Dave & Buster

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

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

• Eatertainment venues
• Arcade gaming centers
• Sports bar dining
• Family entertainment centers
• Corporate event hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• IGP (India), Tim HortonsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 June 2026IGP, 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 GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Malpani 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 HollywoodminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 June 2026Ovation 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 ProductionsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 January 2026Dave & 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.
• ChainminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2025Dave & 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 GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2025The 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/daveandbusters
• Facebookfacebook.com/DaveAndBusters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/15079
• Instagraminstagram.com/daveandbusters/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@daveandbusters?lang=en

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dave & Buster