Classy Parents Have Been Fighting at Chuck E. Cheese’s
If you've ever been in a Chuck E. Cheese's full of screaming kids, you know what it's like to want to punch someone. The problem, though, is that more and more parents are doing just that -- to each other.
ABC News' 'Nightline' recently aired a report that revealed numerous instances of violence at the kid-friendly eateries. In the past 18 months, police have been summoned to a Pennsylvania location some 17 times, and tons of the fights nationwide have been recorded by cellphone cameras and uploaded to YouTube.
Law enforcement told 'Nightline' these physical alterations are often easily explained -- sometimes it's divorced parents trying to make nice on a child's birthday and family members wind up in battles, and sometimes fights between parents who don't know each other erupt because their kids are sparring over a game.
One woman who got a beat-down from another mom for the latter reason told the news program, "All I remember was hitting the floor and being kicked again and again in the head. I think her husband jumped in and was kicking me too."
For its part, Chuck E. Cheese's is not amused by parents who treat its restaurants like WWF pay-per-view events. A statement from the company reads:
Despite our efforts, unfortunately altercations occur with a very small percentage of those who visit Chuck E. Cheese's. And like kids' soccer and baseball games across our country, typically the incidents are not with the kids — but regrettably the parents. For us, even one altercation is too many. Maintaining a wholesome, safe experience that sets a standard across our more than 550 locations is of utmost importance to Chuck E. Cheese's, and we will never stop working to improve how we operate our business.
If you have a voyeuristic streak and want to see what all the fuss is about, we're here to help. Searching "chuck e cheese fight" on YouTube returns more than 200 results, and we've included a few below for your entertainment (note: some of the language may be NSFW). Enjoy.