New Jersey Pizzeria Getting 100 Prank Phone Calls A Day Over Video Game

LONG BRANCH, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A New Jersey pizzeria is getting hounded by gamers across the country.

CBS2's Emily Smith reported Freddie's Pizzeria in Long Branch is getting inundated with phone calls over the popular video game Five Nights at Freddy's.

The calls are coming from mostly children nationwide to know if they're calling Freddy's Fazbear Pizza, which is a place in the online video game. Countless YouTube videos show games calling phone numbers associated with the name Freddie.

The pizzeria is getting about 100 prank phone calls per day, and when they answer the phone they simply say "hello," instead of identifying it as "Freddie's Pizzeria" to try to deter callers.

"Real customers, they're not able to get through," pizzeria manager Oscar Hernandez said.

The president of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association said there's no easy solution.

"This number has been associated with Freddie's. It's on every marketing piece, every advertising piece, everything they have," Marilou Halvorsen said. "Some say change their number. It's not that easy.

Scott Cawthon, the video game's creator, didn't return CBS2's phone calls or emails, but an automated response said: "Please do not call any phone numbers that you think may be associated with the game. There are no phone numbers associated with the game or marketing. All locations are fictional."

Despite the response, Freddie's Pizzeria is dealing with aggravation and a loss of money.

"As customers, why would they want to call a place that is trouble to get to," Hernandez said.

The pizzeria's owner has tried calling police and the phone company, but there isn't a case yet for the thousands of calls coming in a day asking if it's a fictional place.