I have met a couple of adults who are unlucky enough to have never visited a Chuck E. Cheese as a kid. Many of them were not able to fathom why anyone would feel affection to the chain. Some of them would be lucky enough to see it through their kid’s eyes’ eventually, but for many, they will just never understand the magic. So on today’s episode of the Retroist Podcast, I want to talk a little bit about that magic.
I started by discussing my first experience at Chuck E. Cheese. It was a mind-blowing time and one that I wish I could relive. Then I move onto the company itself. I talk about its founding, its founder, its growth, its relationship with Showbiz Pizza, its falls, rebirths and much more. I tried not to go too deep on the business of the company, but instead try to give a solid overview that should work for people familiar with the chain and those who aren’t.
Chuck E. Cheese was built for kids. It was a message its founder, Nolan Bushnell liked to make sure people working there knew. But this was also a major chain that made history and looked like it was going on to huge things in the early 80s, but having tied themselves to the arcade industry, it was hurt by the crash of 1983. Still, the company managed to dig itself out, refocus and continue. Other companies and food chains have come and gone, but Chuck E. Cheese adapts and survives.
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Production Notes
This is the 338th episode of the Retroist Podcast and episode 13 of the new season.
I recorded an episode about Chuck E. Cheese about a decade ago, but never released the episode for reasons.
Chuck E. Cheese brought on a lot of competition and over the years I have heard from many people who went to non-Chuck or Showbiz pizza places that had animatronics.
Pardon my attempts at a NJ accent.
I was going to talk about Showbiz Pizza, but I think I will save that for a future episode. I was lucky enough to have tried both in my youth.
The one I went to most was in the parking lot of the Willowbrook Mall in New Jersey. We would go to the mall and I would see Chuck E. Cheese across the parking lot and beg my Mom to take me. My biggest dream at the time was to have my birthday there. Sadly it didn’t happen.
I cut out a great deal from this episode, but did add in some fun retro audio. The part I might revisit would be the subsidiary and ancillary businesses that sprung up around the business. Maybe as a bonus track.
The last time I was in a Chuck E. Cheese was in the mid 90s. It still had a few arcade games that I could recognize, but a lot had changed. It was already not the place of my youth.
Bonus Clipping should be up on Patreon tomorrow.
Music on the show is, as always, by Peachy.
Thanks for listening to the show and I hope you have a great weekend.
I met Nolan Bushnell during the live stream closing out the Wasteland 2 crowdfunding. It was hosted at Brian Fargo’s house and he invited a number of friends, including the founders of Blizzard to celebrate ending a $3 million Kickstarter campaign. The thing that I’ll always remember was how enthusiastic Bushnell was talking about Burning Man and urging… URGING Fargo to go to Burning Man. 😂 I met and talked to his son more actually, he talked about his project, Two Bit Circus, a traveling tech/indie entertainment carnival of homemade games and local DIY inventors. A really interesting evolution of his dad’s legacy and carrying the torch for electronic entertainment. That was 12 or so years ago so it may have evolved a bit since then. If you can find a Two Bit Circus event near you, check it out!
Thanks for sharing this, I didn't know about Two Bit Circus. Just signed up for their newsletter.
I seem to remember the Chuck E Cheese being not at the Willowbrook Mall parking lot, but in front of the Service Merchandise. If I remember correctly, it was replaced by Pizzaria Uno.
I remember going to the Chinese restaurant next to SM a lot after seeing a movie at the Loews theater across the street.
You could be right. When I did spot it, I remember being able to spot in the distance, but I also could have just known it was near and REALLY wanted to go.
I wish I could find a map from the time (or even more detail older info of the Willowbrook Mall). I have some bonus clippings I will post, but I will do a little more digging tonight.