Several days ago, my family got to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime experience: we got to TOUR the CEC Entertainment home office. That’s right, we got to go to Chuck E. Cheese’s Headquarters!
For some reason, I never realized how close this office complex was. Seriously, the MAGIC happens practically in my own back yard! AWESOME.
There were so many fun activities we were able to participate in, but one of the best was being able to take a peek into the official Chuck E. Cheese’s Test Kitchen.
They had tons of fresh ingredients on hand, and all of the restaurant equipment you would expect to find at any of their restaurants. We saw some chicken wings, pizzas, sandwiches, and more being cranked out by the team for us to try after checking everything out.
Best of all, we got to hear from and talk to their new head chef, Chef Gregory Casale. This man has a career full of innovative and impressive restaurant experience. He became director of culinary development for Peter Piper Pizza back in 2011, so when CEC Entertainment, Inc. acquired Peter Piper Pizza back in October, he became the head man for both chains!
Chef Casale is taking Chuck E. Cheese’s to the next level. He is upgrading the ingredients so that the kids will still love it, sure, but the parents and grandparents, aunts, and uncles will get to truly enjoy it as well! For example, using all white chunks of chicken in the boneless wings and replacing mayonnaise from the pasta and potato salad with healthier and tastier ingredients.
Did you know that the average kid wants to go to Chuck E. Cheese’s 11 times a year, but their family usually only goes an average of 3 times a year? With the new menu changes, you’ll want to head in more often than just special occasions. After trying the food, I can assure you, you’ll crave it!
Did you know that the pizzas are made completely fresh? Each Chuck E. Cheese’s restaurant makes their own dough fresh every day. That’s right, it’s not a frozen dough! They use mounds of fresh produce and grate their own mozzarella cheese.
There are many new ideas in development and testing right now. A whole line of gluten friendly options, as well as vegan products are in the works. There are sandwiches being developed and tested that weigh in at under 500 calories, made with bakery style flatbreads.
Chef Casale is testing out different sauces and flavors for the boneless and bone-in wings, too. We got to try one that he’s about to approach the CEO with, and I think it’s a hit! Hopefully we’ll be seeing it hit the restaurants soon.
Chuck E. Cheese’s is now offering Limited Time Only offers and pizza flavors. Have you tried the Spaghetti & Meatball Pizza? That one was limited until June 30th only on the all new, reimagined lunch buffet!
Speaking of the buffet, what a great value that is. $5.99 for adults, $3.99 for kids, and it’s all you can eat during lunchtime hours. That’s cheaper than most value meals and kids meals anywhere else AND your kiddos will get to play around inside for as long as you’ll let them!
It’s a fun way to beat the heat, and we’ve been doing it for YEARS. When my oldest two kiddos were just toddlers and babies, we would go to Chuck E. Cheese’s a few times a month. Back then, they didn’t know about needing anything to play the games and didn’t care about prizes, so I got to socialize with other moms while they toddled around and came back to eat pizza for a few hours. Total win for us all!
If you’re planning on heading to Chuck E. Cheese’s, be sure to check out the Chuck E. Cheese’s Deals and Offers section of their website. We *ALWAYS* print out Rewards Calendars for each child a little bit before we head up there so they can earn freebies. We also like being part of their Chuck-E Club, because the coupons you get in your email are always a little bit better than the ones that you can find on their website (although those are good in a pinch!).
Also, your kids can earn tickets to redeem at the prize counter by playing some online Chuck E. Cheese’s games like Ticket Blaster® and Skee-Ball®. We do this every time for every kid, too! I like to get the most out of our CEC visit for sure. 🙂
What is your favorite menu item at Chuck E. Cheese’s? What would you like them to offer?
