Win a Family Night at Chuck E. Cheese
If I’m completely honest, I’m not Chuck E. Cheese’s biggest fan.
In fact, I could think of many, many ways I’d rather spend an afternoon or evening than trying to convince my son to come out of the plastic mouse maze rigged to the ceiling of the restaurant, or playing another round of whack-a-mole for a few measly tickets, or sitting at a table full of four-year-old kids and listening to an animatronic rat sing the tunes of Justin Bieber.
When my daughter was tiny, I had visions of resisting the pizza vermin altogether. But those went out the window the moment she was invited to her first Chuck E. Cheese birthday party. Like every other child who has entered those hallowed pizza halls before her, she was instantly head over heels for the place. She begged and pleaded for her own Chuck E. Cheese birthday party, and reluctantly, we relented.
She had a fabulous time, too — at least until The Chuckster entered the room.
Clearly, the kid takes after me.
However, her mouse fright didn’t deter her. Over the years, we’ve gone back several times a year–
….and we’ve hosted several more birthdays.
And we’ve endured a few more cases of mouse fright.
I’ve heard of parents out there who’ve forbidden their children from having a birthday party at Chuck’s, insisting instead on a more dignified affair with tea and scones or pottery painting or privately-hired clowns. Well, good for them. But I’ve come to view Chuck E. Cheese as a sort of symbol of parenthood in general. Like so many things, we flock to Chuck E. Cheese not because we love it, but because we love our children. And whether we like it or not, our children adore Chuck E. Cheese.
This is probably not the kind of post Chuck E. Cheese wanted me to write. The fact is, the restaurant has improved its pizza recipe and the distinguished persons behind Chuck want you to know about it. I’ve tried the new pizza and can say that it is, in fact, better.
We’ll go in a few weeks, just before school starts. It’s become an annual back-to-school tradition. And this time, we’re happy that Chuck E. Cheese has given us a Guest Pass, good for 1 large pizza, 4 soft drinks, and 30 game tokens.
Don’t hate. I’m giving away three more Guest Passes to three lucky Suburban Turmoil readers. All you have to do to enter to win one is leave a comment on this post between now and Thursday, July 21st. Tell me your favorite thing about Chuck E. Cheese. Is it the games of chance (to which I’m ashamedly addicted)? The high-quality music videos that play on every tv screen? The beer?
Let me know and you’re entered!
Good luck!
This contest is open to U.S. residents only. One comment per person, please.
Disclosure: I received a Chuck E. Cheese Guest Pass in exchange for hosting this giveaway. I’m hosting it because I love the thought of giving three families out there a surefire night of “together time.” That is awesome!
What city is this for?
I don’t like CEC, either. As a mom it stands for everything I can’t stand: loud noises, flashing lights, wasted money… but my kids love it, so what can I say? Now and then we go. 🙂
It’s for any city with a Chuck E. Cheese. 🙂
My 6 year old LOVES CEC. This would be an awesome surprise.
stephaniekush@gmail.com
When I was in college I worked at a CEC…now that I have kids they love that place! Seems like I will be enduring the loud noises for a while more. My son is just about to start his first year of Pre-K and this would be an awesome treat for him!
ChuckECheese has beer? Where have I been?? 🙂
My son would LOVE this. 🙂
The games are my favorite part! My kids would love to win this! Thanks for the chance!
mami2jcn at gmail dot com
Thanks for the opportunity! My boys would love this!!!
My daughter likes the large, somewhat odd-smelling rodent. Daddy likes beer & pizza.
SkeeBall baby. And the beer. They make Mama a touch happier about being there and then the kids have more fun.
My boys love chuck e cheese. We all like the pizza and games. My favorite is skeeball.
JessicaL1125@yahoo.com
Skeeball is my favorite! My daughter loves that chair thing that goes up and in a circle, and the jungle gym. She also likes the one where you slap the alligators (I like that one, too!).
tracydchurch@gmail.com
I worked at Chuck E. Cheese in high school, and my favorite thing was being forced to sing (and dance to!) the “Birthday Star Song.” “You say happy! I say birthday! Happy! Birthday! Happy! Birthday!”
