The Ghost Kitchen That Really Sells Chuck E. Cheese Pizza

CEC Entertainment, the company that owns the chain Chuck E. Cheese, has been continuously in operation for nearly 50 years. There have been some tough times for the brand, including the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and its accompanying stay-at-home mandates that spelled disaster for the entertainment and dining leader. However, the chain pivoted and began selling its food, including its iconic pizza, on delivery apps under the name Pasqually's Pizza & Wings.

If you happened to be scrolling the list of available restaurants on DoorDash or GrubHub in 2020, you likely saw it if you have a Chuck E. Cheese in your city. Indeed, I remember not recognizing the restaurant name and switching over to the pick-up option to do a little investigating. After putting the pick-up address in Google Maps, you can imagine my almost-comical astonishment when I discovered that Pasqually's was actually the exact same restaurant I had run around in as a child.

The name for the ghost kitchen comes from an imaginary chef (and drummer) character in the Chuck E. Cheese's world named Pasqually P. Pieplate. According to unofficial lore, he owned a struggling pizza joint that Chuck E. Cheese breathed new life into with his singing, and the two collaborated. While Pasqually ended up as an all-but-forgotten member of Chuck's band, his time to shine finally came as Chuck E. Cheese (the company) repositioned and rebranded itself for app ordering.

Global pandemics aside, there are a lot of reasons why established restaurant chains like Chuck E. Cheese would open a ghost kitchen that's not for dining in. First and foremost, there is almost zero overhead. There are some fees to begin serving customers through a delivery app, but these are far lower than what they would pay to operate a dine-in restaurant. Perhaps the biggest investment restaurants would have to make is hiring a few more employees to handle the extra order load.

Operating a ghost kitchen can also help restaurants reach a wider customer base. If you and your partner wanted pizza on a Friday night, would you be likely to head to Chuck E. Cheese, sit down, and order dinner? Probably not. Because Pasqually's exists, you can order delivery or takeout on an app and don't have to worry about two childless adults looking out of place in a restaurant geared toward kids. Of course, the number one problem with ordering takeout form a food delivery app is the high prices involved with delivery, but convenience may simply outweigh this in some instances.

Opening a ghost kitchen can also serve as an opportunity for a restaurant to rebrand itself. Pasqually's is a good example of this, along with the ghost kitchen Noodles & Greens, which focuses on salads and pastas. This sounds different from its parent restaurant, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, which specializes in grilled meats. As a result, it may appeal to a new customer base. Ultimately, restaurants can end up making more money, without a huge investment. Many may find it a useful pivot to make as customer dining habits continue to evolve.