Sunday, December 9, 2012

Chuck E. Cheese's New Gluten-Free Menu

This just in: Chuck E. Cheese, our favorite arcade and pizza palace of our youth, has jumped on the Chucky E.-Cheese-band-wagon and added a gluten-free menu.  I can recall childhood birthdays chasing around that giant (somewhat creepy) mouse, and I'm so happy for anyone with a gluten-free child that they can now enjoy a birthday party like the no-diet-restrictions kids.  So here's the scoop, taken right from their website:

Gluten-free Menu FAQs

How many Chuck E. Cheese’s locations offer a gluten-free menu?
Chuck E. Cheese’s offers gluten-free menu items at more than 500 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

When will the gluten-free menu be available at all Chuck E. Cheese’s?
The gluten-free menu is available at more than 500 Chuck E. Cheese’s locations beginning Nov. 13.

How can I find out if my local Chuck E. Cheese’s offers the gluten-free menu?
Guests can inquire about their local restaurant’s gluten-free menu by contacting guest relations at 1-888-778-7193 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-888-778-7193 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

What items are on the gluten-free menu?
Chuck E. Cheese’s gluten-free menu includes a personal-size cheese pizza and an individual chocolate cupcake.

Did Chuck E. Cheese’s do any market testing of the gluten-free menu before rolling it out nationally?
Chuck E. Cheese’s tested offering a gluten-free menu in Minnesota and Iowa.

How much will the gluten-free menu items cost?
Chuck E. Cheese’s personal-size gluten-free pizza costs $5.99 at most locations in the U.S. The chocolate cupcake costs $2.99 in the U.S. or C$3.49 in Canada. Prices may vary slightly at some locations.

Why did Chuck E. Cheese’s decide to add gluten-free items to its menu?
Chuck E. Cheese’s wants every child to experience the unleashed joy of a fun day at one of their stores, but feedback from guests indicated that many of them were missing out on a classic experience with their friends due to gluten restrictions. Researching and developing a gluten-free menu that moms and dads could trust was the best way to ensure that children with gluten sensitivities have the same experience as those without.
While there are still more food allergies to address, gluten-free was one that we felt we could address at this time.

What makes Chuck E. Cheese’s gluten-free pizza different from other chains offering gluten-free pizza?
Chuck E. Cheese’s utilizes an innovative and unique process from kitchen to table that reduces the gluten-free pizza’s chances of encountering any sort of particle that might cross-contaminate the product and make it unsafe for a guest with strict gluten intolerance. Additionally, Chuck E. Cheese’s gluten-free cheese pizza is sold for the same price as its personal-size pizza with traditional crust.

Does Chuck E. Cheese’s work with any gluten-free product partners on either the pizza or the cupcake?
Chuck E. Cheese’s gluten-free pizza is manufactured and delivered to store locations by Conte’s Pasta and the chocolate cupcake is produced by Fabe’s All Natural Bakery. More information about Conte’s Pasta at http://www.contespasta.com/ and Fabe’s All Natural Bakery at http://www.fabesnatural.com/.

How were the partners evaluated and selected?
Chuck E. Cheese’s looked for partners who could work with the company to implement safeguards that significantly reduced the chances for cross-contamination in their gluten-free products. Those who could were then evaluated on taste to arrive at the final product partners.

Where is the gluten-free pizza made?
The gluten-free pizza is manufactured in Conte’s Pasta’s gluten-free certified facility in New Jersey.

How does the gluten-free pizza get from the kitchen to the guest’s table?
The gluten-free pizza arrives at Chuck E. Cheese’s locations from Conte’s Pasta’s dedicated, certified gluten-free facilities in frozen, pre-sealed packaging. The bake-in-bag pizza remains sealed while cooked and delivered, until it is opened and served with a personal pizza cutter at families’ tables by the adult in charge.
Under the same procedure, gluten-free chocolate fudge cupcakes from Fabe’s All Natural Bakery will remain in pre-sealed, single-serve packaging through preparation until opened and served at the table.

Are Chuck E. Cheese’s gluten-free menu options appropriate for children and adults with celiac disease?
Yes, Chuck E. Cheese’s gluten-free menu items are manufactured in dedicated gluten-free certified facilities and kept sealed from delivery to kitchen to table to prevent possible cross-contamination from outside particles.

Are Chuck E. Cheese’s gluten-free menu items endorsed by any nationally recognized organization dedicated to raising awareness about celiac disease?
Chuck E. Cheese’s pizza partner Conte’s Pasta is Certified Gluten-free by the Gluten-free Certification Organization (GFCO). Fabe’s All Natural Bakery’s products also proudly wear a Certified Gluten-free logo established by the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG).

Does Chuck E. Cheese’s offer gluten-free birthday parties?
Chuck E. Cheese’s doesn’t currently offer a gluten-free birthday party package, but guests are encouraged to add gluten-free options to existing birthday party packages by working with one of our representatives in-store, by calling 1-888-778-7193 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-888-778-7193 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or selecting the options as additions when reserving a birthday party online.

What is the nutritional content of the items on the gluten-free menu?
The gluten-free pizza is 370 calories per serving and the gluten-free chocolate cupcake is 380 calories per serving.

   
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