- Chuck E. Cheese opens Chuck’s Arcade, a nostalgia-driven business that focuses on video games. The chain has opened 10 locations in 8 states. It hopes to attract an older audience in these locations.
Chuck E. Cheese is opening new locations, but Pasqually is not invited this time around.
The company has debuted Chuck’s Arcade, a new arcade-only destination that forgoes the pizza and costumed mascots for an added emphasis on video games and claw machines.
The brand extension will not replace existing Chuck E. Cheese locations. It will, however, open up the chain a bit to adults and older teens, who might normally have avoided going to the restaurant that’s a favorite for young children’s birthday parties. It’s also a gamble on nostalgia, as the company hopes to tap into the arcade-driven days of some generations’ youth.
“The arcade was created for adults and lifelong fans who grew up surrounded by the electric glow of arcade screens, the symphony of digital soundtracks, and the thrill of chasing high scores with friends long into the night,” the company said in a statement. “Chuck’s Arcade is a modern-day love letter to the games and people who made Chuck E. Cheese great.”
There are currently 10 Chuck’s Arcade locations in eight states, generally in major malls. Among the locations are St. Petersburg, Fla.; Trumbull, Conn.; Oklahoma City and Tulsa; Victor, N.Y.; Buford, Ga.; El Paso; Nashua and Salem, N.H.; and St. Louis.
Stroll into one and you’ll find not only the claw machine and games of chance that tend to make up the gaming collection of most Chuck E. Cheese restaurants, but also classic retro games, such as Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Mortal Kombat, Donkey Kong, and Centipede.
Each arcade is overseen by an animatronic character—and it’s not just Chuck E. Cheese. Other members of Munch’s Make Believe Band stand guard as well, though they no longer perform.