I have thus far in my parenting career managed to avoid Chuck E. Cheese. As someone who wants to run screaming out of the local public pool (the noise! the smell of chlorine! the constant frantic need to protect your babies from certain watery death!), Chuck E. Cheese with three little boys, well ... whoops, how did I lose that invitation?!? It turns out my instincts are shared by others, who are, perhaps, less willing to dispense with social graces and their children's begging and pleading.As the Wall Street Journal reports today: Chuck E. Cheese birthday parties have been known to get a little out of hand. So out of hand, in fact, that the restaurant has begun to give up liquor licenses in some restaurants, and post armed security guards in others. In Brookfield, Wis., the Chuck E. Cheese gets way more calls than the biker bar down the street, according to the town's police chief. Typical of the fare: adults have too much to drink and one parent decides someone else's child is hogging a machine, voicing their complaints in loud and unsavory language. Next, here comes mama bear (or, upon occasion, papa) to protect his, or her, babe. One fight involved 40 people slinging punches and insults.
The truth that emerges from this collection of police reports: combine family events, alcohol and a limited amount of resources (game machines) and you send your clientele back to the Dark Ages. I wouldn't be surprised if many wedding venues catering to a similar cross-section of Americans as Chuck E. Cheese were to experience equally astonishing displays of bad behavior. You can't choose your family. But you can choose whether to invite them to a party that mixes drunkenness with your baby girl's big day.
Now, you'll have to excuse me while I write a business plan for the next great frontier in American entertainment: Cosmos-n-Bullseyes. It's a shooting range with cocktail waitresses! Booking weddings for 2010.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
12-09-2008 @ 12:33PM
Ronald Sarson said...
You can take them out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of them. I've been going to Chuckie Cheese through 2 generations of kids, and have never had any problem except the noise. Of course, my visits were in predominently caucasian neighborhoods.
12-09-2008 @ 12:54PM
Dominick said...
I worked for chuck e cheese as the mascot for 3 and a half years. I only seen one fight happen there and nothing else. I think by now the west islip location got rid of beer and liqour. It was my first job. I sweat alot but it was a fun job the kids loved me doing the crip walk as chucke it was like my signature move. Only if i knew how to do the soilja boy dance that would be somethin. Let me shout to my old friend and boss Rita Burner thank you for an excellent opportunity keep in touch.
12-09-2008 @ 8:26PM
Lee said...
Ronald, We can not have a racist predominently white Chuckie Cheese. Al and Jessi will have to be called to fix that problem.
12-09-2008 @ 8:36PM
Brandon said...
i work at CEC as a cashier, let me tell you there was only ever 1 arguement and that was because a woman stole somebodies purse, and the purse's owner got into an arguement about it with the theif.
It might have to do with the fact that we don't serve alchohol at our CEC
12-09-2008 @ 8:39PM
moms63nova said...
ok i do drink on occasion but i do not do it around my kids they are either in bed or i will have one at a restaurant while im out with my husband and family friends.. but im sorry i wouldnt take my child to a so called childs restaurant that serves alcohol if i wanted that sort of thing around them i would take them to a joint down the street! thats ridiculous. glad i stopped going there..
12-09-2008 @ 8:59PM
virena tatcher said...
Decades ago I went to C'eC and they had started a no smoking policy. They said it was because they cared about the kids. BUT, the parents could sit and drink beer to their hearts content. So it was ok to drive home drunk, that wouldn't hurt the kids. That night I stopped going there forever.
12-09-2008 @ 9:06PM
Doris said...
It never occured to me that Chuckie Cheese served alcohol. I had always thought of it as a kids place to have a ball and eat pizza.
Whatever possessed them to start serving liquor in the 1st place.
12-09-2008 @ 9:09PM
stevenblue32 said...
must be a northern thing serfing alchohol in a childrens resturant. what forking idiots.
12-09-2008 @ 9:09PM
Tarisha said...
What a freak show with a bunch of babbooms........Geez....I guess that's what you get when you're not edjumacateddddddddddddd? Go back to the jungle and beat the hell out of your tribal leader!!!
