Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Recycling: Fact Or Fiction?

In 2019, YouTuber Shane Dawson posted a video in which he and his friends visited Chuck E. Cheese to test out a conspiracy theory that the restaurant was serving recycled pizza to its customers. In the video, Dawson points out that the pizzas he ordered were composed of slices that did not match, with pepperonis sliced in half on the edge of a slice with no coordinating half on the adjacent slice. This led to speculation that the restaurant was collecting and piecing together leftover pizzas to serve to new customers. While some people found the idea entertaining, others pointed out the flaws in this theory, including the time and effort required to collect and reheat the pizzas, as well as the risk of a lawsuit if employees were to leak such practices. Chuck E. Cheese denied the claims, stating that their pizzas are made to order with fresh dough, which may result in slight variations in shape.

YouTuber Shane Dawson's video about Chuck E. Cheese's recycled pizza conspiracy theory

In 2019, YouTuber Shane Dawson posted a video titled "Investigating Conspiracies with Shane Dawson", in which he discussed the theory that Chuck E. Cheese recycles leftover pizza slices from customers' tables and uses them to create new pizzas to serve. Dawson and his friends ordered several pizzas from the restaurant and were surprised to find that the slices were of different sizes and did not seem to belong to the same pizza. They speculated that the workers take leftover slices from pizzas that were not finished and combine them to create new pizzas. Dawson also pointed out the unusual amount of advertising produced by the company, claiming that their pizzas are fresh.

The video received 49 million views and sparked a wave of similar videos by other YouTubers, who also noticed the differently-sized slices. Chuck E. Cheese responded to the conspiracy theory on Twitter, stating that the claims made about their pizzas are "unequivocally false". They explained that their pizzas are made to order and that the dough is prepared fresh in the restaurant, which means that the shapes are not always perfectly uniform. However, many people pointed out that other pizzerias also make their dough fresh but manage to create perfectly-shaped pizzas.

Despite the flaws in Dawson's theory, it gained a lot of traction, with many social media users taking it as fact and demanding an explanation from the franchise. The theory even led to a video by Buzzfeed, in which a Chuck E. Cheese manager claimed that the reason for the uneven slices is that the pizzas are cut much earlier in the process, and by the time they are served, they may look uneven due to being moved around.

The arrangement of pizza slices

In 2019, YouTuber Shane Dawson and his friends visited Chuck E. Cheese to test a conspiracy theory that the restaurant was serving recycled pizzas to customers. Dawson's video revealed that the pizzas they received consisted of slices that were different sizes and did not appear to be from the same pizza.

Some people theorized that the workers took leftover slices from uneaten pizzas and rearranged them to make new pizzas. However, others suggested that the restaurant may simply be pulling apart and rearranging slices from the same pizza before serving, possibly to add extra slices or make a medium pizza look like a large.

In response to the conspiracy theory, Chuck E. Cheese's official statement to E! News denied the claims, stating:

> "The claims made in this video about Chuck E. Cheese's and our pizza are unequivocally false. No conspiracies here – our pizzas are made to order and we prepare our dough fresh in the restaurant, which means that they're not always perfectly uniform in shape, but always delicious."

While the idea of recycled pizza may be unappetizing, it is important to consider the practical challenges and risks associated with such a practice, as well as the responses from former employees and the company itself, which suggest that the theory is unlikely to be true.

The taste of Chuck E. Cheese's pizza

The Bad Reviews

Some people find the pizza to be mediocre at best, with one reviewer saying that the taste of mediocrity lingers in your mouth like accidentally swallowed flatulence. Another reviewer said that the pizza tasted like cardboard and chemical cheese. A senior editor, who grew up in England and knew bad pizza, found Chuck E. Cheese's pizza to be particularly awful, describing the crust as "mushy" and "squishy" and the meat as randomly hurled on top. He also mentioned the strong aftertaste of slimy, boiled cauliflower.

The Good Reviews

On the other hand, some people have fond memories of the pizza from their childhood. One reviewer said that Chuck E. Cheese's pizza tastes like your lost youth. He explained that when you're young, pizza is associated with fun, so even if the pizza isn't that great, you still enjoy it. Another reviewer, who tried the cauliflower crust meat lovers pizza, found it to be surprisingly inoffensive, and the regular cheese pizza had a nice garlic crust.

