Dave & Buster
Dave & Buster's is a publicly traded eatertainment chain (NASDAQ: PLAY) operating 150+ owned venues across 40+ US states plus Canada, combining arcade gaming, full-service dining, and sports bar viewing, with international franchises in India, the Philippines, Australia, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersDallas, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Dave & Buster firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dave & Buster
- Legal name
- Dave & Buster's, Inc.
- Website
- https://daveandbusters.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Dave & Buster's is a publicly traded eatertainment chain (NASDAQ: PLAY) operating 150+ owned venues across 40+ US states plus Canada, combining arcade gaming, full-service dining, and sports bar viewing, with international franchises in India, the Philippines, Australia, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dave & Buster industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Family Entertainment Centers (Eatertainment)
- NAICS
- Amusement Arcades (71312), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Amusement/Redemption Arcade Machines (Ticket & Prize) (MPAEAJAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coin-Operated Entertainment (Pinball, Crane/Claw, Jukebox, Darts/Billiards) (MPAEAJAF), Neighborhood & Sports Bars (THAFAEAA)
Keywords
Where Dave & Buster is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Dave & Buster business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Full-service restaurant and bar with American-inspired menu. Revenue from food orders, alcoholic beverages, and non-alcoholic drinks. Q1 2026 F&B revenue was $214.1 million.
- Arcade Game Play (Power Cards): Customers purchase and recharge Power Cards with game chips to play arcade attractions. Chips are deducted per game play. Q1 2026 entertainment revenue was $345.1 million.
- Special Events and Party Bookings: Private event hosting for corporate events, birthday parties, team building, and adult social events. Revenue from room rentals, food minimums, and event packages.
- Ticket/Redemption Rewards: Customers earn tickets from redemption games which can be redeemed for merchandise in the WIN! store. Tickets never expire and can be stored on Power Cards.
- Franchise Licensing: International franchise fees from operators in India, Philippines, Australia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and other markets. Franchise partners pay development fees and ongoing royalties.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Eat & Play Combo starting at $19.99 per person |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Summer Season Pass - Silver ($60 for 2 months), Gold (up to $119.99) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Date Night Duo at $40 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | World Cup Watch Experience starting at $24.99 |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | D&B Rewards Program - Free membership with tiered benefits |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Dave & Buster product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dave & Buster's operates "eatertainment" venues that combine arcade gaming, full-service restaurant and bar, and large-screen sports viewing under a single roof across 150+ owned North American locations plus international franchised sites. The company sells Power Cards (RFID-enabled game cards), D&B Rewards loyalty memberships, food and beverage, private event hosting, and merchandise earned via ticket redemption. Revenue is generated from in-venue entertainment, food and beverage sales, special events, ticket redemption, and international franchise fees and royalties.
Product overview
Dave & Buster's operates a unified 'eatertainment' platform combining arcade gaming, sports bar viewing, and full-service restaurant dining. The core experience centers on the Power Card system, which enables arcade gameplay, ticket tracking, and ties into the D&B Rewards loyalty program. The company offers event hosting services (corporate events, birthday parties, team building) through dedicated booking modules, and runs Play Academy educational programs. The 2022 acquisition of Main Event added a network of family entertainment centers. International expansion is underway through franchise partnerships in India, Philippines, Australia, Mexico, and Dominican Republic. Promotional offerings include Half Price Games on Sundays and Wednesdays, Eat & Play Combos, and seasonal passes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dave & Buster's Eatertainment Venue The flagship 'eatertainment' brand combining hundreds of arcade attractions, full food and beverage service, and large-screen sports viewing in owned venues across North America. For consumers seeking multi-activity entertainment in a single destination.
- Power Card / Power Tap
Quantifiable outcome
- Guest spending averages $45-85 per visit with 90-120 minute dwell time
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Dave & Buster
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Dave & Buster technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Dave & Buster partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- IGP (India), Tim HortonsminorIGP, a global D2C multi-category gifting platform, launched a Father's Day campaign featuring partnerships with Tim Hortons and Dave & Buster's at its Mumbai and Bengaluru locations. Dave & Buster's offered exclusive merchandise, vouchers, and special offers to drive footfall during Father's Day weekend.
- Malpani GroupcoreMalpani Group is Dave & Buster's franchise partner for India operations. The partnership has opened locations in Mumbai and Bengaluru, with the third outlet opening in Delhi at Pacific Mall, Tagore Garden. The company has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to open 15 Dave & Buster's venues across India.
- Ovation HollywoodminorOvation Hollywood partnered with Dave & Buster's to provide concessions at FIFA World Cup 2026 watch parties at its Los Angeles venue. Dave & Buster's is providing food and beverage services for watch party events starting June 11 with Mexico vs South Africa and USA vs Paraguay matches.
- Playground ProductionsminorDave & Buster's co-financed the Backyard Sports animated special that premiered on YouTube, reviving the beloved '90s video game franchise. Dave & Buster's involvement was part of marketing and brand association with gaming heritage.
