Food Theory: Did FNAF Kill Chuck E Cheese? 

I worked at Chuck E Cheese as a manager for 2 years and it was a daily question, "Where is the Animatronics?" "is it true kids got stuffed in them?" "Do you know Fnaf?"

For those wondering, Scott said he wouldnt make FNAF a real thing as a park, restaurant, or anything like that because he's scared someone would make the games real to become famous or something

So in this video we learn that the FNAF lore is basically just an overcomplication of the real history of Chuck E Cheese. Originally a robotics engineer was amazed by animatronic shows, started an own pizzeria with them and was ripped off with a superior brand, then had to merge with that to survive. Now just like in the FNAF lore, the key to the franchise‘s survival is turning the old kid‘s pizzeria into a horror attraction. All of this is happening exactly like in the lore, in 2023.

The only thing stopping Scott from making a real world Fazbear Pizzeria is his fear that someone will copy what William did to the 5 kids.

Let's be honest, FNAF didn't _make_ animatronics creepy, it just brought that sentiment to the forefront.

You know FNAF has messed you up when Matpat tells the story of a real guy and you treat it like a lore theory.

I actually had a recent idea that Chuck E Cheese could do their normal thing during the day, then convert just before sunset to a FNAF style attraction

I remember going to chuck e cheese with my uncle as a kid. He worked with all sorts of technology so we always stayed after the place closed while he talked to the staff about the robots, lights, and sound system. I remember being right there on the stage and looking at the animatronics up close, and even being able to look at the ways they hid some of the animatronics that weren't working without removing them from the stage altogether. It is one of my favorite memories and I am truly saddened by the fact that they are getting rid of the animatronics

Chuck E Cheese's was already on its last legs back in the mid-2000s. Frankly, I'm amazed it's even lasted this long.

I think the problem they want to avoid is if they lean TOO HEAVILY into the fnaf side then some psycho might attempt to recreate the games irl. That’s exactly why Scott has said he doesn’t want really pizzerias.

My mom worked at chuck-e-cheese as a teen and when she was watching the FNAF movie with me, especially right when they enter for the first time, she kept pausing and telling me about how much it looked the same. The employee video, the rack, apparently even the layout of the games!

I actually think it would be really cool if Chuck E Cheese came up with their own non fnaf related scary restaurant. Maybe with a meow wolf style story that you can figure out by looking around.

I think the main mistake a lot of "family friendly" companies are making is that they put way too much focus on being unoffensive to the parents. Theyre so careful not to give the parents any reason to *not* bring their kids to their restaurants, that they completely neglect to give the *kids* any reason to *want* to go in the first place. Would a FNAF event at Chuck E Cheese upset some parents? Sure. But kids would be *begging* to go check it out, and that would drum up so much more business than theyd potentially lose

Thing is, I think Chuck could still make it if they KEPT their animatronics. The issue isn’t FNAF, it’s that the old animatronics haven’t had any design updates really since their inception. If they used new technology not only for their food but for their Animatronics they really could have Disney Imagineer level animatronics that aren’t scary to kids.

Me being an employee at the billings CEC I completely agree with this! Our characters here in billings are 1 of the last 5 original 3 stage sets and no one i work with including the managers, want the characters gone. So im all for this. We as the fan base just need to step up and save the animatronics we all know and love!

I worked for Chuck E. Cheese about 2 years ago and it’s been an ongoing thing that they’ve been removing animatronics from several restaurants. Almost a year and a half ago it was confirmed that they were actually removing them from EVERY restaurant

As a kid in the 90s the Chuck E Cheese animatronics were barely working and they were scary to me. Timeskip to now, and as someone who loves FNAF I would love to see a collab between FNAF and Chuck E Cheese. Heck I'm sure the kids going to Chuck E Cheese love FNAF

Remember that Chuck E. Cheese was the actual main reason why FNAF happened in the first place. So I think the best thing Charles Entertainment could do is not only Collaborate Chuck E. Cheese with FNAF, but also possibly make a trip down memory lane to FNAF’s history and most Chuck E. Cheese’s history as well.