I like the coin-pushy machine. It’s like Vegas for kids.
LOL, that’s my favorite! The last time I was there, my husband gave me 20 tokens and I spent them on that machine in about 2 minutes. It was embarrassing trying to explain to him later how I spent my tokens so fast!
One thing I really appreciate about Chuck E. Cheese (or, as my friend Kathy calls him, “Charles E. Fromage”) is their hand stamp security system. I like the extra safety measure and the assurance that if I accidentally lose sight of my kids in the hamster tunnels, a stranger is not going to walk out with them.
Also, you gotta love the beaming smiles of the kids every time we go there. 🙂
katrinahopes@gmail.com
Great point, Katrina. I actually love that, too. It’s very easy to lose track of my kids there, and it’s nice knowing that there’s no way in hell they’re going to escape!
I like that we can go there on a Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. and we’re the only ones there! That makes it tolerable 🙂
Wendy
w.sorter@hotmail.com
I agree Chuck E. Cheese is not one of my favorite places, but the security is a for sure plus! I do enjoy playing the games as much as my daughter does though :)!
My favorite part if how happy that place makes my kids! My husband’s favrite part is that they serve beer 🙂
crystynurse@yahoo.com
I love that they check in kids and parents at the door. I don’t have to be worried that I have both of them in my sight at every minute because they can’t sneak out the front door! =) Believe me…we have been in places where the little monkeys have tried it!
My oldest is 3 and we haven’t actually been yet ( it’s about 30 mins away) but I’d love to take my little boy for the first time as an end of summer (and maternity leave) event before going back to teaching full time. I do have a funny memory from the 80s though; my little brother was so excited when the dancing animotronic bears came on stage that he stood up to applaud…. And knocked a whole pitcher of beer in my grandfather’s lap.
It’s the games for me! I remember the very first time I ever went to Chuck E Cheese. It was for a classmates birthday party. I couldn’t believe there was a place that catered to every kids fantasy…endless games, kids favorite foods, and a guaranteed good time. From that day on this was my favorite place to go. Now I take my nephew and nieces (It’s also their favorite place to go). Great giveaway! I love the pics you posted of your kids. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen kids cringe when the mouse comes out ha-ha!
As a kid I loved the rat. I had a few birthday parties there myself. Before I had my son I walked past a Chuck E Cheese and decided to take a peek in. The place instantly made my skin crawl with the stink that wafted out of the place. I thought to myself I would probably never bring my own children there. Fast forward to 6 months ago. I brought my son to Chuck E Cheese for the first time. He is 2 so he can`t really play games but he is obsessed with the ride on toys. Only costing a token each it beats the ones in the mall at $.75 a ride. So now on the really hot days you can find us at Chuck E Cheese. The pizza isn`t that bad either. Its funny the things you say you`ll never do with your kids when you become a parent. I think I`ve broken most of them
So true. My kids LOVED the rides when they were small (my son still does) and I have to say, the place kind of grows on you over time!
Have to share this with you. The old animatronic band reprogramed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGWJbcTvL_M&feature=related
LOL! I totally remember this! You know, my parents only took me to Showbiz Pizza (where a kid can be a kid!) ONE TIME. I’m still in therapy for that today. 😉
I went to CEC at age 11 (almost 30 years ago). Loved it then. My mom won enough tickets playing skeeball to get a prize for all nine people in our group. She showed me the trick of releasing the ball just at the right time.
I just love how happy it makes the kids and the games are fun to lol.
justannc@comcast.net
Our local chuck e cheese has an awesome salad bar. I love that my son is old enough to run around on his own and come back to the table for tokens (if it werent for the handstamp check at the door, not sure if i would feel as comfortable letting him do it.)
