When you're the parent of small children, it is often hard to find family friendly activities that everyone can enjoy. I'm sure the babies wouldn't like shooting billiards just yet, and we don't dare take them to the movies just yet. (Wouldn't that be a total and utter disaster?!) So with two little ones under the age of 2, it can be pretty difficult to find things to do. Sure, going for walks or to the park is fun, but sometimes a bit more excitement is in order.
There is one place that families like mine can always turn to when they want to have a great time: Chuck E. Cheese's! You know...That place with the giant, cheerful mouse, plenty of games and attractions, and of course, there's the pizza! But wait...The pizza. I have to be honest, I had not been to Chuck E. Cheese's since my now 11 year old was around 4 years old, and I have to say, I distinctly remember that the pizza was not very good. At all. It reminded me of ketchup on cardboard with a gooey, slightly plasticine mess that slightly resembled cheese on top. Not too hot, although the kids never really seemed to mind it. I remember I used to grab something else to eat before we headed out to Chuck E. Cheese's just so I wouldn't have to eat their pizza. Sad, but true.
So recently, when I received the opportunity to head on over to Chuck E. Cheese's with my family to try out their newly reinvented pizza recipe, I jumped at the chance. After all, I was definitely up for a family outing, and I was also more than a little bit curious to see how much of an improvement had been made to their once awful pizza.
There is one place that families like mine can always turn to when they want to have a great time: Chuck E. Cheese's! You know...That place with the giant, cheerful mouse, plenty of games and attractions, and of course, there's the pizza! But wait...The pizza. I have to be honest, I had not been to Chuck E. Cheese's since my now 11 year old was around 4 years old, and I have to say, I distinctly remember that the pizza was not very good. At all. It reminded me of ketchup on cardboard with a gooey, slightly plasticine mess that slightly resembled cheese on top. Not too hot, although the kids never really seemed to mind it. I remember I used to grab something else to eat before we headed out to Chuck E. Cheese's just so I wouldn't have to eat their pizza. Sad, but true.
So recently, when I received the opportunity to head on over to Chuck E. Cheese's with my family to try out their newly reinvented pizza recipe, I jumped at the chance. After all, I was definitely up for a family outing, and I was also more than a little bit curious to see how much of an improvement had been made to their once awful pizza.
When we arrived at our local Chuck E. Cheese's on a Sunday afternoon, the first thing I noticed was that the parking lot was packed. And that Chuck E. Cheese was missing his head. (On the sign adorning the building. Not the mouse himself!) I immediately took the crowded parking lot to be a promising sign. When we got inside, we were immediately greeted by a friendly hostess who stamped our hands and the babies' hands with a special black light reactive ink. This is just one of the things that Chuck E. Cheese's does to show it's ongoing commitment to families and the safety of each and every child that enters their establishments. This unique stamp matches parent to child, and is checked before leaving the building. This is a great way to help protect against abduction. After all, Chuck E. Cheese's gets incredibly crowded, and it would be relatively easy for a not-so-savory individual to make off with a child. With this safety check, no one is exiting the building with a child they did not enter with, period. This makes me, as a mom, breathe easier.
After we got all checked in and placed our pizza order, we found a booth near the Chuck E. Cheese's stage area. I knew that Sophie, my toddler, would love this since they had a big TV screen featuring Yo Gabba Gabba that would keep her entertained. And of course, there was the mouse himself, Chuck E. Cheese, who put on adorable musical shows every 15-20 minutes or so. Sophie really got a kick out of their rendition of Todd Rundgren's classic, "Bang On The Drum All Day." She even danced around in her booster seat!
Rather quickly, we were served our pizza. It arrived hot, fresh, and smelled wonderful. I could tell by the appearance alone that this was not the pizza I remembered having at Chuck E. Cheese's. One bite told me that this was far superior. The cheese actually tasted like cheese, and was gooey, flavorful, and beautifully browned on the top of the pie. The sauce...Oh, the sauce...Rather than tasting ketchupy and artificial, I could taste the freshness of the tomatoes as well as a zesty blend of spices that gave it a nice little kick. The pepperoni and black olives were also quite tasty, and were placed on our pizza in generous portions. Chuck E. Cheese is definitely not stingy with their toppings! But the thing I was most impressed with? The crust. Chuck E. Cheese's new crust is fresh, chewy, and crispy all at the same time, and it has a wonderful authentic pizzeria taste to it. My whole family enjoyed the pizza, my skeptical husband included. We liked it so much, in fact, between 3 of us, we ate the whole pie!
