Chuck E. Cheese Will Phase Out Its Animatronic Band

Since the ‘70s, kids around the country have participated in the ritual of bad pizza, pumping tokens into arcade games, and listening to the musical stylings of Munch’s Make Believe Band. But now, Chuck E. Cheese is set to phase out its animatronic band fronted by its furry rodent mascot. The New York Times announced that Munch’s final tour date will come by the end of 2024 at most of the pizzeria’s 400 locations. They’ll preserve the band at a pair of locations — in LA and Upstate New York.

The Times reports that the chain will replace the band with a giant TV, more seats, and a digital dance floor. Management feels screens are the wave of the future and kids just can’t relate to a bunch of robots looking side to side while lip-synching. There are 19 Chuck E. Cheese locations in Illinois and two in Chicago. At least we’ll always have Pizza Town.

The New York Times Dives Into Deep Dish

Speaking of pizza: The Times delved into a controversial Chicago topic: Deep dish. None of this should be very new for seasoned followers of the topic. The usual cast of characters was referenced; these stories are catapults for the Times cooking section which includes a deep-dish pizza recipe. The wrinkle this time? Pizza makers at Pizzeria Uno have apparently deviated from its original recipe: “The biggest surprise? The original’s dough was caky and, frankly, not that deep.” Last week, Chicago magazine, offered an appetizer as Peter Regas, a pizza historian and one of the experts interviewed by the Times, wrote a more detailed explanation of how Uno’s recipe has evolved.

The Tipped Minimum Wage Debate Arrives in Springfield

As lawmakers in Springfield consider abolishing the tipped minimum wage (something that Chicago lawmakers will phase out in the coming years), progressive lobbyist group One Fair Wage held a Mother’s Day Brunch over the weekend at the Quarry Chi on the South Shore to highlight how the tipped minimum wage disproportionately impacts women of color — many of them who are mothers. One Fair Wage has been pushing for support for House Bill 5345, the state equivalent to what Chicago alderpersons adopted in October.