Business
Tyrell Gittens
While opening a business is no easy feat, Chuck E Cheese’s Trinidad and Tobago franchise owner Joanna Rostant recently learnt that reopening one isn’t easy either.
When strict lockdowns were imposed in March 2021 to combat a surge in covid19 cases, Chuck E Cheese’s two branches in Chaguanas and San Fernando were closed.
But even though restaurants were eventually allowed to reopen in October 2021 under the Government’s safe-zone policy, Rostant kept her restaurant’s two branches closed, given their main clientele – children under 12 – were unable to be vaccinated and access safe zones.
Four months after the safe-zone policy was implemented, and 11 months after closing her restaurants, Rostant was relieved when Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said unvaccinated children under 12 would be allowed in safe zones from February 21.
As she prepared to open on February 25, Rostant gave Business Day a behind-the-scenes look of the preparations at the Chaguanas branch.
As she spoke on the phone to a supplier, Rostant told Business Day, “You know how we say, ‘It takes a village to raise a child?’ Well, it takes a village to raise a business back to life as well.”
A geologist by training, Rostant worked in the oil and gas industry for over 20 years with companies based in TT, Alaska, Venezuela and the US.
But it was a visit with her three sons – then four, 11 and 14 – to a Chuck E Cheese in Orlando, Florida, in 2011 that would inspire her to venture into the business world.
“When we went on the trip, my sister’s little kid at the time just kept crying they wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese. At that time we didn’t know what Chuck E Cheese was and wondered what this kid was talking about.
“The next day we went to Chuck E Cheese and the children had a ball. We sat drinking wine and beer, the kids were happy, everyone had pizza and everyone left feeling so happy.”
Enjoying the inexpensive dining and entertainment experience, Rostant returned to TT and envisioned one here, as “there wasn’t a huge variety of options of what I would call wholesome family entertainment.”
After research, consultations and discussions with her sister (now business partner), Rostant acquired the rights for Chuck E Cheese in TT and opened the first local branch in Chaguanas in 2014, followed by a second in San Fernando in 2016.
“When we opened Chuck E Cheese in 2014, there was a line outside this door for about three weeks, and everyone who came through this door – to this day – is so happy with their time spent in Chuck E Cheese.
“No one ever leaves Chuck E Cheese crying, because we are extremely passionate about children being happy, because a happy child means a happy parent. As a parent you would know once your children is happy, you are happy.”
In the years that followed, Rostant believed Chuck E Cheese established itself as a premier family destination.
But like every business owner, she was caught off-guard by covid19. The local franchise lost 35 per cent of its annual revenue in 2020 and 80 per cent in 2021.
“How does a company survive making 20 per cent of what it usually makes? It can’t, because there’s only so much revenue but so many costs.”
Until Deyalsingh’s announcement of a change in the safe policy, Rostant said TT’s Chuck E Cheese branches had the longest closures in the world.
Apart from losing revenue, she said technological issues were detected, including some games needing reprogramming, and the point-of-sale system having a hardware collapse.
“The prolonged shutdown – as any engineer would know – had the added challenge in that equipment (like our games) works well when it’s running and does not work well when it’s down.
“Shutting down a company that so heavily relies on computers, mechanical engineering and equipment has been tough.
“But during the lockdown we did do maintenance of our safety systems – our fire alarms, security cameras – which is non-negotiable for me.
“From time to time, the AC and games were also switched on and the kitchen equipment was tested every couple months.”
Despite facing several challenges as she prepared to reopen, Rostant said suppliers and contractors were readily available.
“The support and the camaraderie from my suppliers as I prepared to reopen was incredible. This country was incredible…I received umpteen calls when they learnt I was reopening to make their support known.”
Outside of updating technology, Rostant showed Business Day the increased number of hand-sanitising stations throughout the restaurant, repainted walls and the power-washed exterior.
When it comes to staffing, Rostant maintained nearly all during the lockdown. Only three left staff members left, because they were employed elsewhere during that time. But she hopes they return.
“Here at Chuck E Cheese our staff is a very close family, and there has not been a great staff turnover. My two general managers are incredible and they are like mothers to my staff.
“The ‘village’ has made me so happy again, because my staff has all come back. It’s like a cousin went to Toronto, and returned, and everyone is now coming back together.”
Rostant admits it was heartbreaking changing some aspects of the business, like altering the restaurant’s traditional activities for children. Before covid19, the Chuck E Cheese mascot gave out free tickets every hour in a ticket “blast” while singing and dancing with children.
“One unfortunate thing for the kids – but the right thing for covid now – is that we don’t allow Chuck E to come out and throw the tickets for the children, because we don’t want children congregating.
“Covid has been absolutely brutal to our business like no other. Here is the reason for that: what’s the first thing you do to not spread covid? You social distance and you reduce crowds.
“What is at Chuck E Cheese? Chuck E Cheese is about coming together of families.
“So every aspect of Chuck E Cheese goes against what we were told during covid.”
The mascot will still walk around the restaurant and give out tickets, but from a safe distance. Rostant said she will ensure the restaurant continues its services to ensure children have a good time.
While she did contemplate closing many times during the lockdown, Rostant said it would have been a loss for children.
“You have to keep going, because Trinidadians are resilient and have you to keep fighting to the end.
“I’m a marathon runner. In marathons you hit hills and test your legs, but you know when the finish line is. Although I didn’t know when the finish line was this time, I kept going, because you can’t give up on a business so easily.
“That energy you feel in a Chuck E Cheese on a Saturday afternoon, you can’t explain it how important it is for the communities and the socioeconomic environment in TT.”
On to the safe-zone policy, Rostant said she will continue to make the best of it, but hopes it changes as the pandemic evolves.
“When a pandemic becomes an endemic, government policies need to follow. I feel pretty strongly that we will follow when the time is right and they will do what is right.”
Rostant has no plans to open more restaurants in TT, but has acquired the franchise rights for restaurants in Suriname (2022), Guyana (2023) and Jamaica (2023).
