Vol. XXV, No. 8, July 2025 (2)
Review of Chuck's Arcade
Chuck E. Cheese has opened 10 Chuck's Arcade locations in malls and shopping centers in eight states. They are billed as retro-style arcades geared towards adults. Chuck's Arcades are the rebranding of six Fun Spot Arcades owned by CEC, plus four new locations.
Games include retro video games such as Ms. Pac-Man, Mortal Kombat, and Donkey Kong, as well as new titles like virtual-reality games, racing simulators, Halo, and Jurassic Park.
CEC's venture into adult-focused venues is an effort to diversify away from exclusively kid-oriented centers. CEC most likely recognizes that the market for their Chuck E. Cheese's centers is limited, if not shrinking, due to the declining birth rate, KGOY (kids getting old younger), and a significant shift in the meaning of family time, where parents are increasingly pursuing experiences that they enjoy while bringing their children along, rather than solely focusing on traditional kid-specific activities such as CEC.
One Chuck's Arcade is located in Kansas City, MO where our office is located, so we checked it out.
The location is a renovation of a former Peter Piper Pizzeria. It's located in an outside area of Ward Parkway Center, surrounded by four restaurants. It is not located in an urban area or in a mall, where it would have walk-by traffic. Other than some business it might get from restaurant customers, it is a drive-to destination.
The Kansas City location is the only one that includes food and beverages, including wine and beer. It is billed as Chuck's Arcade and Pizzeria. Food options include pizza, wings, and French fries.
Gameplay is charged by time. Prices range from $18 for 30 minutes, $33 for 60 minutes, to $39 for two hours. The Kansas City location has 45 games. There is also a gift shop.
In terms of being a destination pizzeria, it is sure to fail. There are only three pizza options: pepperoni, sausage, or cheese. A typical Chuck E. Cheese menu includes multiple pizza options, such as build-your-own, supreme, five-meat, veggie, and gluten-free crust, as well as a stuffed crust option. It appears that CEC envisioned it as a pizza destination based on the amount of booth seating they included. The kitchen area immediately to the left as you enter has no appeal and makes it look like the pizzeria is a failure.
CEC's press release said, "The arcade was created for adults and lifelong fans. . . It's a new destination where nostalgia meets the future." In terms of believing the concept has nostalgia appeal, the company seems to have overlooked the fact that any adult who endured taking their child to a Chuck E. Cheese likely has no fondness for the brand.
As far as the Kansas City location goes, we don't see any way it will succeed. Even Peter Piper Pizzeria, with much more appealing pizza, didn't. What we may have here is a good example of a company's brand hubris leading it astray.
As far as the other nine Chuck's Arcades go, we haven't checked them out. As strictly arcades with no food and beverages, they may be in viable locations.
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