That last part threw me off for a moment, because we don’t have beer at our CC’s, so I’m not used to hearing those two things in the same sentence. Lol. That’s what happens when you live in Utah. 😉
Anyway, my favorite thing abot Chuck E. Cheese is how much fun my son has when he is there. It doesn’t matter what we do, he always comes home full, exhausted, and happy. Gotta love that!
Skeeball, of course!
rma910 at gmail dot com
I love their sandwiches…and although I am usually the caretaker of the table and tokens…I usually end up playing a few games before the night is over…
The BEST part of Chuck E Cheese is the machines that count the tickets! And make the chomping noise that comes as they do it. The kids love watching the machine “eat the tickets”, and I loooooove that I don’t have to count them!
I like that all the games are still just 1 token. We went to Brunswick and all the games have different prices, most way over a quarter!
I always loved skee-ball. Or however you spell it!
But I have a niece and nephew who love Chuck way more than I do, so if I win, I’m giving my pass to them. 🙂
Every winter my husband and I Christmas shop at the mall in our college town and then stop at THE Chuck E Cheese that’s attached to it to have a beer and play games to earn ourselves a $20 temporary tattoo. It’s completely ridiculous but it lets us unwind after many hours of what can be stressful Christmas shopping. And also, last year, I walked up to the Skeeball machine and someone had left 40 tickets on it. BONUS!
That’s hilarious! 😀
I love the Skee-Ball!!! 🙂
I love that your kid always feels like a winner. Bundles of tickets and smiles galor make us go back again and again.
I love that Chuck E Cheese is a place where my whole family can go and have fun!
When I was a kid, I would walk to the Chuck E. Cheese and wait for a family to enter and sneak in with them. You couldn’t get in unless you were with an adult. I have never taken my 6 year old son, maybe it is time. I think I had my 7th birthday there.
My son is 20 years old so it has been a while since I visited a Chuck E. Cheese but I definitely remember the last time I was there.
My son’s ball team was having a party to celebrate the end of the season. I really DID NOT want to go but, of course, we did.
I took my camera and was snapping candid shot of the kids on the ball team when my husband decided that my son and I should pose for a picture with the mouse. As we were lining up to take the pictures the mouse decides to get himself a handful of my ASS! That’s right…Chuck E. Cheese grabbed my butt. I have attached a picture that was taken just after the crime was committed.
True story!
Ha! You do look a tiny bit SHOCKED in that photo!
We still joke about it. 🙂 After the “encounter” we started calling Chuck E. a “rat” instead of a mouse .
I love fooling myself into thinking those games have something to do with my skill level and nothing at all to do with chance. Because what I really love is when one of them spits out a mile-long string of tickets at me.
I have to admit I like the pizza :-). Haven’t been there in years and years so we’re probably due for a visit! Thanks!
I used to be so freaked out by the place, pre-child. Then after attending a party w/ my daughter when she was 4, I saw the light! I could have a huge bday party for her, w/ out it being in my own home! Invite the entire class all 17 kids!, even those wild children who you would NEVER allow in your home, not have to buy a ton of food & cook in my home, no pinata having to worry about kids hurting each other over candy. So it was the perfect 6th Bday for my daughter. We had over 53 guest , I would never have allowed that many in my home during the rainy month of Feb! And yes a few adults were very pleased w/ the beer & wine selection! We will soooooo be back for a 8th Bday. I only due a big class party every other yr.
I like the handstamp check at the door! I also love that they no longer have slimy, stinky, spongy ball pits!!
The chocolate cake is decent — I like that when we ordered the smaller one and they were out, they gave us the bigger cake for no extra $. And I like that they allow kids to run off the sugar rush before you leave – with worn out happy kids.
I love the fact that all of games are just one token – whether it’s the ‘bicycling airplane’ ride where my 4 year old daughter exclaims ‘Mama, I can see EVERYTHING from up here!’ or her twin brother (and, let’s be realistic here their father too) is convinced he has enough ‘skill’ to push all of those token over the edge. What do you win in that game anyway…..more tokens or tickets?
My favorite thing about Chuck E. Cheese is the salad bar! I get enough pizza at home so I’m content with salad and tea.