2023 International Pizza Expo & Conference (Event)

The 2023 International Pizza Expo & Conference was an expo CEC Entertainment attended that was hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center from March 28-30, 2023.

Attendance

CEC Entertainment did not host any booths for Chuck E. Cheese, Peter Piper Pizza, or Pasqually's Wings, but did have multiple corporate staff attend the event.⁽¹⁾ These staff were labeled 'Buyers' on their nametags, meaning they attended the event looking for partnerships or collaborations with other companies.⁽²⁾ The four attendees were:

• David Mckillips (President & Chief Executive Officer)
• Jim Brawley (Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Peter Piper Pizza)
• Randy Forsythe (Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer)
• Louis Deignan (Area Director)

Top 100 Movers & Shakers

PizzaMarketPlace.com, whom attended the event, placed pizza companies throughout the expo into the 'Top 100 Movers & Shakers' list. CEC Entertainment had 3 spots within the list.⁽³⁾ Pasqually's Pizza & Wings ranked #4 in 'Top 15 Emerging Brands', reading:

'Launched in April 2020 by CEC Entertainment (parent company of Chuck E. Cheese), Pasqually’s was one of the first virtual kitchens to emerge nationally during the pandemic. The delivery-only restaurant concept lived within Chuck E. Cheese’s brick-and-mortar kitchens, but reached a more mature consumer with a fresh menu and bold flavors, expanding the company’s customer base tremendously. Pasqually’s grew quickly, with mid to high double-digit growth in two years with the same footprint. As off-premise dining and delivery remain a large part of the industry postpandemic, CEC Entertainment continues to focus on growing Pasqually’s by evolving its menu to offer more on-trend flavors, shareable sides and crowdpleasing bundle deals. Pasqually’s was created to satisfy the consumer need for more premium at-home dining options, and its goal is to continue catering to that promise. CEC Entertainment aims to grow the Pasqually’s brand through menu expansion and value offerings, such as new bold pizza and wing flavors and bundle deals, that target Gen Z and Millennial consumers, many of whom grew up loving Pasqually’s sister brand, Chuck E. Cheese, but now have a more refined palate. Pasqually’s was one of the first virtual kitchens that came onto the scene during the COVID-19 pandemic. The delivery-only brand initially received backlash from consumers and media as the idea of virtual kitchens was still relatively new. Yet, as the brand grew, it was quickly recognized as a bold and innovative business move that helped keep CEC Entertainment afloat during the pandemic.'

Chuck E. Cheese ranked #3 in 'Top 15 Growth Brands', reading:

'Chuck E. Cheese is on pace to remodel all existing U.S. locations in the next three years. The company is currently undergoing one of the largest FEC Capex investments with remodel efforts of nearly half of the fleet complete in 2022 (200 by Jan. 2023). Guests can experience a completely reimagined Chuck E. Cheese with new and more games, space and modern technology. The company also plans to open 10-20 international locations next year and is building a pipeline for future growth in territories across the Middle East, Asia and South America. This builds upon its 88 international locations across 19 countries and territories, including eight recently opened locations in Suriname, Mexico, Chile, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The brand has also signed new development agreements in the Dominican Republic. Chuck E. Cheese was one of the first FEC brands to launch a virtual kitchen at the start of the pandemic – Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings. The delivery-only concept was a success that allowed CEC Entertainment to reach a new demographic and revenue stream. Most recently, the company announced a new virtual brand, Lankybox Kitchen, in partnership with Virtual Dining Concepts, homing in on the rise of YouTube entertainment. LankyBox Kitchen pairs America’s largest family entertainment center with one of the world’s most popular YouTube brands. Chuck E. Cheese is also reaching families in nontraditional settings through expanded licensing deals and at-home offerings. Inspired by the company’s fan-favorite pizza, a frozenpizza option is currently in frozen food aisles at over 3,000 grocery stores across the U.S., including Kroger'

David Mckillips would rank #18 in 'Top 25 Executives', reading:

'After pulling CEC from bankruptcy in 2021, David McKillips is paving the way for a new era of two legacy brands, Chuck E. Cheese and Peter Piper Pizza, while innovating with new categories. He charged the international division by expanding the Chuck E. Cheese global footprint into new markets, putting it on track to have over 100 locations by 2023. His experience managing global brands and iconic characters drove the creation of a global media, licensing and entertainment team that is creating revenue opportunities via apparel and toys while leveraging existing in-store and digital properties. Also, after helping the company establish its first delivery-only brand, Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings, McKillips is targeting young consumers with its second virtual restaurant, Lankybox Kitchen – the first family-focused, kid-friendly brand that leverages Chuck E. Cheese kitchens nationwide.'