Chuck E. Cheese customers rage over chain being ‘biggest ripoff’ as company launches membership program at 450 locations

CHUCK E. Cheese has launched a monthly membership program in hundreds of locations across the country.

However, consumers have said that Chuck E. Cheese’s tiered membership system is not worth the price point.

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“Chuck E. Cheese is the biggest ripoff,” one consumer wrote on Facebook .

“If you buy time you have to wait like 1 minutes to even swipe your card again after playing so you really get like 5/8ths of the actual time you purchase.”

“And the ticket amounts you get is laughable compared to what they want for prizes. Corporate greed in america has ruined another business that we all had fond memories of as a child,” they added.

In August, Chuck E. Cheese introduced the first-ever nationwide, monthly membership program for family entertainment centers.

The brand announced the new program after a very successful Summer Fun Pass season and continued consumer demand, according to the press release .

The new program allows families to “visit Chuck E. Cheese as often as they want, play up to 250 games per day, and enjoy discounts of up to 50% off on most food and drinks.”

For a monthly fee starting at $7.99, parents can bring their kids to Chuck E. Cheese whenever they want and play 40 to 250 games per day.

Passes may be used at over 470 participating Chuck E. Cheese locations throughout the US.

“We wanted to create a program that makes Chuck E. Cheese more affordable for families,” said Mark Kupferman, executive vice president of Chuck E. Cheese.

“Amid rising costs, our goal was to offer great value, and develop an easy, and fun solution for everyone. After nearly a year of successful testing in several markets, and great demand, we’ve seen firsthand how much families love it. We’re thrilled to launch this program nationwide,” he added.

Chuck E. Cheese proudly claims that half a million birthdays are celebrated at its centers every year.

Their famous slogan proclaims that Chuck E. Cheese is “the place where a kid can be a kid.”

The new Chuck E. Cheese Fun Passes come in three tiers.

Each tier offers a specific level of gameplay and discounts to suit different family needs.

Chuck E. Cheese Fun Passes

Each tier offers a specific level of gameplay and discounts to suit different family needs.

Bronze Fun Passes ($7.99/month or as low as $49.99 for two full months)

• 40 games per visit
• 20% discount on most food, drinks, and extra games

Silver Fun Pass ($11.99/month or as low as $69.99 for two full months)

• 100 games per visit
• 30% discount on most food, drinks and extra Play Points
• Gold Fun Pass ($29.99/month or as low as $139.99 for two full months)
• 250 games per visit
• 50% discount on most food, drinks, and extra Play Points

All Fun Pass holders also receive the following benefits:

• Games may be divided among up to six family members.
• Visit once per day, as often as they like.
• Passes can be used at over 450 participating Chuck E. Cheese locations in the United States and Canada
• Regular surprise bonus benefits, exclusively for Fun Pass holders.
• Automatic enrollment in the new Chuck E. Cheese Birthday Club.
• Discounts on Trampoline Zone and Ninja Run attractions, where available.

The entertainment company said guests can also enjoy new entertainment with Kidz Bop Nightly Takeover Dance Parties.

“The playlists include original music, custom remix playlists and music videos to sing and dance along to on our new interactive dance floors!” the statement said.

Despite some negative feedback, many consumers said they were excited about the new membership system.

Parents who rely on the entertainment centers to keep their children occupied and happy are especially thrilled about the new benefits.

“Exhausted children are awesome and quiet,” said one Facebook user.

Meanwhile, Crumbl has introduced a new rewards program with a completely refreshed app design.

And Krispy Kreme is eliminating its punch-card style rewards system and launching a new points-per-dollar program.