IRVING, Texas, May 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CEC Entertainment, LLC., the nationally recognized leader in family entertainment and dining with its Chuck E. Cheese, and Peter Piper Pizza brands, today announced the appointment of Chris Monroe as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Monroe brings more than 30 years of financial leadership experience across the restaurant, aviation, and defense sectors, and joins CEC at a moment of continued momentum and ambitious forward growth for the iconic brand.
Chris will be focused on optimizing the company’s many productive initiatives including memberships, fun passes, active play expansion, and maximizing growth-focused investments. He will oversee the Company’s finance functions, and real estate development teams. Monroe most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of Texas Roadhouse (TXRH), where he led all finance, treasury, FP&A, investor relations, tax, and risk management functions for the $12 billion market cap international restaurant chain with more than 750 locations. Prior to Texas Roadhouse, Monroe spent more than three decades at Southwest Airlines, ultimately serving as SVP of Finance, Treasurer, and Sustainability — one of the most complex and consequential treasury roles in the U.S. airline industry. Chris also brings board-level experience, having served as a Board and Audit Committee Member at Airborn Inc., a $280 million aerospace and defense ESOP.
“CEC Entertainment is a brand with extraordinary reach, a loyal guest base, and a leadership team that is executing with real intention,” said Chris Monroe. “The scale of this business — 600-plus locations across 18 countries, tens of millions of guest visits annually — is matched by the ambition of where this company is headed. I’m energized by the opportunity to bring my experience to bear on the next chapter of CEC’s growth story and help build a financial foundation that will support this brand for decades to come.”
“Chris is exactly the kind of executive we needed at this stage of our journey,” said Scott Drake, President and CEO of CEC Entertainment. “His combination of large-scale restaurant finance expertise, capital markets experience, and proven ability to drive operational performance through data and discipline makes him the right leader to partner with our team as we continue to invest in our brands, our guests, and our future. We are thrilled to welcome him to CEC.”
Monroe will be based at the CEC Entertainment corporate support center in Irving, Texas. He holds a BBA in Finance from Abilene Christian University. Chris and his wife of nearly 40 years, Kim have two grown children and a 19-month-old grandson who can't wait for his next adventure with Chuck E. Cheese!
About CEC Entertainment, LLC.
CEC Entertainment, LLC. is the nationally recognized leader in family entertainment and dining with its Chuck E. Cheese, and Peter Piper Pizza brands. As the largest Family Entertainment Center brand in the world, CEC operates a system of more than 600 locations across 18 countries and territories. Chuck E. Cheese is the place Where A Kid Can Be A Kid® — where half a million happy birthdays are celebrated each year and positive, lifelong memories are made through fun, food, and play. Since 2020, the Company has been executing one of the most aggressive brand transformations in family entertainment history, investing in technology, active play, and guest experience across its entire portfolio. For more information, visit chuckecheese.com, and peterpiperpizza.com.
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