Is your kid’s birthday party data a valuable asset? Because for Chuck E. Cheese and Peter Piper Pizza, the answer is increasingly, unequivocally yes. The recent promotion of Nathan Hunstable to Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective February 2, 2026, isn’t just a shuffling of executive titles; it’s a clear signal that family entertainment is rapidly becoming a data-driven business, and the stakes are higher than ever. The real story here isn't about a new CIO – it’s about the quiet revolution happening in how companies like CEC Entertainment monetize fun.
Hunstable’s rise from Chief Information and Security Officer (CISO) and VP of IT Infrastructure within CEC Entertainment, a position he’s held since 2024, speaks volumes. Scott Drake, CEO of CEC Entertainment, praised Hunstable’s work “elevating our cybersecurity efforts and contributing greatly to other innovation and technology projects.” That’s corporate-speak for “he’s good at protecting the goldmine of information we’re building.” Before CEC, Hunstable honed his skills at Cinergy Entertainment as Chief Technology Officer, where he focused on direct-to-consumer digital tools – mobile apps, subscriptions, and self-service kiosks. These aren’t just conveniences; they’re data collection points, meticulously tracking preferences, spending habits, and even the demographics of party attendees.
Original reporting: cdomagazine.tech.
This isn’t some futuristic prediction. Consider the trajectory of loyalty programs. CEC Entertainment, under outgoing VP and CIO Jay Spears’s leadership, already expanded loyalty and CRM initiatives. Spears, who served five years in the role, also oversaw the expansion of off-premise ordering and delivery. But loyalty points and online orders are merely the surface. The data generated from these interactions – what games a child favors, what pizza toppings are consistently chosen, how much parents are willing to spend on arcade cards – is far more valuable than the revenue from those transactions alone. It allows for hyper-targeted marketing, personalized offers, and even predictive modeling to optimize everything from menu design to party package pricing.
The emphasis on cybersecurity is particularly telling. In 2023, data breaches cost businesses an average of $4.45 million, according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report. For a company built on family trust, a breach exposing children’s data would be catastrophic. Hunstable’s background, including a master’s degree in Cybersecurity Law from Texas A&M University School of Law, isn’t just about preventing attacks; it’s about demonstrating a commitment to data privacy – a crucial element in maintaining consumer confidence while aggressively leveraging personal information. This is a delicate balancing act, and one that regulators are watching closely. The FTC’s increased scrutiny of data privacy practices, particularly concerning children, adds another layer of complexity.
What’s often overlooked is the broader trend this represents. The family entertainment sector, historically reliant on foot traffic and impulse purchases, is undergoing a digital transformation mirroring that of retail and hospitality. The difference? The data is even more sensitive. We’re not talking about shoe sizes or preferred coffee orders; we’re talking about information about children, collected during what’s supposed to be a carefree experience. Hunstable’s challenge isn’t just building better apps or securing networks; it’s navigating this ethical minefield while maximizing the commercial potential of that data.
Looking ahead, expect to see CEC Entertainment and Peter Piper Pizza move beyond simple loyalty programs. The next phase will involve leveraging AI to personalize the entire guest experience, from recommending games based on a child’s skill level to suggesting party themes based on past preferences. But here’s the question everyone should be asking: will parents be fully informed about how their children’s data is being used, and will they have meaningful control over it? Because if they don’t, the future of fun might come at a cost they’re not willing to pay.