13:49 if you read the Chuck E. Cheese poster it says “a special appearance by everyone’s favorite purple guy” I mean come on

The whole reason Chuck E. Cheese's in Northridge CA is keeping their animatronics, is because of my best friend. He started a petition to save the animatronics 2 years ago. (Before the movie even came out) Chuck E. Cheese has been removing the stages for years. The movie had nothing to do with it.

It’s actually interesting that Chuck E. Cheese was starting to file for bankruptcy similar to how FNAF kind of did it mostly in the first game. This possibly states that Chuck E. Cheese is now officially FNAF but in real time.

Honestly if the real life FNAF franchise made a theme park or a restaurant attraction of some sort, it would probably be a major hit and I would go. [EDIT] Just something fun to theorize about bc I'd love to go to a real-life mega pizzaplex as seen in security breach yknow but there are too many Aftons in the world \:

I love the subtle yet poignant distinction between kids and grown up kids at 6:16

Random, but I love how even now you and/or your editors still put a random but on-topic image at the end of the videos. Not only for the novelty of it, being how you've done it after what I can only assume is over a decade by now, but because sometimes the images you guys pick genuinely make me chuckle.

Some Chuck E Cheese locations used to have interactive consoles where kids could look at different camera feeds placed around the restaurant. They should have kept those around to appeal to FNAF fans.

I’m glad someone finally said it. I have young cousins who love fnaf, and I would totally love to take them to a chuck e. cheese if they created some sort of partnership with fnaf. Heck, I would personally go there to celebrate my birthday with my friends at my grown age! I feel like horror unites all ages, so this would be a great opportunity for everyone involved. I’ve been thinking about this a long time, but I’m glad Matpat put it out there!!

I actually have fond recent memories of taking my Niece to Chuck e Cheese, and her being absolutely enraptured by the Chuck e Cheese animatronics. They really don't need to get rid of them, just update them with modern technology.

I think a eating location mixed with animatronics, arcade games, horror and maybe even a interactive mystery to solve for the guests that the employees were in on would be a big hit attraction. Either way, animatronics are a part of entertainment history. They deserve to be preserved, at the very least for others to learn about.

I am not even kidding, I mean this so wholeheartedly: as a 29 year old, full grown, adult woman; if a franchise opened up that was based around five nights at Freddy's and heavily Five Nights at Freddy's themed Not only would I go, I would probably be a regular

As someone who works at a Main Event as a technician, I can attest to the fact that maintanence and repair of attractions takes a lot of money, especially depending on what broke. If it's a lane, generally the parts are gonna be expensive due to the wear and tear they need to endure and how big they are, and with how pricey bowling is, they get paid for on that alone as bowling next to dining and scheduled events are the big money makers. Games on the other hand have to pay for themselves due to their high initial cost, and make their revenue based on who plays them throughout the day via game cards or tokens. If a part on a game breaks down, the cost of the part comes from how much it makes, so if a coin pusher breaks a motor, and the motor is $130 and the game makes $1000 a week, than it's an easy buy. If a shooter game has its gun break down and the gun is $900 but the game makes $500 a week, it's a lot harder to justify keeping the game, especially if its an old one. Another example would be if te game promotes a gimmick that contributes nothing to gameplay and is purely fun/cosmetic, if thst breaks down and te revenue the game brings in isn't enough to justify fixing the gimmick but the game works regardless, than it can be left operable just without that flashing light, more so if the gimmick continuously breaks. I imagine with big animatronic characters this kind of logistics is applied even more so, as they are an attraction but don't necessarily bring in their own revenue, they're just for show like a tv and rely on what the resturant earns to keep their upkeep in check.

😅 that rainforest cafe at 7:50 is the only one I’ve ever been to. I recognized it immediately

Sooooo fun story: Chuck E. Cheese was definitely selling beer back in the early-mid 90s because that’s the only way we could convince my great-grandmother to go with us! I can’t remember where for sure (my dad’s job moved us around a lot as kids) but it was either in Tampa or Jackson, MS. The thing I do remember though is having my tiny mind blown when my great-grandmother ordered herself a pitcher of beer and told my parents that was the only reason she would tolerate being there!

As a engineering major, it is sad to see the decline of animatronic, that was part of the reason I wanted to become an engineer.

