Chuck E. Cheese's markets beyond the boxChuck E. Cheese's markets beyond the box

Mark Brandau

The days of “don’t touch that dial” are waning at Chuck E. Cheese’s, as officials disclosed during their fourth-quarter earnings call that the brand has begun to pull advertising funds from TV commercials and reallocate them to radio and digital advertisements.


The move underscores the shift from traditional media to digital, as well as the 556-unit family pizza chain’s desire to target both children and their parents — two groups that have increasingly turned their attention from TV to radio and the Internet, said Mike Magusiak, chief executive of Irving, Texas-based parent company CEC Entertainment Inc.


“Media has changed over the past few years, especially when you start targeting younger families that use digital more tha...