Have you ever been to a Chuck E. Cheese from 1980-2009?

[Your_Homie_Gale]

I went to Chuck E. Cheese's around that time period a lot since I was under the age of 12 and I have to admit it was better at that time. Not just nostalgia talking but I remember the variety of arcade games that were there like Metal Slug, Initial D, Time Crisis, and DDR. I went there recently for my little sister's birthday 3 years ago and it just wasn't the same. A lot of the arcade machines are the same ones you find at Dave and Busters but less interesting. You have ticket farms, Mario Kart DX, and only rail shooters of today like Terminator Salvation (no Time Crisis or House of the Dead).

 

[Darzhgrod]

I remember the first time I saw a Dragon's Lair arcade was at a Chuck E. Cheese and I was like WHAT IS THIS WITCHCRAFT YOU CAN PLAY A CARTOON and I believe it cost 4 quarters per play, scandalous!, when 1 quarter games were still normal at the time, and you always lost all your lives in about 5 seconds. Also the ball pit was bangin' and the greasy pizza flowed like wine.

This documentary about the animatronic puppets is a must watch!

 

[MajesticSiN]

Yes a few times. I remember having fun but nothing too specific.

 

[semifraki]

I went to Chuck E Cheese's a couple of times when I was a kid. The main thing I remember was that the TMNT game was separated from the rest of the arcade games, probably because it drew a crowd.

Now I have kids of my own, and we end up at Chuck E Cheese's a few times a year for their friends' birthdays. The games really suck now, but the pizza is surprisingly good! Better than most other chain pizza.

 

[Grumpy_Old_Man]

They're not common around here, although I remember going once or twice...
My fondest memory is playing the original Riiiiiiiiidge racer, and sucking at it.

 

[Your_Homie_Gale]

I went to Chuck E Cheese's a couple of times when I was a kid. The main thing I remember was that the TMNT game was separated from the rest of the arcade games, probably because it drew a crowd.

Now I have kids of my own, and we end up at Chuck E Cheese's a few times a year for their friends' birthdays. The games really suck now, but the pizza is surprisingly good! Better than most other chain pizza.

That's one thing I'll admit. The pizza quality is better than I remembered. Probably because of the rumor that circulated about Chuck E. Cheese's recycling pizza despite it being false and having no real substance behind it.

 

[stealthRUSH stealthRUSH]

Yes I have. My friend had their birthday party there. I remember playing a few arcade games, whack a mole, and basketball hoop game. The remember the pizza being terrible. Anyone been to Dave & Busters?

 

[diet_orange]

Yes (born in 89). Mostly went to birthday parties, never just for the sake of it, except once with my babysitter and then I just played the original TMNT arcade. The one we have where I live is conveniently located right next to an abortion clinic (and no, I'm not joking)

Some years ago I found the Rock-A-Fire Explosion documentary and fell in love with it and also gained a new appreciation for the billy bob/chuck e cheese franchise as a whole.

I'm also not particularly scared by the animatronics, I find them kind of fascinating, especially with how they're operated

 

[Your_Homie_Gale]

Anyone been to Dave & Busters?

I have and I'm not really a fan. I like the buffalo wings but that's it. It has a handful of decent games like the Space Invaders one that's huge, the Pac-Man vs game, and Mario Kart DX that are fun; but I want real arcade games like from Capcom, Namco, SEGA, or SNK. The classics. There's something wrong when a bowling alley near my house as a Marvel vs Capcom machine when something modern like Dave and Busters doesn't have that. They should get some of those 1up Arcade Cabinets.

 

[diet_orange]

I have and I'm not really a fan. I like the buffalo wings but that's it. It has a handful of decent games like the Space Invaders one that's huge, the Pac-Man vs game, and Mario Kart DX that are fun; but I want real arcade games like from Capcom, Namco, SEGA, or SNK. The classics. There's something wrong when a bowling alley near my house as a Marvel vs Capcom machine when something modern like Dave and Busters doesn't have that. They should get some of those 1up Arcade Cabinets.

I've heard that D&B doesn't really take care of their machines properly, but this was heresay from a podcast from 2009 (I will forever miss Destructoid's "Retroforce Go!")

 

[stealthRUSH stealthRUSH]

I went a few times, although I'd say it was a step-up from Chuck E. Cheese when it comes to the food and (limited) arcade machines but nothing to write home about. I was fortunate to have a large arcade venue near, my parents would take me to go on my birthday or special occasions as a kid/teen in 90s and early 2000s.

