I was given money by my cousin and her husband and told to take their kid to C.E.C. while they were on vacation. After the cacophony and the grease-on-cardboard masquerading as pizza, I swore I would never ever go there again.
It is hell on earth.
That seems crappy all around. Hey, we’re going on vacation but we’re not taking you kid. But don’t worry, we’ll force our cousin to endure the shit hole that is CEC so that we don’t have to.
I hope you had some words with this cousin for sticking you with this crappy task.
Wow, your cousin really played a nasty trick on you, vivalostwages! You have my sympathy. If you never speak to her again, you’ll have many supporters. 
I had a horrendous headache to boot.
Actually, I am not speaking to her, but there are many reasons for that. 
I’m lucky. Not only have I never been to CEC, but my (almost step-) kids never want to go. Yes, envy me. you’re allowed.
Best part is, CEC is just down the road from The Fun Station, which is similar, but has beer and actual video games, and no fucking rat! It also has go-karts, miniature golf and a batting cage. Oh. And a bungee-thing and water-bumper-boats. And since its more popular demented sibling is less than a half-mile away, the hell which it could be has been diluted.
heh. They really couldn’t have made it ANY clearer.
I’ll take my kids - did you know they are open on Sunday mornings? No one else does either. $20 in tokens, a $2 cup of really bad coffee, and a textbook. You can actually study in CEC for an hour or so on Sunday morning. But Saturday afternoon, after the portal to hell has opened and the demon spawn have infested the place - nope.
Hmm, we used to go there for lunch (it was near work). Maybe it was because it was generally a school day, but there were rarely many kids there.
It was better when they had more video games (hydro wave or something like that was a fun).
The pizza was so-so but the garlic cheese bread was VERY good IMHO.
Brian
The Pizza isn’t bad but it seems like it comes from a big factory…and starts out 3" in size…before they chuck it in the Black n Decker food rehydrator (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OopNeC9BGtg)
We went in December, on a Tuesday night. I’ve made a few gravitational passes on the weekend, but then apologied to the twins and took them to Burger King.
What got me was:
The red and white wine…on tap
The bottom of the slide wax, I swear to god, waxed. I saw two kids take a digger there, I talked to the manager, telling them they should do something about that before they had to mop brains off the floor. The 8 year old manager looked like a deer caught in the headlights and said 'We’ll get right on that’™, I’m pretty sure nothing came of it. I half expect that if I went back, there would be flowers and crosses there…like at the historical scene of a traffic fatality.
I suspect I’ll have to go back at least once, I’ll double up on my meds when I do so.
From the sounds of it I’m guessing I should count myself lucky there aren’t any of these “Chuck E. Cheese’s” outfits within about 6,000 miles of here…
Ah, but they used to…
Why am I not surprised to see that it was in Surfers Paradise? That’s the only place in the country tacky enough for it not to be out of place…
In all fairness Mrs. Jim and I have been married for 14 years. It has taken considerable time and countless hours of therapy to overcome the aversion to procreate instilled in us by our time working for the Rat. Your brother’s theory is still viable in the short term as an alternative to traditional sex ed.
The psycological damage lingers and Eliza B’s post scared me into doing some research. According to the Rat’s corporate website They still serve beer. I beleive we can all rest a bit easier in this knowledge.
[hijack]
Hey, by your profile, I see you live in Cincinnati, and you’re a corporate minion who likes cooking and woodworking. Are you sure you’re not me?
[/hijack]
Chuck E. Cheese was my second job (Arby’s was my first). I lasted a grand total of a month there. Wearing the Chuck E. suit was the worst thing EVER. It was made of thick polyester fur and stuffed with foam. It was unspeakably hot. The big plastic head weighed about 15 pounds, and was secured to the head by a plastic headband wrapped in fabric. The suit was probably 7 or 8 years old (assuming it had been bought new when the location opened) and there was no real way to wash any of its components. The stench inside, once you started sweating and reconsitituting the ancient funk in the padding, was beyond description. It was like wearing someone else’s sweaty underwear…for a hat.
Dear Og. There are nine of them in Ontario. And one of them is near my work. :: twitch ::
You could always take Mariah by. I bet she’d enjoy all the little screaming appetizers.
I just started a new job. There’s one literally next door to here.
Well now you know where to go for lunch. Save your tokens!
Mariah doesn’t like to leave the Initiation Complex. Which is probably best for everyone, really.
I like the idea of squidding the little kids. We need to get on that ASAP.