Chuck E Cheese



Chuck E. Cheese's (formerly Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre and Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza) is a chain of American family entertainment center restaurants. The chain is the primary brand of CEC Entertainment, Inc. and is headquartered in Irving, Texas. The establishment serves pizza and other menu items, complemented by arcade games, amusement rides, and animatronic displays as a focus of entertainment for the entire family. The brand derives its name from its main animatronic character Chuck E. Cheese, a comedic mouse who sings and interacts with guests.

Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre in San Jose, California, was the first location to open in 1977. The concept was authored by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, credited with bringing video games such as Pong to the mainstream. Pizza Time Theatre was the first family restaurant to integrate food, animated entertainment, and an indoor arcade. The chain merged with competitor Showbiz Pizza Place in 1984, forming Showbiz Pizza Time, Inc. In the early 1990s, the company unified the two brands renaming every location to Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza. They redesigned the logo in 1994, dropping Pizza from each store's name. In 1998, Showbiz Pizza Time, Inc. became CEC Entertainment, Inc., and the company operates 577 locations as of March 2014.