11 (I think?) when being serenaded by a decaying rat animatronic just isn't cool anymore and he stopped hosting it. This place was well known for outrageous ticket to prize ratios (if you wanted anything good, you needed to GRIND) pizza that allegedly tasted like cardboard and terrifying animatronics that would give any kid night terrors because of a certain game franchise that must not be named. Apparently, the CEC that I went to wasn't always on the up and up, and I don't remember why. Anyways, because of the current pandemic, the restaurant has lost an obscene amount of money and plans to shutter its doors. While I may not have had much of an attachment to the place, It's kind of sad seeing something that was synonymous with your childhood going belly up. What are your thoughts?

 

[kirabook]

Maybe its for its benefit? Maybe not for all the workers who will sadly lose their job, but if they manage to survive, maybe they can spend some timie making their establishments better (like a small town business) and expand again someday.

I've only been a few times in my youth cause poor, but for a kid, it was pretty fun even if grimy

 

[Soldier]

Maybe its for its benefit? Maybe not for all the workers who will sadly lose their job, but if they manage to survive, maybe they can spend some timie making their establishments better (like a small town business) and expand again someday.

I've only been a few times in my youth cause poor, but for a kid, it was pretty fun even if grimy

Very true, While it was a very popular idea in the 80s, it seems as though it was on its way out regardless. I remember seeing a few commercials with the revamped mascot and advertising the ticket blaster (boy do I wish I was able to go in that). COVID seemed to have just hit it at the right spot.

 

[Raz]

RIP Charles Entertainment Cheese.

 

[Xickin]

Good. That mouse terrified me as a child. I can't be around people in those suits anymore. They just terrify me to my core (hence why I can't watch things like "The Masked Singer")

 

[Soldier]

Good. That mouse terrified me as a child. I can't be around people in those suits anymore. They just terrify me to my core (hence why I can't watch things like "The Masked Singer")

A pain I know all too well, during their recent updates they apparently wanted to do away with the robots as the kids today quote "stopped watching them years ago".

 

[Xickin]

I HONESTLY wouldn't be surprised if they're why I can't be comfortable around anybody in a full-on costume, especially the furry community (and no, I don't have any prejudices towards them [I don't kink shame, bro]).

 

[ammocave]

Good. That mouse terrified me as a child. I can't be around people in those suits anymore. They just terrify me to my core (hence why I can't watch things like "The Masked Singer")

as I understand you, similar emotions

 

[Absent]

All Empires eventually fall...

 

[MATGSY]

CEC was originally created to be a place to put Atari arcade machines. That they lasted as long as they have in an age where arcades are dead is impressive enough.

Good. That mouse terrified me as a child. I can't be around people in those suits anymore. They just terrify me to my core (hence why I can't watch things like "The Masked Singer")

There's this series of PC games starring a bear in a tophat I wanna recommend to ya.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I never had great experiences at CEC. My mom was one of those parents that would go “Don’t go into the ball pit; bad people put needles in there and also other children pee and poop so it isn’t clean”

And, of course, being the pragmatic child that I was, I would explain that the other children seem to be fine but I would follow her wishes and not go in.

Also I was poor, so my mom would never bring me money to buy tokens to play the games.

And of course I had ruined my chances of getting to at least go in the little play maze because I got lost in one at a McDonalds as child.

So I was that child that sat at the table with the half-eaten grease-filled pizza that my mom wouldn’t even let me eat because I didn’t eat greasy foods at that age.

Essentially I have no fond memories of CEC and I am fine with the business crumbling. 8D

 

[kirabook]

Urg. Sounds like my mom. I think I've only been in a ball pit once in my life and it's because I was with my dad.

 

[Soldier]

I never had great experiences at CEC. My mom was one of those parents that would go “Don’t go into the ball pit; bad people put needles in there and also other children pee and poop so it isn’t clean”

And, of course, being the pragmatic child that I was, I would explain that the other children seem to be fine but I would follow her wishes and not go in.

Also I was poor, so my mom would never bring me money to buy tokens to play the games.

And of course I had ruined my chances of getting to at least go in the little play maze because I got lost in one at a McDonalds as child.

So I was that child that sat at the table with the half-eaten grease-filled pizza that my mom wouldn’t even let me eat because I didn’t eat greasy foods at that age.

Essentially I have no fond memories of CEC and I am fine with the business crumbling. 8D

Aw, poor Spockanort. If it's any consolation, my CEC never really had that much going for it in the first place. I remember one of those games involving water guns used to move a figure/inflate a balloon that you see in every carnival/fair ever. This time it had these jet skis with barbies sitting on top of them, and they would move depending on how much water you put into it. Also, I was never good enough/didn't go enough to win anything more than a small gummy candy in the shape of a crocodile. So that definitely soured my experience. (And to my knowledge, we didn't have a ball pit, so....).

 

[Perkilator]

I never had great experiences at CEC. My mom was one of those parents that would go “Don’t go into the ball pit; bad people put needles in there and also other children pee and poop so it isn’t clean”

And, of course, being the pragmatic child that I was, I would explain that the other children seem to be fine but I would follow her wishes and not go in.

Also I was poor, so my mom would never bring me money to buy tokens to play the games.

And of course I had ruined my chances of getting to at least go in the little play maze because I got lost in one at a McDonalds as child.

So I was that child that sat at the table with the half-eaten grease-filled pizza that my mom wouldn’t even let me eat because I didn’t eat greasy foods at that age.

Essentially I have no fond memories of CEC and I am fine with the business crumbling. 8D

Ugh, poor thing. Not even my parents are this overprotective (and they rarely are to begin with).

Anyways, CEC is where I had my 11th birthday, along with several other trips. This actually leaves a bit of a hole in my heart.

 

[Chuuya]

I only went to one once, and I had so much "fun". Take a look for yourself ignore the disgusting bangs :



So I'm not very affected by this.

 

[Soldier]

I only went to one once, and I had so much "fun". Take a look for yourself ignore the disgusting bangs :

View attachment 12853
View attachment 12854
So I'm not very affected by this.

Wow, that is the most disinterested child I have ever seen at a entertainment establishment. I remember mine had a similar kind of photo booth, but it made these cards with different jobs on them (firefighter, spaceman, etc.) smiled in some, frowned in others. I honestly expected more of a melancholy feel in this thread, but I guess I'll settle for this.

 

[Chuuya]

Wow, that is the most disinterested child I have ever seen at a entertainment establishment. I remember mine had a similar kind of photo booth, but it made these cards with different jobs on them (firefighter, spaceman, etc.) smiled in some, frowned in others. I honestly expected more of a melancholy feel in this thread, but I guess I'll settle for this.

I didn't know that both those took photos and that it was the only thing those did. There were no animatronics that I remember seeing and tbh if I did, I probably would have been terrified. Idk I guess I expected more from CEC at that time, or maybe I was an ungrateful little shit.

 

[Blackrazor187]

I can't say i ever had any memories of it since i'm a total introvert and partying never was my thing nor was visiting kiddy themed places like there. Sucks for those who had fond memories of that place though.