Chuck E. Cheese is rolling out company-wide cultural sensitivity training after an incident in New Jersey where one of the chain’s characters reportedly ignored a 2-year-old girl. A video of the incident has surfaced on the internet.
"In the video, there were a bunch of Caucasian children who were there on stage that received a high five," the child's mother, Natyana Muhammad, told 6abc. "My Black child was the one being ignored."
In response to the incident, Chuck E. Cheese President and Chief Executive Officer David McKillips will visit the New Jersey location to discuss current performance as well as the recent incident and plans for improving the guest experience.
Additionally, the company said it will enhance its culture and sensitivity training, and starting next week, will hold employee engagement sessions with the help of its partner on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, Dallas-based company Kanarys.
“We take every Guest experience seriously and, considering the recent event in Wayne, N.J., are taking steps to review our training and protocols and implement any necessary adjustments to ensure positive experiences for all our Guests, starting in Wayne, N.J., and continuing at the rest of our locations throughout the United States,” Chuck E. Cheese said in a statement.
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