Chuck E. Cheese is phasing out its animatronic bands

Depriving future children of years’ worth of nightmares about dead-eyed animatronics trying to play the blues, Pitchfork reports that Chuck E. Cheese is phasing out its robot bands in a number of select locations, with an eye toward ending the program entirely in favor of live performers. “It’s the biggest thing we’ve done for the look and feel of Chuck E. Cheese for two decades,” the company’s CEO told reporters this week. “The kids stopped looking at the animatronics years and years ago, and they would wait for the live Chuck E. to come out.”