Recipe Changes

It's worth noting that Chuck E. Cheese has made changes to their pizza recipe over the years, which may have improved the taste. In 2011, they started making their crusts and shredding their cheese fresh on-site, resulting in cheesier and crispier pizza. In 2015, they made additional changes to the pizza under a new executive chef, with the intent to win over parents with freshly-made dough, hand-grated mozzarella, and sauce made with vine-ripened tomatoes. These changes seem to have been successful, as a nationwide blind taste test found that 57% of participants preferred Chuck E. Cheese's pizza to Pizza Hut's.

Pizza Delivery

The experience of having Chuck E. Cheese's pizza delivered seems to be a mixed bag. While some people found it nostalgic, others felt that the pizza was missing the elements that make the Chuck E. Cheese experience memorable, such as the animatronic singing animals and arcade games. One reviewer said that the pizza is utilitarian food, similar to airplane food, and is not worth going out of your way for.

Ex-employees' comments on Reddit

Several ex-employees of Chuck E. Cheese have taken to Reddit to share their experiences working at the restaurant and their thoughts on the pizza "recycling" conspiracy theory.

One former employee explained the process of making the pizza dough, which involved making enough dough for the next two days and letting it proof in the fridge. The following day, the dough would be sheeted out and ready for the day's orders. All pizzas were supposed to be made within two minutes of receiving an order, and any leftover dough at the end of the day was sent through the oven to be burned and trashed. This ex-employee also mentioned that the wings and other items were frozen.

Another ex-employee shared a similar experience, stating that the pizzas were always made fresh and never ahead of time. They also mentioned that their manager was very strict about cleaning and sanitation procedures.

However, one commenter claimed to have worked at two different Chuck E. Cheese locations in two states and described a slightly different process. They said that there were racks of pre-made cheese pizzas, and toppings were added before putting them in the oven. These pre-made pizzas could sometimes be from the day before, especially during the weekend.

Some ex-employees denied the pizza "recycling" conspiracy theory, stating that it would be a waste of time and labour to assemble pizzas with recycled slices. They also pointed out that employees were paid close to minimum wage, so it was unlikely that they would keep quiet about such practices.

One commenter, who claimed to have met several employees who could confirm the theory, suggested that the practice might vary by location, and some locations might be better at hiding it from inspectors.

Overall, while there were some variations in the experiences shared by these ex-employees, the majority denied the pizza "recycling" conspiracy theory, citing reasons such as time and labour inefficiencies and strict sanitation procedures.

The company's official response to the conspiracy theory

Chuck E. Cheese's has released an official statement to E! News, addressing the conspiracy theory proposed by YouTuber Shane Dawson, which suggests that the company collects and reuses uneaten pizza slices from guests to serve as fresh pizza to other customers. The company has unequivocally denied these claims, stating that their pizzas are made to order with fresh dough prepared in-restaurant, which may result in slight variations in shape but always guarantees deliciousness.

Chuck E. Cheese's spokesperson expressed:

> "The claims made in this video about Chuck E. Cheese's and our pizza are unequivocally false. No conspiracies here – our pizzas are made to order and we prepare our dough fresh in the restaurant, which means that they're not always perfectly uniform in shape, but always delicious."

In response to the allegation that employees collect and reheat leftover pizza slices, the company emphasizes the impracticality of such actions, which would require significant time and effort from staff, outweighing any potential cost savings. Additionally, the company highlights the legal risks associated with such practices, including potential lawsuits and criminal charges if employees were to leak information about these activities.

The company's response aligns with statements from ex-employees on Reddit, who have debunked the theory, providing explanations for the inconsistencies in pizza slice sizes and pepperoni toppings. Furthermore, the time and effort required to collect, match, and reheat leftover pizzas would be impractical and costly for the company.

Chuck E. Cheese's has strongly denied the accusations of recycling pizza, assuring customers that their pizzas are freshly prepared and safe to consume. The company's commitment to food quality and customer satisfaction remains a key priority.

Frequently asked questions