The basics:

• Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza slated to open at American Dream in 2027
• Venue will combine quick-service dining, arcade games, animatronics
• Billed as first permanent immersive FNAF restaurant
• American Dream developing concept with ScottGames

An immersive pizzeria concept inspired by popular horror franchise Five Nights at Freddy’s is making its global debut in New Jersey.

Scheduled to open in 2027, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza will offer quick-service dining, arcade games and animatronic performances. The restaurant is designed to replicate the video game’s signature location, according to the Meadowlands megamall.

Billed as “the world’s first permanent immersive restaurant experience” associated with the series, American Dream is developing the upcoming venue in collaboration with Five Nights at Freddy’s intellectual property holder ScottGames.

As a “functional reimagining of the game’s titular location,” Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza will give guests a chance to “step behind the curtain to experience survival horror-inspired multiplayer game experiences.” That includes animatronic stage shows starring Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie the Rabbit, Chica the Chicken and Foxy the Pirate.

Five Nights at Freddy’s got its start in 2014 as an indie video game. Since then, it has spawned more than a dozen games, books and merchandise. The franchise revolves around a haunted pizza restaurant where the seemingly harmless animatronic characters come alive after dark to create chaos and terror.

Five Nights at Freddy’s has also developed two feature films starring Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard. The movies have grossed over $535 million worldwide. A third installment is in the works.

‘We’re not building a set’

Atreyu Alcantar is American Dream’s creative manager for licensing & location-based entertainment. They said, “The only way this experience succeeds is if it’s created by a team that knows Five Nights at Freddy’s inside and out. The animatronic show has to be authentic. The food has to be high quality. And above all else, we’re not building a set that looks like Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza — we’re building Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza.”

The project’s creative lead went on, “This experience will immerse longtime fans in the world they’ve imagined for years while welcoming an entirely new audience to discover it for the first time.”

American Dream CEO Don Ghermezian shared, “For years, fans of Five Nights at Freddy’s have imagined what it would feel like to step into Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza and we’re thrilled to have been selected to finally bring that world to life.”

At American Dream, we live and breathe fandom.
—Josh Berdugo, senior vice president of licensing and location-based entertainment, American Dream and Triple Five Group

He went on, “American Dream is unlike any property in the world, continually imaging and creating attractions and experiences that simply can’t exist anywhere else.”

Besides being the largest mall in New Jersey, the 3 million-square-foot venue is one of the biggest in the country. It is second only in size to the Mall of America in Minnesota, also owned by Triple Five Group.

At American Dream, the lineup of over 400 stores includes a luxury wing featuring brands such as Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent, Canada Goose, Gentle Monster and Ferrari. The megamall is also home to flagship locations of H&M, Primark, Sephora, Uniqlo, Zara and Toys R Us. Plus, it also offers 100-plus dining options, such as celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Marcus Live and the first MrBeast Burger restaurant.

A megamall of IP

A spokesperson for American Dream said Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza will mark the mall’s first time developing a signature venue based on a fan-favorite franchise.

The property’s collection of attractions already features several IP-inspired destinations, like DreamWorks Water Park, Sesame Street Learn & Play, Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park, The Gameroom Powered by Hasbro and Ninja Kidz Action Park.

American Dream’s entertainment options also include the New Jersey Hall of Fame, Sea Life Aquarium, Legoland Discovery Center and Big Snow.

Josh Berdugo is senior vice president of licensing and location-based entertainment at American Dream and Triple Five Group. He said, “At American Dream, we live and breathe fandom. We’ve imagined what a Five Nights at Freddy’s experience could become for years, and the work our team has done in collaboration with ScottGames has exceeded every expectation.”

“This is shaping up to be unlike anything we’ve ever created before, and we can’t wait for fans to experience it,” he said.

An exact opening date or ticket information for Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza was not announced. Click here to sign up for updates and special offers.

American Dream recently added a 60,000-square-foot event center. Designed to accommodate a wide range of events, the space can host exhibitions, consumer trade shows, corporate gatherings, private celebrations and large-scale hospitality experiences. It also just unveiled a 3,000-seat performing arts center. The PAC will offer concerts, comedy, theater productions, cultural programming, community events and live sporting events.

The property already hosts hundreds of events each year, such as concerts, celebrity engagements and sports. Earlier in 2026, Gov. Mikie Sherrill held her inaugural ball there after being sworn in as the 57th governor of New Jersey. American Dream just wound down its programming related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, too.