Chuck E. Cheese (character) facts for kids

Charles Entertainment "Chuck E." Cheese is the human-like rat mascot of the Chuck E. Cheese chain of family fun centers. In 2012, this famous rat mascot was changed into a mouse.

Discovering Chuck E. Cheese

Chuck E. Cheese is a well-known character who greets kids at his family entertainment centers. These places are famous for their pizza, arcade games, and fun shows. Chuck E. Cheese started as a rat, but later became a mouse. He is a friendly character who loves to entertain his guests.

How Chuck E. Cheese Was Created

The character of Chuck E. Cheese was first thought up by Nolan Bushnell in 1977. Bushnell was also the founder of Atari, a company famous for its video games. He wanted to create a new kind of restaurant where families could eat pizza and enjoy entertainment.

Bushnell went to a big event called the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) conference. There, he saw many costumes of characters that people could wear. He bought a costume that he thought looked like a coyote. He planned to name his new restaurant "Coyote Pizza."

The Surprise Costume

When the costume arrived at Atari, Bushnell realized it was not a coyote at all! It was actually a rat, complete with a long, pink tail. Because of this surprise, Bushnell decided to change his restaurant's name idea to "Rick Rat's Pizza."

However, Bushnell's team thought that having a rat in the restaurant's name might not sound very appealing. After some discussion, they finally agreed on the name "Chuck E. Cheese" for the mascot. The restaurant was then named "Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre."

The First Chuck E. Cheese's Restaurant

The very first Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre opened its doors in 1977. This exciting new family spot was located in San Jose, California. It quickly became a popular place for kids and families to have fun.

Chuck E. Cheese's New Looks Over Time

Over the years, Chuck E. Cheese has changed his appearance a few times. These makeovers helped him stay fresh and appealing to new generations of kids.

The 1995 Makeover

In 1995, Chuck E. Cheese got a more kid-friendly look. His cheeks became wider, and his snout (nose area) was made shorter and less pointy. His eyes also became longer, and his ears were made smaller. This new design was introduced into the restaurants around 2001. It made him look softer and more approachable for young children.

Becoming a Rock Star Mouse

A big change happened in July 2012. Chuck E. Cheese was redesigned to be a much smaller character. He also started playing an electric guitar, becoming more of a rock star!

Along with this new look, his voice also changed. For 19 years, the voice actor Duncan Brannan had given Chuck E. Cheese a wise-cracking, New Jersey-style voice. But in 2012, Jaret Reddick took over as the new voice. Reddick is the lead singer and guitarist for the pop punk band Bowling for Soup. This change gave Chuck E. Cheese a fresh, modern sound to match his new rock star image.