Paul Blart lives in West Orange, New Jersey, with his teenage daughter, Maya, and mother, Margaret. Aspiring to join the New Jersey State Police, he trains at the police academy, but his hypoglycemic medical condition causes him to collapse, therefore failing the exam. To shape up for his career, Blart works as a security guard at the fictional West Orange Pavilion Mall.
Blart patrols the mall on a Segway to assure that things are safe and clean. He also trains Veck Simms, who is new but uninterested in the job. Meanwhile, Blart becomes acquainted with Amy Anderson, the vendor of a new kiosk. He meets her one evening at a party at Joe's American Bar and Grill with other mall employees. Things initially go well, but Blart is sidetracked when he decides to participate in a nacho-eating contest with his friend Leon. The hot and spicy salsa is more than Blart can handle, causing him to inadvertently drink several alcoholic beverages. He ruins the party and makes a wild exit by falling through a window.