Do Chuck E Cheese Reuse Pizza?
Chuck E. Cheese is a popular family entertainment center that features games, rides, and, of course, pizza. However, in recent years there have been claims circulating on the internet that the pizza chain reuses leftover pizza slices and serves them back to customers. But, is there any truth to this theory? Let’s dive in and take a look.
The claim
In recent years, a conspiracy theory video has emerged claiming that Chuck E. Cheese, the popular family entertainment center, is involved in nefarious activity.
The theory that Chuck E Cheese reuses pizza has been circulating for years, with many claiming that the pizza served at the popular family-friendly restaurant is not made fresh. However, no concrete evidence supports this claim, and Chuck E Cheese has denied the allegations.
Youtuber Shane Dawson in February 2019, suggests that staff at the family-friendly chain recycle pizza slices left behind on tables after customers eat. In his video, Dawson suggested that Chuck E. Cheese’s employees reheat the old leftover slices and use them to form new pizzas which is why the edges look so uneven and mismatched.
In his almost 95 minute long video which includes other conspiracy theories, Youtuber Shane Dawson visited Chuck E. Cheese’s to see for himself. When his pizza arrives, it appears uneven and he claims that old slices have been assembled together. You can view this in the video below. The video starts at the relevant 10 minute mark.
The Chuck E Cheese reply
The theory was quickly shut down by representatives of Chuck E. Cheese’s.
“The claims made in this video about Chuck E. Cheese’s and our pizza are unequivocally false,” the chain said in a statement sent to multiple media outlets. “No conspiracies here — our pizzas are made to order and we prepare our dough fresh in restaurant, which means that they’re not always perfectly uniform in shape, but always delicious.”
Even former employees have denied these claims saying they are false and do not recycle their pizzas.
However, the discussion continues online as to why their pizza shapes look so odd.
A look inside a Chuck E Cheese Kitchen
Many point to the fact that the pizza slices and toppings at Chuck E Cheese often appear not to align as evidence that the pizza is not made fresh. However, Chuck E Cheese has stated that its pizzas are hand tossed, which results in the pizza’s inconsistent size and shape. They also claim their pizza is sliced on a peel and then slid onto a plate as another reason for misaligned slices.
This explanation is investigated further in a BuzzFeed video interview conducted by Eric Tabach, who visited a Chuck E Cheese to get to the bottom of the theory.
As with many online theories, there is no concrete evidence to support these claims. Chuck E. Cheese has denied the allegations, also stating that they have strict food safety protocols in place to ensure the quality and freshness of their pizza. The company also stated that they have never reused or recycled pizza slices.
Furthermore, Chuck E. Cheese’s franchisees are independently owned and operated, and many of them have their own health department inspections. They have to pass these inspections, hence it would be impossible for them to reuse pizza slices as that would be a major violation of food safety regulations.
Summing Up
There is no solid evidence to support the claim that Chuck E. Cheese recycles or reuses pizza slices. While the viral video (48 million views) may have sparked an online frenzy, the company’s denial and strict food safety protocols suggest that the claims are likely false. So, it is pretty safe to say that the Chuck E. Cheese pizza conspiracy is nothing more than an internet rumor and a remarkably good click bait campaign.