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Chuck E. Cheese Kid Check Not So Effective
Filed under: Opinions
I, like most parents, have experienced the horror that is Chuck E. Cheese -- the restaurant-slash-playground that features kid-sized Habitrails, video games, and something that could, if one were feeling generous, be likened to pizza. Regardless of what parents might think of the place, kids seem to enjoy it.The times we've had to go (for birthday parties and the like), I've kept a close eye on my kids to make sure that they aren't bothering anyone else, that no one bothers them, and that they don't get lost or hurt. Still, when they disappear into those big, generally opaque tubes, it can be difficult to keep track of them. That's why I've been glad they have their kid check system in place. Everyone in a group gets stamped with a number and kids are not allowed to leave unless they're with an adult with the same number. At least, that's the way it works in theory.
A television station in San Antonio, Texas, acting on a tip from a viewer, tested the system at the five Chuck E. Cheese locations in the area. Of those, four allowed a child to leave with someone other than the adult that brought them. I'm sure that the restaurants in question will tighten up their security and that there will likely be a memo sent to all the stores, but the lesson here is don't count on the kid check program. Keep your eyes on your kids.
| Yes, if they advertise it, they need to make sure it works | |
|---|---|
| Sure, I appreciate the added level of security | |
| Not really; I don't think anyone really puts any faith in it | |
| No, it's my responsibility to watch my kid |
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ReaderComments (Page 4 of 4)
1-18-2009 @ 9:09PM
Lisa said...I just walked through a chucky cheeses for the first time yesterday. It was chaos. I stepped into the place and they stamped my hand. I thought it was like a nightclub thing, to prove that they you paid. If they claim that they have a system, however, they ought to make sure it works or just get rid of it. Whatever way you look at it is false advertising. You shouldn't just say, "Well, you ought to watch your kids." I'd be angry at the idea of some sort of puppet security system in place. I mean, what if the same were true about the systems at airports? What if we said, well, I'm on my own, but I'll go through these motions anyway. The system DOES have a responsibilty if it exists, and it should be relied upon or tossed in the rubbish heap.
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1-31-2010 @ 10:47PM
Terri said...BEWARE KID CHECK DOES NOT WORK!
Took my son this past Saturday to our local CEC...when we entered we were stamped. When we were leaving we did get checked, the man that checked my hand looked for the #'s on my son's hand when nothing could be found he asked if I had used a wipe on his hands...when I answered yes he said okay thanks for coming. He then went on and told me if you use wipes..in my case I used Wet Ones, that it takes their magic ink right off! What a joke of a system.
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2-12-2010 @ 12:28PM
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