Chuck E. Cheese’s recently partnered with San Francisco-based design firm Tesser to remodel several of its flagship stores with a focus on fresh food and fun for the whole family. The new design highlights the pizza-making process and introduces more of a restaurant atmosphere for mom and dad, while still featuring the fun and games that has made Chuck E. Cheese’s the place where a kid can be a kid for more than 40 years.
“We’re excited to partner with Tesser to remodel several of our iconic stores,” says Michael Hartman, CMO of Chuck E. Cheese’s. “We’re continually evolving our offerings to remain relevant and fun for the next generation of parents and families—most recently with a full menu refresh and rollout of an eco-friendly cleaning system—so this remodel was a natural next step.”
With delicious pizzas made from scratch daily, the remodeled stores feature open kitchens, which allow guests to watch the pizza making process. Not only is it entertaining, the pizzeria is educational with signage illustrating the steps to making the perfect pizza, and graphics scattered throughout the dining room illuminating key ingredients, like fresh-chopped veggies, wheat, and 100 percent whole milk mozzarella cheese. In addition, the lunch buffet, which is offered Monday – Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and salad bar has been moved closer to the open kitchen to tout its fresh ingredients.
To appeal to parents, the redesigned interior features an ambiance that highlights Chuck E. Cheese’s credentials as a restaurant. Warm wood, neutral tones and streamlined graphics create a calmer, more inviting, friendly environment for a family meal. Strategically placed self-service kiosks are located near the entrance to make ordering off the menu simple and fast for parents. The interior layout boasts new seating experiences, and varied seating options for larger parties. In addition, the Birthday Zone features different party sections designated by characters in Chuck E.’s band, with bold wall graphic silhouettes and character biography. The interior also features a stunning, all-new light up dance floor where the hourly live show and birthday show will take place. And utilizing Chuck E. Cheese’s new, programmable ‘tap-to-play’ Play Pass game card system, adults and kids alike will also get to enjoy nearly a dozen new games that will be installed in the remodeled game rooms.
“The new design is intended to evoke happy, fun energy that both adults and children will enjoy,” says Scott Gagner, design director at Tesser. “Many parents have great memories coming to Chuck E. Cheese’s as kids. We want to remind them of those great times, and created a space that encourages them to bring their children in to make memories of their own.”
Chuck E. Cheese’s new look comes with a refreshed curb-appeal. The remodeled exterior acts as a beacon, drawing in families to visit Chuck E. Cheese’s restaurants, and features stacked stone and rich wood slats with round cut-outs, to look like cheese holes or pepperoni. A green striped entry tower invites guests in with a zing of red, and the updated logo, which boasts the brands inception with “est. in 1977” and “Pizzeria and Games” adds a playful yet modern feel. Upon entering the 10,000-square-foot space, anew welcome wall greets guests and spotlights new menu offerings, a photographic timeline, the evolution of the beloved characters, and a video loop of historical fun.
“Our goal was to create a space where parents were just as excited to go as their kids,” says Brent White, lead designer of environments at Tesser. And while the new design gives food top billing, it leaves plenty of the magic that makes Chuck E. Cheese’s, one of the largest pizza chains in the country, a can’t-wait-to-come-back destination for kids and adults alike.
Construction was completed on July 31 at three locations in San Antonio, Tex., with construction expected to be finished by early September at three locations in the Kansas City, Mo., metro area.
San Antonio locations:
1403 N. Loop 1604 E., San Antonio TX 78232
238 S. W. Military, Ste. 118, San Antonio, TX 78221
14564 IH 35N, San Antonio, TX 78154
6874 Ingram Dr., San Antonio TX, 78238 (construction will be complete on 8/31)
Kansas City locations:
15225 W. 134th Pl., Olathe, KS 66062
10510 Metcalf Ln., Overland Park, KS 66206
9196 N. Skyview Ave., Kansas City, MO 64154
