Vol. IX, No. 4, May 2009

In this issue

1. Editor's Corner
2. Is the recession creating new leisure-time habits?
3. Join us on Twitter
4. Mickey D's remakes restaurants and PlayPlaces
5. Pump It Up offers teambuilding
6. Foundations Entertainment University, July 14-16
7. America's worst restaurants for kids
8. Paradigm paralysis stifles entertainment destinations
9. Leisure varies across countries and cultures
10. Chuck E. Cheese's reports 2009 1st quarter sales

[ Index of Previous eNewsletters ]

Chuck E. Cheese's reports 2009 1st quarter sales

Chuck E. Cheese's reported that overall, comparable store sales decreased just 0.1% in the first quarter of 2009. However, there was a large variation in different regions of the country.

In markets where CEC Entertainment had five or more stores, seven markets had comparable declines of 4% or more. Five of these were in California and Florida. Los Angeles was the worst performing market, with same store sales decreasing 10.0%. Five markets had 4% or higher increases, with San Antonio, Houston and Pittsburg having double digit increases.

Considering the poor state of the economy, Chuck E. Cheese's is performing exceedingly well. We attribute this to:

• CEC's excellent management
• Being a community-based, affordable eatertainment destination, compared to just a restaurant, as most restaurants are fairing worse in the recession
• Parent's reluctance to cut-back on treats for their kids (see Is the recession creating new leisure time habits? in this issue).

To learn more about our projects and services

To learn more about our services and how we can help you with a new project or an existing one, don't hesitate to contact Randy White, our CEO, via e-mail or by phone at 816.931-1040. We are on Central Time (same as Chicago). Randy often works in the office on Saturdays, so feel free to contact him then if weekdays are not a convenient time for you to call.

Leisure eNewsletter is published on an occasional basis, about once every two months.

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White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, Inc.