The fact matpat still remembers fnac(five nights at candy) and mentions it is amazing

8:35 I love those cocktail clubs with arcades, never seen a bar with an arcade though!

4:47 let's not forget that before the pandemic a certain youtuber with a big following made a theory about there pizza. I'm sure that also did damage to chuck e cheese.

I think it was actually really smart of them to take advantage of all the Hype around the FNAF movie, and make it look like this is WHY they got rid of the animatronics. It gave them the excuse they’ve been wanting for years and brought more attention to the brand, however, I think they need some long term solutions or they’re going to have to ride out the wave and wait until our generation (heavily focused on nostalgia) comes back with our own kids.

I am genuinely surprised chuck e cheese is still in business. the health code violations, the bankruptcy, and an actual attempt to make a bootleg of the fnaf movie. how is it still open?

9:55 Matt has entered his full on dad phase

3:47 bro got so young he stopped existing

I think instead of a partnership with FNAF, CC should invent their own game with their own lore and a fresh backstory.

Isn't Scott hesitant to make a real Freddy's because he thinks someone will try to "re-create the story of the games"

I remember when I was 4, and I went to a few Chuck E. Cheese birthday parties for my friends. I was always fascinated with the animatronics. But little did I realize the year 2014, when I was 4, would be the year of the creation of the FNaF franchise, and the slow downfall of the Chuck E. Cheese franchise. When I was 10, I came back for another party to find the animatronics not there. Being a FNaF fan since I was 5 (mainly cause I was scared to death of FNaF 4), I had a pretty good idea on why the old robots weren’t there…

Who is re watching after the goodbye internet video was up

Definitely agree with the thoughts about Rainforest and Dave & Busters. I went to a Rainforest Cafe in Orlando in 2015, and I felt like I paid more for the, objectively bad, experience of having to yell across the table to talk to people, as opposed to the food. Dave & Busters used to have fun arcade games when I was growing up, but they've been replacing them with oversized versions of mobile apps.

Funny how this theory could've been on food theory, game theory, AND film theory now that the movie is finally out

13:36 I cannot get over "special appearance by everyone's favorite purple guy". 🤣 That kills me and I would absolutely assume this was a parody if I saw this poster out of context.

As a scare actor I can confirm people will SWARM to scary stuff. On one of our busier days this year we had about 8,000 people at our haunt. Also yes animatronics are annoyingly hard to maintain. We had a few break on us this year, one huuuge one that was a wraith hung like 10ft in the air even fell face first into the ground in front of customers…that was a chaotic night

It’s all fun and games until Chuck E Cheese gets a Missing Persons report out of spite.

Can you do a theory on restaurant special sauces? I’m not usually a fan of them, but from my experience, a lot of them look and/or taste the same, despite being “unique” special sauces. I wonder if there’s something behind that? Edit: wow this comment got a lot of likes fast

Why did I laugh at "FNoF" 13:40

Hey! I have an amazing idea for a video! There's been a controversy lying around regarding the flavour of IRN-BRU (Scottish drink since 1909). Some say it's orange bubblegum, others say it's more akin to sprite or orangeade. As an avid drinker of the stuff, even I don't know how to describe it! Figuring out the flavour scientifically as well as perhaps the recipe to the soda would be IMMENSELY cool. Cheers, The Skelliz

As a Chuck E. Cheese fan, this episode title sure did make me curious on how this topic would be covered LOL Tbh I think a large portion of factors can be mentioned in regards to the animatronic band removal but it's still pretty tragic They used to have a slogan that said "Make magic, without it we're just another pizza place!" and now that feels bitter because of them removing the one thing that REALLY set them apart from anything else It's honestly quite a shame and as nice as it is that they're keeping the band at Northridge, that band has several issues that I doubt they'll fix anytime soon I hope more stores keep their band [or more reopen with the band as a retro store gimmick] however it's all unpredictable at this point, tbh wouldn't surprise me if the brand itself dies within the next decade

No matter the reason, I think it's really sad that they're retiring the animatronics. Chuck e cheese was such a big part of my childhood and it won't be the same without them, even though I thought the animatronics were creepy back then

