Chuck E. Cheese Says Goodbye to Tokens and Their Animatronic Robot Band at Over 80 Locations
Chuck E. Cheese is making some major changes.
The entertainment center chain announced a big remodel back in 2017, but customers are finally starting to see the new look nationwide. By the end of 2019, over 80 locations will have been remodeled, a representative for Chuck E. Cheese tells PEOPLE.
Chuck E. Cheese is jumping into the new decade by revitalizing their brand and axing some of their most iconic looks for a more fresh, “modern” appearance — complete with a new logo and color scheme, “refined signage,” interactive light-up dance floor, and brighter lighting.
They’ll slowly be replacing their tokens with an “All You Can Play” model, so parents can simply “load up” a pass or wristband with time and allow kids to play as many games as they want during that period. That means more tickets and more prizes. Plus, kids won’t have to ask their parents for more tokens every ten minutes.
Perhaps the most shocking consequence of the change is the departure of their famous animatronic band, as previously eulogized by Father John Misty, in favor of a centralized dance floor where kids’ feet light up the floor as they move around.
Not all of their locations have been affected yet, though. Until remodels start at a location, guests can still go and stock up on tokens and enjoy the last days of the robot performers.
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“Our animatronics are certainly legendary and they bring up fond childhood memories for millions of adults and fans across the country,” CEC’s Entertainment chief executive Tom Leverton told CBS in 2017 when the change was announced. “As we move forward, we believe our live Chuck E. experience provides the best entertainment value for kids, who have higher expectations of realism and special effects.”
He also added that there’s a “strong hypothesis” that the robot performers will be replaced with live performers across the country at some point in the future.
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Kids will also be able to eat Chuck E. Cheese pizza and play their games in their own homes thanks to the new pizza delivery box launched last month that actually transforms into a DIY, at-home version of the signature Alley Roller game. In addition, the chain will be drastically improving their food and beverage experience.
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They’ve recently been debuting new menu options for their more health-conscious customers, like a cauliflower crust pizza and an endless salad bar with more than 30 items including garden-fresh fruits and veggies, meats, cheese, pasta salads, and more.
Some fun menu additions like BBQ chicken pizza and Unicorn Churros have been added, too. The churros come in cute unicorn cups and feature sugar-coated pink, green, and blue churros that are flavored like cotton candy, sour green apple, and blue raspberry, respectively.