Take a look at Chuck E. Cheese's new and improved pizza. I wish the internet were scratch and sniff so you could smell how mouthwatering the aroma was!
After we got all checked in and placed our pizza order, we found a booth near the Chuck E. Cheese's stage area. I knew that Sophie, my toddler, would love this since they had a big TV screen featuring Yo Gabba Gabba that would keep her entertained. And of course, there was the mouse himself, Chuck E. Cheese, who put on adorable musical shows every 15-20 minutes or so. Sophie really got a kick out of their rendition of Todd Rundgren's classic, "Bang On The Drum All Day." She even danced around in her booster seat!
Rather quickly, we were served our pizza. It arrived hot, fresh, and smelled wonderful. I could tell by the appearance alone that this was not the pizza I remembered having at Chuck E. Cheese's. One bite told me that this was far superior. The cheese actually tasted like cheese, and was gooey, flavorful, and beautifully browned on the top of the pie. The sauce...Oh, the sauce...Rather than tasting ketchupy and artificial, I could taste the freshness of the tomatoes as well as a zesty blend of spices that gave it a nice little kick. The pepperoni and black olives were also quite tasty, and were placed on our pizza in generous portions. Chuck E. Cheese is definitely not stingy with their toppings! But the thing I was most impressed with? The crust. Chuck E. Cheese's new crust is fresh, chewy, and crispy all at the same time, and it has a wonderful authentic pizzeria taste to it. My whole family enjoyed the pizza, my skeptical husband included. We liked it so much, in fact, between 3 of us, we ate the whole pie!
Take a look at Chuck E. Cheese's new and improved pizza. I wish the internet were scratch and sniff so you could smell how mouthwatering the aroma was!
Yum! The pizza arrived hot, fresh, and beautifully cooked.
I added Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper to mine. Delish!
Enjoying our meal before playtime!
Even my picky Sophie liked this pizza!
Definitely Kid-Approved. Where'd it go, Mommy? I want MORE!
Of course, after finishing our delicious meal, there was still fun to be had. We were eager to let Sophie explore Chuck E. Cheese's, with us trailing behind her with full bellies. Daddy was able to keep up quite well as she darted from attraction to attraction. I had to push a sleeping Xander in the stroller, which gave me the chance to get some great photos of our daughter simply being a kid. After all, isn't that what Chuck E. Cheese's is famous for?
Sophie on one of the many rides, with Daddy close by. This one went pretty high into the air!
Playing in the Toddler Zone!
Meeting Chuck E. Cheese himself!
Look, Mommy, I'm driving!
Making a friend
Overall, we had an absolute blast during our outing to Chuck E. Cheese's. The games were a ton of fun, and Sophie really enjoyed running around socializing with other kids. She even tried to make off with some unsuspecting peoples' tokens! Daddy returned them promptly, and luckily, her victims thought it was cute. I played a basketball game and scored a ton of tickets, but we're saving them for next time. Now that the pizza has been improved upon so much, I am sure we'll be back again soon! If you haven't checked out what's new at Chuck E. Cheese's with your families, I definitely recommend that you do. And be sure to try their new pizza! With freshly made dough, a new zesty sauce, and 100% real cheese, you'll be sure to go back for seconds..Or maybe even thirds!
HOW TO CONNECT:
You can find a Chuck E. Cheese's near you by visiting their website.
Also, remember that you can book awesome parties at Chuck E. Cheese's, too!
You can also follow Chuck E. Cheese's on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest news and promotions!
***Disclosure: I received a complimentary Family Guest Pass to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
HOW TO CONNECT:
You can find a Chuck E. Cheese's near you by visiting their website.
Also, remember that you can book awesome parties at Chuck E. Cheese's, too!
You can also follow Chuck E. Cheese's on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest news and promotions!
***Disclosure: I received a complimentary Family Guest Pass to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
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