Medieval Times

What Medieval Times does

Medieval Times is a privately held dinner theater chain operating 11 castle-themed venues across major US metropolitan areas (Atlanta, Baltimore, Buena Park/Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Lyndhurst/New Jersey, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Scottsdale) and one international location in Toronto, Canada. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Irving, Texas under founder and CEO Kenneth Kim, the company produces a live medieval tournament show featuring six knights competing in jousting, sword fights, and skill games, complemented by equestrian dressage routines, a royal falconry display, and an immersive four-course feast served during the performance.

The core product is a single unified entertainment experience—the two-hour tournament show plus meal—with no digital or software-based product surface. The proprietary show content, choreography, and theatrical production have been refined over four decades, and the live equestrian infrastructure (horses, stables, training facilities) represents significant capital intensity that creates barriers to entry. All ticket purchasing occurs through the company's own website (purchase.medievaltimes.com) or on-site box offices; no third-party ticketing platform or mobile app is in use.

Medieval Times operates on a direct-to-consumer transactional revenue model. Revenue streams include base ticket sales, three premium package upgrades (Royalty, Celebration, Queen's Royalty) that capture incremental ARPU through preferred seating, VIP amenities, photos, and cake, dedicated group bookings of 15+ guests for corporate, birthday, scout, field trip, summer camp, and tour operator channels, and ancillary food and beverage revenue including separately purchased alcoholic beverages. The customer base is broad and fragmented across families, tourists, corporate groups, schools, scouts, and tour operators, with no concentration in any single named customer or channel.

Name

Medieval Times

Legal name

Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament

Website

https://MedievalTimes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Medieval Times is a privately held dinner theater chain operating 11 castle venues across the US and Canada, offering live medieval tournament entertainment with jousting, equestrian dressage, falconry, and a four-course feast for families, tourists, corporate groups, and educational visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Dinner Theater Entertainment

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Supper Clubs & Dinner-Theater Restaurants (THAFACAL)

Keywords

• Dinner theater shows
• Family entertainment venues
• Medieval themed experiences
• Live equestrian performances
• Themed dining attractions

Headquarters

HQ city

Irving

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling tickets to live tournament dinner theater performances. Customers purchase tickets online or at box offices for specific showtimes at 11 castle locations. Revenue is transaction-based, one-time per performance.
2. Premium Package Upgrades: Upsell opportunities through tiered ticket packages including Royalty Package, Celebration Package, and Queen's Royalty Package with enhanced seating, photos, cakes, and VIP amenities.
3. Group Events & Celebrations: Specialized bookings for groups of 15+ including corporate outings, birthday parties, scout trips, field trips, and summer camps with dedicated planning services and group pricing.
4. Food & Beverage: Four-course feast included with all ticket packages featuring roasted chicken, garlic bread, corn, and vegetarian options, with select non-alcoholic beverages included and alcoholic beverages available for purchase separately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Medieval Times operates castle-themed dinner theaters across 11 locations in the US and Canada, delivering a live medieval tournament experience featuring six knights competing in jousting, sword fights, and skill games. Each performance is paired with a four-course medieval feast (roasted chicken, garlic bread, sweet buttered corn, vegetarian options) and tiered ticket packages ranging from General Admission to a premium Queen's Royalty Package with VIP seating and amenities.

Product overview

Medieval Times is a dinner theater chain offering a single unified entertainment product: a live medieval tournament show featuring six knights competing in jousting, sword fights, and skill games. The core offering includes the show experience combined with a four-course feast. The company operates across 11 castle locations in the US and Canada. Ticket packages range from General Admission (base show and meal) to progressively enhanced tiers: Royalty Package (preferred seating), Celebration Package (special occasions with photos and cake), and Queen's Royalty Package (premium best-seat experience). Group offerings include Birthday Parties, Company Outings, Scouts, Field Trips, Summer Camps, and Tour Operators packages. Educational Materials covering medieval history, science, and drama are also available as supplementary offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Excellence Group Luxury ResortsminorOthersListed in footer as a related brand/entity. Medieval Times appears to be part of or associated with Excellence Group Luxury Resorts, though the exact nature of the relationship is not clearly defined in the source material.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pirates Dinner Adventure: Direct competitor operating a themed dinner theater in Buena Park, CA featuring live-action shows with audience participation during a multi-course meal — the closest 1:1 comparable to Medieval Times' format.
• Dolly Parton's Stampede: Formerly Dixie Stampede, this Branson/Pigeon Forge attraction is a family dinner show featuring horse-riding competitions, stunts, and a four-course Southern feast — nearly identical experiential model to Medieval Times.
• Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre: Indianapolis-based dinner theater pairing Broadway-style productions with buffet dining and beverage service — comparable as a dinner-and-live-show combination offering, though narrower in theatrical scope.
• The Murder Mystery Company: Operates interactive murder mystery dinner shows for private events, corporate groups, and public venues across the US — comparable as a themed live-performance dinner experience targeting group/corporate bookings.
• Tony n' Tina's Wedding: Long-running interactive dinner theater production combining scripted comedy performance with a multi-course Italian meal — comparable as an immersive dinner-and-show format, though touring rather than destination-castle based.

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: Global leader in large-scale live theatrical entertainment with multiple resident shows in tourist markets — comparable as a high-production live entertainment draw but at a premium price point and broader portfolio.
• Dave & Buster's: National chain combining arcade gaming, sports-viewing, and full food & beverage service for adult and family groups — comparable as a family/group entertainment-plus-dining destination, though without theatrical production.
• Disney Theme Parks: Operates family-oriented theme parks with multiple in-park dining experiences and live entertainment shows across major US destinations — comparable as a family-tourist entertainment draw that competes for similar occasion-based spending.
• Great Wolf Lodge: Family resort chain featuring indoor water parks, themed dining, and live entertainment programming — comparable as a destination-based family entertainment experience bundled with meals and activities.
• House of Blues: Operates music venues with full-service restaurant and bar operations across the US — comparable as a live entertainment + dining combination targeting group outings, though music-focused rather than theatrical.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/medievaltimes
• Facebookfacebook.com/medievaltimes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Medieval Times