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Why Chuck E. Cheese is Essentially Vegas for Kids
As the father to two overzealous kids, I couldn’t help but notice the striking similarities between Chuck E. Cheese (CEC) and Vegas. The thought crossed my mind several times before, but cemented over this past weekend, when my two toddlers frequented CEC not once, but twice over the span of 48 hours. Please don’t judge, we’ve all known those that have made back-to-back trips to Vegas.
First, let’s start at the front door where the entrance is lined with a few stanchion posts and some rope to control the crowds. We are greeted by a doorman and he brands us with an ultraviolet stamp, all of which has an eerie resemblance to the front reception at a Vegas club.
Once past the doorman, I notice the worn carpet, buffet line, bright lights and constant ring from machines of various varieties hoping to garner our attention. We surrender cash for “tokens” which in this day and age, have mostly been replaced with electronic cards (so yes, CEC is more advanced than the average Vegas casino). The cards disassociate the games from their actual cost, thereby enabling a fantastic scene where kids run from machine to machine, waving cards without constraint. There is an aura that one can “win big” and this sucks in both the parent and child alike, as they scheme over which machines might provide the highest payout per token/credit. Some games promise a big “jackpot” where you…