Fun fact about me: I once, as a around 8 - 9 year child, got access to wattpad, I had just found a fnaf summoning thing, did it in a chuck E Cheese bathroom, light flickered once (Faulty lighting), and I got so creeped out and I was conviced that I had summoned Freddy effing Fazbear, and have never gone back. (I am a teenager now folks, that has lasted with me) Fnaf, ruined Chucky Entertainment Cheese for me. (I also had nightmares about fnaf characters chasing me down a chuck e cheese hallway)

I remember there’s a Barcadia down in the city (not going there since it’s in a bad area), but we ended up getting a better one nearby called Game On & it has laser tag, bowling, axe throwing, arcade, & a bar

Retheming their animatronics to give a horror experience would definitely be a bigger draw than dancing/music (plenty of other options for that). I think they should have attempted to adapt to that angle no later than 4 or 5 years ago. It might be too little too late now...they could even keep the face of the franchise (Chuck) as kind of the 'good guy' character trying to protect the kids from his robotized friends.

I remember when Chuck E Cheese issued a DMCA on a creepypasta reader for a video taking place there. Good times.

a fazbears fright style chucke cheese restauraunt would be soo cool

Please make this theoryware a yearly tradition so in a few years time when I’m not broke (hopefully) I can get some.

Style Theory is the only channel to have yet escaped the grasp of Freddy... but not for long

Matpat is the most important person in fnaf after Scott cawthon

Hey Matpat, I have a challenge for you. I saw that in the video at 12:46 an anime figure from the comedy isekai anime Konosuba. Konosuba had a movie back in 2019 called Konosuba Legend of Crimson where at the end of the movie the explosion maniac of the group Megumin had decided to release her final explosion but when using saw that it was amped up by Kazuma the weakest member of their group and sort of love interest. In the final scene we see it from space and how big it was. Wanted to see if you could check how much tnt would be needed to make the same explosion. Bonus challenge if you could also see what it takes for MHA's explosion hero Bakugo to do the same level of explosion

Ok but just imagine how much lore matpat would get if they made in person Fnaf locations

As a kid I was more afraid of Chuck E. Cheese than fnaf 😂

I would definitely prefer that we keep some tactile stuff like these animatronics around, there's just simply no comparing a screen and a physical robot the latter is WAY more fun, but uh I don't think fully going in on horror is the move here.

THANK YOU MATPAT! IVE BEEN WAITING ON THIS ONE FOR SUCH A LONG TIME! YEEEEEES!

That card with responds SCREAMS 80's 😂

13:54 "Don't say: 'Yeah, the characters look kind of similar, huh? Wait until you see them when we're closed! Whoa!'" I'd definitely be fired because this is exactly what I'd say to everyone.

Glad you mentioned the experience vs material... I mentioned wanting to take my wife and 2 kids to Disney world.. tickets and hotel came to about 4k... I'd rather drop that much money on my children having those memories over anything material...

My favorite eatertainment place, and the only one I like, is Pirates Dinner Adventure. It's an interactive show with human performers doing cool stunts, actually good food, you get to talk to the performers after the show, people can get called up to be an actual part of the show, the performers throw people necklaces (they threw me one when I went there), the story is simple enough for kids to understand but complicated enough where it isn't boring, and it's an experience that I would wanna go to again. It was super fun and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun interactive show.

There should be a Freddy's restaurant but just in case someone called William trys to do "SOMETHING" you get scanned for weapons when you come in (even the manager)

Man I really want a colab like this to happen. maybe it will be with FNAF's 10th anniversary and the FNAF 2 movie on it's way. Chuck,E and Scott got a lot of potential with this one :D

map pat what you said isn't true they have been removing stages since 2019. what they did announce is they would keep a stage right after the fnaf movie

Ello! Just for those who are curious, the horror-themed barcade featured at 13:15 is actually my uncle's bar: The 4th Horseman! It's located in Long Beach, California for anyone who wants to drop by and support them. ^-^

A rainforest cafe in my state shut down a while ago, so my family went to one a state over. Before we even got food we bought some things in the gift shop and at checkout my step brother was asked if he wanted to get some membership for savings. He said yes, and the employees looked shocked. Everyone in my family was losing it because we wondered when the last time someone ever got the membership was in this location (note: we went pre COVID) Once we got our food the manager pulled up a chair and started talking to my parents and stepbrother. The whole thing was hilarious, we felt like celebrities for a day

12:47 idk Mat, that megumin figure kinda fire

I think more mature themed restaurants are a ting that would be awesome! One thing I think would be cool would be a DnD style fantasy tavern, with a wanted board full of strange characters, character actors, maybe a few puppets, and coming I'm character is encouraged. Just things like this built to feel like a real place from an imaginary location would be awesome!

