Restaurant Name: Chuck E. Cheese’s

Location: 100 S Creasy Ln, Lafayette, IN (map it)
Phone: 765-449-1020

Cuisine: Pizza

Review: The bane of every parent’s existence is the over-stimulation circus that is Chuck E. Cheese. I won’t lie and say that I go in there without expectations or with anything other than trepidation.

Today we took the kids there for lunch. It was a Sunday, and I was expecting a riot with birthday parties and kids everywhere, and it really wasn’t too bad as far as busy goes. We ordered our food and got our table and distributed tokens. The children played happily and I worked on my grocery list.

Chuck E. Cheese has a hand stamp program where they stamp all of a family’s hands with the same code so that no one can leave with the wrong kid. I think the idea is a good one, I’m just not convinced that they are pulling it off properly. I’ve been to there before and had to wait for someone to come check us out – and it’s not like the magnetic barricade is going to stop a perpetrator from getting away. Anyway, my kids are still fairly young, so I tend to keep a close eye on them.

As for the food, I’ll give a thumbs up to the salad bar, which is loaded with lots of fresh veggies. Definitely aimed at the parental attendees. The pizza is mediocre at best. Today it was better than we’ve had in the past, but still very greasy and thick. The breadsticks are plain abysmal.

If you want to go to Chuck E. Cheese’s with the kids, here is my recommendation. They open early in the morning. Pick a weekday, like a Tuesday, and head on over at 9 AM. Get some tokens, bring a magazine, and order some cinnamon bread sticks and coffee. The kids can run around and play without having to worry too much (because you pretty much get the place to yourself that early) and it’s not so loud without every machine going at once. Double bonus – you don’t have to fight anyone for skee ball.

Kid friendly: Yes

Menu Recommendation: Stick with the salad bar!