Farrells or Chucky Cheeses ?

[kennermike]

When you were a kid in the late 70's early 80's were did you choose to have your Birthday parties?

[Mikey]

We had neither

Farrells I never heard of at all and Chucky Cheese I didn't hear about until the late 80's when it was mentioned in a few movies.

[Hotfoot]

Farrells for me. We had a discussion earlier this year
Anyone remember Farrell's Ice Cream Parlors? - Mego Talk
I went on several occasions growing up!

Farrell's - Ice Cream Parlour Restaurants - History Of Fun

Farrell's - Ice Cream Parlour Restaurants - Home

Vintage pictures from their website.




I went to several of these over the years!

[thunderbolt]

Ofthe two we only had Farrel's Godfather's Pizza was the other choice.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Never heard of Farrel's. We had Showbiz Pizza in nearby Lexington. It's now a Chuck E. Cheese. I'd rather go to Gatti Town. Better food, much more affordable buffet style. And LOTS more games. Chuck E's kind of blows honestly. My kids love Gatti Town.

Chris

[The Toyroom]

Never heard of Farrell's either...There was a Chuck E. Cheese at the mall briefly in the early 80s but obviously I was already too old for that nonsense anyway. A Chuck E. Cheese came back to the area several years ago....I'm so glad my kids are past that age as well

I never had a birthday party at a place other than my own house. My brother though did have one at McDonald's....It was horrible.

[Mikey]

Back in the 70's in the sticks we never had places like that for parties

You either had it at your house, or got invited over to a classmates house for his.

Other than that you can have it at the park or at the local Moose (if the old man was a member)

If you were really rich you could rent the American Legion hall for the night

[Brad]

Never heard of Farrel's. We had Showbiz Pizza in nearby Lexington. It's now a Chuck E. Cheese. I'd rather go to Gatti Town. Better food, much more affordable buffet style. And LOTS more games. Chuck E's kind of blows honestly. My kids love Gatti Town.

Chris

When I was quite young (19ish) I worked for a place called Celebration Station. I actually ran their delivery program known as Pizza Wheels. They were just like a Chuck E. Cheese which we also had on the other side of town. Both companies were owned by Showbiz Pizza. I believe they did away with the Celebration Station name but they still own the Chuck E. Cheese's.


http://www.showbizpizza.com/

[Brad]

Farrel's reminds me a local place we had named The Last Straw. They had a "Fireman Special" that was some insane amount of ice cream scoops (30?) and when somebody ordered one they would send out a guy dressed as a fireman who would run around the dining room carrying the big bowl of ice cream while a siren blared.

The Last Straw Family Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlour was located in Rockford, Illinois across from Alpine Park at 915 S Alpine Rd. As an authentic-style soda fountain with an old fashioned Victorian atmosphere, it served first-rate ice cream sundaes, sodas and other confections created by high school age soda jerks. This family owned establishment was a popular place to eat and work in the 1970's and 1980's. A second, North Towne location on 3600 N Main was opened until they both eventually closed.

[Nostalgiabuff]

i remember going to many parties at the ground round
growing up we really only ever had parties at the house where friends would come over and my mom would come up with activities to do.....having 5 kids there was not much money for bday parties

[kingdom warrior]

I'm a 70's kid I had house parties and cake with pineapple in the middle...blehhhhhh!

[LonnieFisher]

Both my kids had birthday parties at Farrell's before they closed. I had some there when I was a kid, too.

[GSPUSA]

Farrells was great! I loved that place, I had one of my birthday parties there. I even have one of the flat hats at my grandparents house.

[johnmiic]

Been to Chucky Cheese, ugh. No Farrells around here in NY.

[samurainoir]

I don't remember Farrell's, so I don't think we had them in Canada.

Chuck E Cheese was my choice as a kid, but when I was that age, my parents didn't have enough money to hold a birthday party there. Mostly had a cake at home and play in the yard... we'd get the basement room at McDonalds when things were better. By the time my youngest brother was born, my folks were better off financially so he got parties at Chuck E Cheese.

In Toronto there was a place I went to now and then for friend's parties called the Organ Grinder. It's gone now, but the sister restaurant called the Spaghetti Factory is still there.