12-09-2008 @ 9:11PM
PIZNIMP said...
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THE NEW PRESEDENT IS GOING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
IF YOU THINK THAT HAVING HIM AS PRESEDENT IS GOING TO FIX WHAT I SEE IN THIS VIDIO YOU ARE WRONG.
"AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE THE NEW HATERS"
12-09-2008 @ 9:51PM
crystal said...
Why the hell would they service alcohol at a place that is for children. The Chuck E Cheese where I live at does not serve alcohol.
12-09-2008 @ 9:20PM
Newsome's said...
I took my kids to CEC 8 yrs ago for my sons bday..what a mistake..drunk lady not watching her kids and the kid bit my 3 yr old in the ball pit (I couldn't get to him as the tunnels were too small for me) I made a complain to the manager and nothing went from their other than my son had to be tested for hepitis as the bites had broke the skin on the stomach area..14 bites total...I will never go to CEC again!!!!!!!!!
12-09-2008 @ 9:22PM
Marsha said...
This is a kids' place. They should stick to soft drinks!! I have been with 2 children and 1 grandchild and never seen any fighting. This is a place that doesn't need alcohol.
12-09-2008 @ 9:24PM
Wilson said...
"You can take them out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of them. I've been going to Chuckie Cheese through 2 generations of kids, and have never had any problem except the noise. Of course, my visits were in predominently caucasian neighborhoods."
um.. zippy.. Brookfield is one of your "predominantly-caucasian neighbourhoods". Thank you for showing your ignorance tho..
12-10-2008 @ 6:45PM
disgusted said...
Notice how it's the women fighting? That's how it started with the two men shooting each other in the Toys R Us incident. The women are out of control.
12-09-2008 @ 9:47PM
dianne jenkins said...
you all are as ignorant and stupid as the people in the video!!!! The new president hAVE NOTHING to do with stupid people. It's a fact he is the president so deal with it!!! and remember not just black people voted for him. It is sad that you judge all black people the same, what is your excuse when someone white do something STUPID? When you cut yourself and see blood is it a better quality because you are white? I dont think so.So remember not all black people are stupid and ignorant, only you for thinking so.
12-09-2008 @ 10:11PM
toshua said...
What Chuck e Cheese serves alcohol? Not here in NJ. I've never heard of such a thing. So it's not a northern thing.
12-09-2008 @ 10:18PM
sickofstupidity said...
Nevermind the alcohol, I'd be afraid to go there simply because most of you who posted on this article seems to be clueless when it comes to the concept of using good grammar. Apparantly Chuck E. Cheese doesn't do IQ checks at the door. I'm more concerned that you folks are raising children when you can't even spell. As far as this comment: "IF YOU THINK THAT HAVING HIM AS PRESEDENT IS GOING TO FIX WHAT I SEE IN THIS VIDIO YOU ARE WRONG" I am of the opinion that if you can't spell "President", then you shouldn't try using it in a sentence. Oh, and it's vidEo...even phoenetically. SHEESH!
12-09-2008 @ 10:27PM
fiddy said...
Oh hell yeah!!!The chuckster in my hood serves beer and has 2 pedophiles working there.There have beeen stabbings,beatings with bats,glasses and pizza pans,muggings in the baffrooms,and people jumpping over the counter and stealin food!!!And this is just from the little kids!!!DAYYYYYUUUUMMM!!!I LIVE IN GAITHERSBURG,MD.IFyou ever decide to got there,make sure you take your gun with you.
12-09-2008 @ 10:33PM
Hollie said...
i worked at cec for a little over 3years from april 2002 to may 0f 2005....form 16 to 19.....and if people are getting drunk and causing problems, well then blam the staff, and the person indulging cuz they are only alowed 2 drinks per person per hour. maybe the manager on duty or mangers should keep a better eye on whats going on. that ridiculous and comeon people his is a family establishment have some common sense. No duh there aren enough toys for everyone, and its not a daycare. parets need to get off there butts and off there phones and walk around with theres kids. i have a 2 1/2yr old and we love to go and hang out all the time.No problems at the cec in boise