CEC Entertainment, the owner of the food-and-games chains Chuck E. Cheese and Peter Piper Pizza, on Tuesday named Scott Drake the company’s CEO.
He will replace David McKillips, who is stepping down effective Feb. 13.
Drake joined CEC last year as chief financial officer. He had previously held senior leadership roles at Farmer Brothers Coffee, GameStop and 7-Eleven.
He takes over for McKillips, who took the helm at CEC in 2020 and guided the company through the pandemic and its aftermath.
System sales at Chuck E. Cheese declined 11% since 2019, according to data from Restaurant Business sister company Technomic. But the company in recent years has expanded into new formats and concept types, including indoor playgrounds.
CEC recently completed a systemwide remodel program and has launched various brand extensions, including the Chuck E. Cheese Adventure World concept, an indoor playground. The company plans to add more of those types of locations and wants to build more resort-based Chuck’s Arcades.
CEC praised Drake for strengthening CEC’s balance sheet since his arrival and for refinancing its capital structure. “Today, the company is in an enviable position among its competitors,” CEC Board Chairman Joshua Acheatel said in a statement.
“CEC is operating from a position of strength as we move forward in 2026 and we are prepared to accelerate our expansion domestically and internationally, with brand extensions and diversified revenue streams,” Drake said in a statement.
Chuck E. Cheese operated 563 locations as of the end of 2024, according to Technomic. Peter Piper operates another 95 locations.
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