#30: ShowBiz Pizza Place (1980–1992)
ShowBiz Pizza Place burst onto the scene in 1980, combining pizza, arcade games, and a raucous animatronic band called the Rock-afire Explosion. The chain was founded by Robert L. Brock and was designed to compete with Chuck E. Cheese and quickly became a birthday party favorite for ‘80s kids.
ShowBiz locations featured massive dining areas, bright colors, and singing robotic animals performing kitschy musical numbers. After acquiring Chuck E. Cheese in 1984, the companies merged and began phasing out ShowBiz branding. By 1992, all locations had been converted, making the original ShowBiz Pizza name officially extinct.