The arcade-centric restaurant chain with the motto "where a kid can be a kid" plans to phase out tokens at its roughly 600 locations, Bloomberg reports. Instead, customers will track their Chuck E. Cheese's earnings on rewards cards.
While Bloomberg notes the change could impact the niche arcade currency market, it will probably come as a bigger disappointment to nostalgic millennials who are now taking their own children to Chuck E. Cheese's.
In fact, the chain has already begun phasing out tokens at certain locations - and some Twitter users aren't happy.
Damn end of an era no more tokens at Chuck E. Cheese's
- maggie (@delgadomaggie) September 21, 2016Chuck E Cheese's doesn't have tokens anymore wtf
- G.G. Watt (@ggonz32) August 16, 2016Chuck E. Cheese's no longer uses tokens, what kind of witchcraft is this? #dadlife
- C.S. Evans (@cspiroe) August 7, 2016Chuck E. Cheese's just isn't the same without the tokens ....
- Silvano Santander (@SilvanoSantand1) June 16, 2016According to Bloomberg, Chuck E. Cheese's is phasing out tokens because the cards will be "easier for everyone." For example, rewards cards could make it easier for customers to keep track of their points, even if they lose their cards.
The cards will also make it easier for Chuck E. Cheese's to collect more customer information - a major trend in the restaurant industry, as chains such as Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, and Panera grow their loyalty programs.
While the loss of tokens may hit some millennial customers hard, Chuck E. Cheese's is keeping at least one aspect of its earning system in place. The famous machines that spit out raffle-style tickets aren't going anywhere any time soon, Bloomberg reports.