Chuck E. Cheese’s discontinued Animatronics isn’t because of FNAF

Gabriela Silva
The Chuck E Cheese animatronics

Five Nights at Freddy’s has become 2023’s most successful horror movie with the video game animatronics coming to life. Since the success of FNAF, famed children’s entertainment center Chuck E Cheese has removed its longstanding animatronics.

The movie adaptation of the video game focused on Freddy Fazbeear’s Pizza Parlor becoming a thing of nightmares. At the heart of it were its original animatronics that were well-loved by its patrons until missing children forced the restaurant to close. In reality, the animatronics are haunted due to the original killer hiding his victims’ bodies within them.

Freddy, Foxy the Pirate, Chica the Chicken, and Bonnie the Rabbit are cuddly until they aren’t. One can’t help but compare them to the real-life Chuck E Cheese animatronics. Originally established in 1977, the children’s restaurant and entertainment center also had its robotic singing mascots.

With FNAF having similar business ties to Chuck E Cheese, the franchise announced it would get rid of its animatronics mascots for good. Despite popular belief, it’s not because of the horror movie.

Chuck E Cheese is moving into modern times

Despite the success of FNAF, a Chuck E Cheese representative reveals its decision to remove its animatronic characters is long overdue to help propel the franchise into the future.

According to TMZ, Head of Communications Alejandra Brady explained the rumors are completely false. She says the decision to remove the animatronics has been in the work for years, and the company felt live performers for the Chuck E. Live! Show would be better for customers and patrons. The company has been looking for ways to adapt to the 21st century.

“More than a billion people have come through the doors of Chuck E. Cheese,” CEO David McKillips told KTLA5. “We’ve been phasing out the animatronics over the last couple of years, because every generation has had their own Chuck E. Cheese.”

Just like FNAF, Munch’s Make Believe Band would come alive and perform at kid’s birthday parties or during set times throughout the day. Its characters included Chuck E. Cheese as the singer of the band, Helen Henny as another singer, Mr. Munch as the keyboardist, Jasper T. Jowls as the guitarist, Chef Pasqually as the drummer, and newcomer Bella Bunny as the tambourine player.

For now, only one location in the U.S. will have the animatronics. Thanks to a devoted fan, the Northridge location will be the only Chuck E Cheese with the original animatronics.

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About The Author

Gabriela is a Senior TV and Movies Writer for Dexerto covering Netflix, Disney+, K-Dramas and everything in between. She has a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Fordham, and was previously a TV Writer for Showbiz Cheatsheet and List Witer for Screenrant. You can contact Gabriela at gabriela.silva@dexerto.com