Chuck E. Cheese’s with Erin McGathy

"Chuck E. Cheese’s with Erin McGathy" is Episode 48 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Chuck E. Cheese’s with Erin McGathy" was released on April 14, 2015.

## Synopsis

The ‘boys evaluate kid friendly pizza parlor and video arcade Chuck E. Cheese’s, a childhood favorite of guest Erin McGathy (*This Feels Terrible*). And, iced tea is in the spotlight in another Drank or Stank.

## Nick's intro

The ancient Chinese stone-flipping board game, Go, marketed in the U.S. under the name Othello, has a strategic depth that some say rivals chess. And like chess, a dominant move has a name: not 'check,' but 'atari'.

And so an American computer engineer and Go aficionado named Nolan Bushnell came to choose that name for his burgeoning video-game company with a signature black-and-white game of its own: *Pong*. Bushnell's crude table-tennis simulation was the first true video-game blockbuster and is credited for initiating the electronic-gaming craze.

After his Atari 2600 took America by storm, Bushnell moved on to another business venture: reimagining the dank, grungy video arcade into a child-friendly, brightly-lit pizza parlor complete with games, prizes, a ball pit, and an animatronic stage show. The concept was a hit in the early '80s, though later endured a series of bankruptcies, finding its salvation in a buy-out and subsequent merger from rival ShowBiz Pizza.

Over the decades, the pizzeria's rodent mascot has evolved from a playful, happy mouse into a skateboarding, guitar-wailing, CGI-creation voiced by the lead singer from Bowling For Soup. And now with 500 locations across North America, it remains a mecca for kids' birthdays and youth sports celebrations.

As its famous slogan says, it's "where a kid can be a kid."

But what about us grown-ups?

This week on *Doughboys*: Chuck E. Cheese's.

## Fork rating

* Lunch Buffet
	+ slice of Spaghetti & Meatballs Pizza
	+ slice of Supreme Pizza
	+ slice of Cheese Pizza
	+ slice of Pepperoni Pizza
	+ Caesar Salad with Ranch
	+ Cinnamon Sticks
 Mike Mitchell
* 1/2 Cheese, 1/2 Pepperoni Pizza (large)
* App Sampler
	+ Buffalo Chicken Cheesy Bread
	+ Tater Tots
	+ Boneless Wings
	+ little mouse diapers
* Churro
 Erin McGathy
* Spaghetti & Meatballs Pizza
* Cheesy Bread

A few years later, the Doughboys created the Broken Plate Club. With these scores, Chuck E. Cheese's is a member.

**Spoonman's Bite of the Night** went to the Buffalo Chicken Cheesy Bread.

## Drank or Stank

In this segment, the Doughboys have a drink and decide if it is 'good' or 'bad.'

For this episode, they have Fuze Strawberry Red Iced Tea, which Mitch grabbed at a Subway.

They describe the drink as having a strong strawberry smell and a slightly fermented taste. They all agree that it lacks in the tea flavor and tastes like chapstick.

 Mike Mitchell
 Erin McGathy

## #hashtags

* #BonkersScalping
* #MountMousemore

## The Feedbag

We were having a great time, drinking beers and enjoying the food until about three rounds in when we all started to feel very, very sick. We sort of dug ourselves into a hole because we told our waitress we were trying to break the record (she saw someone eat six servings once). We thought we would crush the record but none of us made it past five rounds and we were so full and sick we couldn't even go out on a perfectly good Friday night.
My question to you: Has this feeling of guilt and disgust and shame ever happen to you while eating "all you can eat" specials? What are some ways I can better exert self-control when eating?

 Mike Mitchell
 Erin McGathy

## Restaurants

 Chuck E. Cheese's
 Chuck E. Cheese's
 Chuck E. Cheese's

 Pitt Bros BBQ
 Showbiz Pizza
 Bonkers Funhouse Pizza

## Drops and Plugs

* Harold Faltermeyer "Axel F"
* Soundgarden "Spoonman"
 *This Feels Terrible* | Erin's podcast plug

## Related Episodes

* 83. Tender Greens
* 104. Sharky's
* DD. Irish Whiskey and American Ribs

## Photos (via @doughboyspod)

Lunch Buffet: pizza slices + saladSpaghetti & Meatball PizzaCinnamon Stickscup of Iced Tea