- ChainminorDave & Buster's partnered with fashion brand Chain to create The Claw Purse, a limited-edition accessory inspired by the claw machine game. The purse launched at Chain's Holiday House event and is priced at $80, available online.
- The Bistro GroupcoreThe Bistro Group is the franchise operator for Dave & Buster's in the Philippines. Southeast Asia's first Dave & Buster's opened at Opus Mall in Manila in October 2025 as a 1,560-square-meter venue featuring arcade games, full-service restaurant, sports bar, and VIP karaoke rooms.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Dave & Buster competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chuck E. Cheese: Closest direct competitor in the family entertainment center / eatertainment category, combining arcade gaming with a full food and beverage program targeted at families and kids' birthday parties. Operates a similarly sized North American footprint and competes head-to-head for the same experiential-dining occasion.
- Main Event Entertainment: Wholly-owned subsidiary acquired in 2022 for $835M; operates 64 family entertainment centers across 22 states featuring bowling, laser tag, arcade games, and full-service restaurant/bar. Despite the ownership linkage, operates a parallel brand and is the most directly comparable format competitor.
- Round One Entertainment: Japanese-headquartered family entertainment center operator expanding aggressively in the US, combining arcade gaming, bowling, karaoke, and billiards under one roof. Closely overlapping business model, target customer (families and young adults), and arcade + F&B revenue mix.
- Bowlero / Lucky Strike Entertainment: Largest operator of bowling and entertainment centers in North America, offering bowling, arcade, F&B, and event hosting under multiple brands (Bowlero, Lucky Strike, AMF). Highly comparable multi-activity eatertainment format and similar reliance on events and group bookings for revenue.
Broad incumbents
- Topgolf Callaway Brands: Sports-based experiential entertainment leader combining tech-enabled golf gameplay with full-service F&B and event venues. Competes for the same experiential-discretionary dollar and is larger and more broadly diversified (also owns Callaway golf equipment), positioning it as a broader incumbent in experiential entertainment.
- Cinemark Holdings: Large US movie theater chain with full-service food and beverage at many locations and a similarly event-driven, occasion-based business model. While the core product (films vs arcade) differs, Cinemark competes for the same out-of-home entertainment occasion with comparable per-cap economics.
- AMC Entertainment Holdings: Largest movie theater operator in the US with full bar and dine-in theater formats at many locations, competing for the same group-outing and date-night occasions. Larger and more broadly diversified entertainment incumbent that overlaps in experiential leisure spending.
Emerging players
- IPIC Entertainment: Boutique dine-in theater concept combining premium seating, full restaurant service, and event programming, targeting adults seeking upscale experiential entertainment. Concept overlaps with D&B's adult experiential positioning, though at smaller scale and a narrower format.
Regional players
- Andretti's Indoor Karting & Games: Multi-activity indoor entertainment complex featuring karting, arcade, bowling, laser tag, and full restaurant/bar. Comparable eatertainment venue economics and target audience, but operates as a regional player rather than a national chain.
- X-Golf America: Indoor golf simulator entertainment concept with full bar and restaurant service, targeting the same adult social and corporate event occasions as D&B's sports-viewing offerings. Smaller, regional player with overlapping customer segment but differentiated core activity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dave & Buster social profiles
Digital presenceDave & Buster compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Dave & Buster financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dave & Buster leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Dave & Buster subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Dave & Buster funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dave & Buster M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dave & Buster
What does Dave & Buster do?
Dave & Buster's operates "eatertainment" venues that combine arcade gaming, full-service restaurant and bar, and large-screen sports viewing under a single roof across 150+ owned North American locations plus international franchised sites. The company sells Power Cards (RFID-enabled game cards), D&B Rewards loyalty memberships, food and beverage, private event hosting, and merchandise earned via ticket redemption. Revenue is generated from in-venue entertainment, food and beverage sales, special events, ticket redemption, and international franchise fees and royalties.
Is Dave & Buster a public or private company?
Dave & Buster is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Dave & Buster founded?
Dave & Buster was founded in 1982. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Dave & Buster based?
Dave & Buster is headquartered in Dallas, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dave & Buster make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are arcade Game Play (Power Cards), special Events and Party Bookings, ticket/Redemption Rewards and franchise Licensing.
Who are Dave & Buster's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chuck E. Cheese, Main Event Entertainment, Round One Entertainment and Bowlero / Lucky Strike Entertainment. Broad incumbents are Topgolf Callaway Brands, Cinemark Holdings and AMC Entertainment Holdings. IPIC Entertainment is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Andretti's Indoor Karting & Games and X-Golf America.
Does Dave & Buster have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dave & Buster.
What industry is Dave & Buster in?
Dave & Buster's product category is Family Entertainment Centers (Eatertainment). Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEAJAD, Amusement/Redemption Arcade Machines (Ticket & Prize), with a secondary code of MPAEAJAF, Coin-Operated Entertainment (Pinball, Crane/Claw, Jukebox, Darts/Billiards). Its NAICS code is 71312 and its SIC code is 7900.