 

[ookamij64]

Anyone been to Dave & Busters?

Unfortunately no, part of me would like to but the only one in my homestate is far up northwest. The only other place I know of that's close to me and is similar is Incredible Pizza.

 

[Deleted member 132407]

Speaking of Chuck E. Cheese....

Kids watch Chuck E. Cheese mascot arrested for credit card fraud

Jermel Jones, 41, of Tallahassee, was arrested Thursday while dressed as Chuck E. Cheese.

www.the-independent.com

 

[CheesyExplosive]

yep... between age 6 and 5.

Post automatically merged: Jul 25, 2025

Yes I have. My friend had their birthday party there. I remember playing a few arcade games, whack a mole, and basketball hoop game. The remember the pizza being terrible. Anyone been to Dave & Busters?

 

[Mr. SyS]

Once about 25 years ago and never again. I don't remember much of anything so was it worth it? Probably not. I know I wouldn't like it if I went today with all the shrieking brats and drunk parents.

 

[Badseed Badseed]

There was a 14 multiplex cinema where I grew up and they not only had a Chuck E Cheese in the complex but they also had a Razz Ma Tazz (which was a cheap knockoff). I remember getting dropped off at the theatre by my parents to see the first Batman movie, than going to CEC with my friends. A lot of pizza, a lot of video games and somebody probably peed in the ball pit. great memories.
Unfortunately we all know what happened to Chuck...

 

[Dyne]

I'm going to Chuck E. Cheese's tomorrow for my nephew's 7th birthday.
So it is still a thing. But yeah its totally different from the 80s version I remember.

 

[CyberRabbit]

I'm going to Chuck E. Cheese's tomorrow for my nephew's 7th birthday.
So it is still a thing. But yeah it’s totally different from the 80s version I remember.

I hope your nephew has a fun birthday!!

 

[Dyne]

I hope your nephew has a fun birthday!!

Thanks!

 

[Kamomedan]

Yup. Had to be around the early 2000s. I vaguely remember playing a TMNT arcade cabinet.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

Not really a thing in my area, I'm afraid.

 

[Turbo Kid]

Yes, but I don't remember much. There were other local places I went to much more frequently to play arcade games and I have more vivid memories of those particular places.

 

[Isegrim]

When I was a kid, our parents took us to the U.S. and my uncle brought us to a Chuck N Cheese in the 80's. We had arcades in my country which imported arcade games from Japan so those weren't the ones that interested me and my brothers. The singing animatronics were interesting but other things interested us more so it merited only a passing notice. (I wish I examined it further if I knew about my future interest in FNAF...)

There were two things that stood out. Certain arcade machines that weren't available at home. One was the Star Wars the arcade game. We didn't have those since our arcades back home got their games from Japan and this was an Atari made game which was a U.S. company. We were fascinated in it as most kids were in Star Wars when it was still... As kids and videogames was still in it's weaning stages, I think Star Wars was the one movie franchise I dreamed they would make a videogame out of...something that would be unheard of today considering how many Star Wars games have come and gone. But during that time, Star Wars games were just beginning to emerge and Star Wars, the arcade game was the finest experience at that time. The re-enactment of the Death Star run and blowing up the Death Star just like Luke Skywalker was one of the coolest moments in videogames we ever experienced as kids.

The other was the Dragon's Lair machine...another U.S. only arcade machine. I remember watching Secret of Nimh, liked it and I think I read somewhere about the game and how it was using Don Bluth's animation. That was before QTE in cutscenes were fresh and not as vilified as in the present. Seeing Don Bluth's disney type animation in a videogame was amazing for young me and we spent most of our money trying to get as far as we can in Dragon's Lair and later on...Space Ace. (I remember for the longest time wishing I could own a Space Ace arcade machine).

I'm not sure how Chuck E Cheese is nowadays but my impressions back then was Chuck E Cheese was the place to go that had the games we really wanted to play.

 

[Mr. SyS]

I went back for a family member's birthday and spent half the time and all my points playing Fire team Raven. Overall, it was nice and had something for me after all. The pizza was good.

 

[GuyZero32k4]

During the 80s, especially after the video game crash. It was the only place to find some arcade games. After it happened, places would get rid of the machines.