Shane Dawson: A Lawsuit Target For Chuck E. Cheese?

In 2019, YouTuber Shane Dawson alleged that Chuck E. Cheese recycles uneaten pizza slices from customers and uses them to create new pizzas to serve. The theory blew up, gaining 49 million views and leading to Chuck E. Cheese releasing an official statement refuting the claims. Despite the franchise's denial, Dawson revisited the theory in a later video, leading to speculation that he would be sued by the pizza chain. However, as of 2024, there is no evidence that Chuck E. Cheese has taken legal action against Shane Dawson.

Shane Dawson's 2019 conspiracy theory about Chuck E. Cheese's pizza

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 and uses them to create new pizzas to serve. The video, which is over an hour long, includes footage of Dawson and his friends ordering several pizzas at a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant. They are shocked to find that the pizzas are misshapen, with the crusts misaligned and pepperonis failing to form a perfect circle.

Dawson repeats his disbelief throughout the video, saying "Oh my god" and "It's real" as he examines the pizzas. He later takes a pizza home and attempts to figure out how it was sliced, claiming that he has “definitely proven” that the pizza halves weren't originally together. He also tries to line up the slices to form a perfect circle and questions why a piece seems to be missing.

The theory gained a lot of attention, with many social media users taking it as fact and demanding an explanation from the franchise. Chuck E. Cheese responded with an official statement refuting the claims, stating that their "pizzas are made to order and we prepare our dough fresh in our restaurant, which means that they’re not always perfectly uniform in shape, but always delicious." Ex-employees of the chain also explained that the uneven slices could be the result of kitchen staff cutting the pizza incorrectly or the pizzas moving around on the serving platter.

Despite the flaws in Dawson's theory and Chuck E. Cheese's denial, the conspiracy theory has persisted and continues to be a topic of interest and speculation.

The pizza chain's official statement refuting the theory

Chuck E. Cheese has denied Shane Dawson's claims, but it has not sued him over the conspiracy theory. In an official statement, the company said:

> 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 our restaurant, which means that they're not always perfectly uniform in shape, but always delicious.

The statement was released in response to a video by Dawson in which he investigated the theory that Chuck E. Cheese recycles its leftover pizza slices by baking them into new pies. In the video, Dawson and his friends order a pizza that arrives misshapen, with the crust misaligned and failing to form a perfect circle. Dawson claims that this is evidence of the theory, as the pizza looks like it has been made from slices of different pies.

However, Chuck E. Cheese has refuted these claims, stating that their pizzas are made to order with fresh dough, which can result in slight variations in the shape of the crust. This explanation is supported by testimonies from former employees, who say that uneven slices are often the result of kitchen staff cutting the pizza incorrectly or combining half-and-half pizzas to fill orders quickly during busy periods.

While the conspiracy theory may have gained traction online, it is important to note that there is no evidence to support it. Chuck E. Cheese has denied the claims and has not taken legal action against Dawson, beyond banning him from their establishments.

Dawson's response to Chuck E. Cheese's statement

YouTuber Shane Dawson has not yet responded to Chuck E. Cheese's statement refuting his conspiracy theory that the pizza chain recycles uneaten slices of pizza into new pies. In his video, Dawson showed a photo of a pizza with differing slice sizes as evidence and ordered a pizza in-person to further investigate his theory. However, Dawson has not publicly addressed Chuck E. Cheese's denial of the theory, which states that their pizzas are made-to-order with fresh dough, resulting in slight variations in shape.

While Dawson has not released an official statement, he did include several disclaimers in his video, emphasising that the content was parody and that Chuck E. Cheese makes good pizza. Additionally, throughout the conspiracy video, Dawson repeatedly notes that his theory is just speculation and that he does not want to get sued.

Despite Dawson's disclaimers, the pizza chain did not take his claims lightly. In addition to their official statement, several former and current Chuck E. Cheese employees have spoken out, refuting the theory and providing alternative explanations for the uneven pizza slices. Some employees attributed the uneven slices to rushed cutting, the use of a giant cutter, or the process of combining half-pepperoni and half-cheese pies during busy periods.

While Dawson has not directly addressed Chuck E. Cheese's statement, the controversy surrounding his theory has generated significant online discussion and engagement. His video garnered 14 million views in just two days, and social media users continue to debate the validity of his theory, even though it has been widely discredited.

It is unclear whether Dawson will choose to respond publicly to Chuck E. Cheese's statement or if he will let the matter rest, given his initial concerns about potential legal repercussions.

Former employees' comments about the conspiracy theory

In 2019, YouTuber Shane Dawson alleged that the pizza chain Chuck E. Cheese recycles leftover slices from customers and uses them to create new pizzas to serve. Dawson's conspiracy theory video garnered 49 million views and caused a stir on social media, with many people believing his claims. However, Chuck E. Cheese denied the allegations and released a statement refuting the theory. The company explained that their pizzas are made-to-order with fresh dough, which can result in uneven shapes but does not compromise the taste.

Former employees have also spoken out about the conspiracy theory, offering various explanations for the misshapen pizzas. One former employee claimed that the kitchen staff sometimes cut the pizzas incorrectly, resulting in uneven slices. Additionally, when combining half-pepperoni and half-cheese pizzas, the two different types of pies are made separately, which can make them look like they were put together. This is done to save time during busy periods. Another former employee asserted that they had never put together a pizza using slices from a table where customers had not finished their meal.

A manager from Chuck E. Cheese also provided insight into the controversy, explaining that the slices may appear disproportionate due to the timing of the cutting process. Unlike most pizzerias, Chuck E. Cheese cuts the pizzas earlier, and by the time they are served, the slices may have shifted, resulting in an uneven appearance. While the manager denied the theory, they did not directly answer all the questions posed by the reporter.

Despite the refutations and alternative explanations, Shane Dawson's conspiracy theory video sparked widespread speculation and even led to Chuck E. Cheese banning him from their establishments. However, there is no indication that the pizza chain ever sued Dawson for his claims.

The possibility of legal action by Chuck E. Cheese against Dawson

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 and uses them to create new pizzas to serve. The video garnered 14 million views in two days and caused a stir on social media, with many people taking the theory as fact.

In response to the video, Chuck E. Cheese released an official statement refuting the claims made by Dawson, stating that their "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." Despite the refutation, Dawson's video continued to circulate and gain traction, leading to speculation about the possibility of legal action by Chuck E. Cheese against Dawson.

It is important to note that Dawson did not explicitly state that Chuck E. Cheese was engaging in recycling pizza slices, but presented it as a conspiracy theory. He also included disclaimers in his video, stating that the content was parody and that Chuck E. Cheese makes good pizza. Additionally, some viewers have pointed out that Dawson did not provide conclusive evidence to support his theory, as a misaligned crust does not prove much, and there could be other reasons for a pizza's uneven crust.

As of 2025, there is no public information indicating that Chuck E. Cheese has taken legal action against Shane Dawson. While the franchise denied Dawson's claims and addressed the issue through official statements, they did not pursue legal action at the time. It is possible that Chuck E. Cheese decided against suing Dawson due to the speculative nature of his video and the potential negative publicity that could arise from suing a popular YouTuber.

However, it is worth mentioning that Dawson's video had a significant impact on public perception, with some customers expressing disgust and demanding explanations from the franchise. Additionally, the incident may have contributed to a broader conversation about food handling practices and the importance of transparency in the food industry.

Frequently asked questions