Michigan’s Chuck E. Cheese Bands Have Been Unplugged

Call it the end of an era, the modernization of a classic, or a welcome change. However you look at it, removing every Chuck E. Cheese animatronic band in Michigan is complete and will soon be removed from all but two locations in the United States. However you slice it, breaking up the band, Munch's Make Believe Band as it was known, scrapping this attraction is bound to get a reaction.

Related: Michigan, Before the Internet: 4 Ways Kids Stayed Busy at Meijer

The stilted movements of the mechanically driven stuffed animal characters known as Jasper T. Jowls on guitar, Mr. Munch on keyboard, Pasqually banging on drums, and fronted by Helen Henny and none other than Chuck E. Cheese himself entertained generations for 40 plus years. It's unclear where the characters will be stored, sold to collectors, or scrapped, but what is clear is that kids don't find these dancing robots nearly as entertaining as we did.

Michigan's Chuck E. Cheese Undergo Massive Renovation

In a recent interview with Billboard Magazine, the CEO of Chuck E. Cheese, David McKillips, called this renovation the company's most 'aggressive transformation' to date. Hoping I'd not missed the last performance of the rejects from Epcots Hall of Presidents in my area, I rushed to the nearest location.

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Alas, the Lansing, Michigan Chuck E. Cheese band played their last show in October 2023. As you can see in the above comparison, the stage featuring the animatronic creatures has been replaced with a video screen, and new bios for the band members feature their silhouettes.

So, say so long to the band that played the soundtrack of birthday celebrations for decades while sliding in bad jokes and slightly creepy robot eye blinks. Some may be glad to see them go, as these inspired the horror game and movie 5 Nights at Freddy's.

Since removing the band, the Lansing, Michigan Chuck E. Cheese has added more attractions, following the 'transformation' playbook, adding a trampoline area and a digital dancefloor.

If you find yourself with an uncontrollable urge to see the band, don't fret. The New York, New York, and Los Angeles, California locations still have their animatronics intact, so book a flight and take in a show with a slice of pizza, a handful of sticky tokens, a cold beer, and an appetite for cheesy jokes.