In my 20s when I first went to Dave and Busters, I was genuinely shocked kids were allowed in

Being 26, I will always remember my birthday at my first Chuck E Cheese (I was in the single digits then); it had the singing animatronics on the stage(two actually), a disco dance floor(with a camera setup on the dance floor that broadcasted children on the dance floor all around the restaurant periodically), and sky tubes that stretched over the entire restaurant 😂😅 And Mat, we did in fact love those Dance floors😂 I was actually heartbroken when we moved to Georgia and the those here couldn’t even come close to the one in Orlando

Removing animatronics from Chuck E Cheese is literally removing the reason they are open in the first place.

Wasn't his first theory video about Fnaf about events mirroring a real life incident at a Chuck E Cheese location. This came full circle huh?

Imagine an eatertainer with modern and appealing Glamrock animatronics, for example. It’s not impossible. It could actually be fun.

8:51 this felt like a cry for help, for a game suggestion if you dont mind violence then shadow of war if you do mind it then well i guess mincraft?

FNAF was Scotts way of getting revenge on Chuck E. Cheese for causing him childhood trauma woth their animatronics

10:21 sponsor skip

No..Carrot Topp from the Radioactive Chicken Heads did😂

This is really interesting because I think a lot of this is area specific. Our local Chuck E Cheese brings in both kids and adults. And a lot of people think they have some of the best pizza in the area. We also are one of the few ones left that has the full band on stage. There's another Chuck E Cheese less than 2 hours away that only has Chuck on stage.

I'd LOVE to see Chuck E. Cheese take on a horror adaptation. This might sound silly but, growing up, I was terrified of that place, the animatronics, and the ppl in the suits- VERY similar to FNAF- and that's what attracted me to FNAF in the first place. Since Scott doesn't want to open restaurant or amusement park, C.E.C has a HUGE advantage because they already have that + the history of creepy animatronics! I would go just for the nostalgic fear and unease I felt as a kid.

Been curious if in a survival situation, can we survive out of pet foods?

14:27 FNAF took this idea & applied it with FNAF 3, since its plot was about Freddy’s resorting to horror, and maybe as well as FNAF Help Wanted. I think Chuck E Cheese should open a fright attraction based on their animatronics like you said, since FNAF already proved this idea.

As someone who works at Chuck e cheese. We very rarely get any questions about FNAF. My store has had the band gone for at least 2 years. And a person gets In the chucke suit and is able to interact with the kids which is why they are moving from a band playing. To an interactive thing for the kids.

Also as a sidenote, I've heard that the digital Mickey n Minnie ride actually breaks down and falls out of sync fairly often, and I just personally hate when they project digital faces onto an animatronic. The Elsa animatronic with the digital face scares me more than tarantulas, and I have severe arachniphobia so idk that might say something about how janky their half digital-half robot tech is right now

8:50 "keep him quietly playing in the corner" even when i was younger i'd always talk to myself while playing games XD

i honestly can't blame chuck e cheese or scott for not wanting to make a "real freddy fazbear's", because as insanely cool as it would be and how much money it would bring in, it takes just one person wanting to "recreate" the games for a real life tragedy to happen

12:45 I have that exact megumin figure. I love it

Now we just wait for the Style Theory Video about which suit would be easiest to wear.

Im allergic to cheese, so I never ate at a chuck e cheese but went regularly. So its always confusing to me when people refer to the place as a restaurant.😂 My whole childhood, it was always an Arcade first to me.

Congrats on 5 mil subs

03:34 "and that was how i was born" mr. Hippo