Dave & Buster's
An American restaurant and location-based entertainment chain combining full-service dining, sports viewing, and large-scale arcade gaming.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Dave & Buster's is an American location-based entertainment and restaurant brand built around a combination of food, beverages, sports viewing, and arcade gaming. Its venues generally contain a full-service restaurant, a full bar, and a large games area marketed as the “Million Dollar Midway.” The format is designed for group occasions such as birthdays, corporate gatherings, family outings, sports viewing, and casual social entertainment, while also targeting adult customers more directly than many traditional family entertainment centers. The brand began in Dallas in 1982 when David “Dave” Corriveau and James “Buster” Corley combined their adjacent entertainment and hospitality businesses. Corley had operated a bar called Buster’s in Little Rock, Arkansas, while Corriveau operated an entertainment venue that had previously used the names Cash McCool’s and Slick Willy’s World of Entertainment. The two founders opened the first Dave & Buster’s together and initially served as co-chief executives. Expansion accelerated after Edison Brothers Stores acquired a majority interest in 1989 to provide capital for growth. The company was later separated from Edison Brothers and became publicly traded in 1995, although its ownership structure changed several times afterward. Dave & Buster’s acquired nine locations from the financially distressed Jillian’s chain in 2004, retaining or rebranding most of those sites. It was taken private by Wellspring Capital Management in 2005, acquired by Oak Hill Capital Partners and management in 2010, and returned to the public markets through a 2014 initial public offering. Its shares trade on Nasdaq under the symbol PLAY. The company’s core revenue model combines restaurant and bar sales with spending on arcade games and prize redemption. In 1997, it introduced the Power Card system, replacing most traditional tokens and enabling guests to load game credits and redeem tickets electronically. Later versions added proximity readers and digital wallet functionality through the company’s mobile application. The game portfolio includes video arcade titles, sports and racing simulators, interactive attractions, redemption games, and other social gaming experiences. Food offerings typically include burgers, steaks, seafood, chicken, pasta, desserts, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; some venues also offer brunch, buffets, private events, or specialized packages. Dave & Buster’s is positioned between a casual dining business and a large-format entertainment center. Its sites commonly emphasize high-capacity interiors, extensive television coverage for live sports, group packages, and prize-based gaming. Guest-access rules vary by location, but the chain generally places greater emphasis on adult supervision and evening age restrictions than a purely child-focused arcade operator. The company also operates or supports promotional and sports-related programming, including UFC event screenings and other sponsorships. The COVID-19 pandemic sharply disrupted the business because restaurants and entertainment venues faced closures and capacity restrictions. Same-store sales fell substantially in fiscal 2020, followed by a partial recovery in fiscal 2021, although later waves of the pandemic continued to affect quarterly performance. In 2022, Dave & Buster’s expanded its portfolio by acquiring Main Event Entertainment, a family entertainment center chain, for $835 million. Main Event broadened the company’s exposure to bowling, attractions, and family-oriented entertainment while giving Dave & Buster’s a second major operating concept. Beginning in 2023, the company piloted a “store of the future” format. The concept added or upgraded social gaming such as electronic darts and shuffleboard, refreshed bar and sports-viewing areas, introduced larger video displays, and tested features including self-service beer walls and VIP viewing rooms. The company has also pursued international expansion through…
History
Dave & Buster's was founded in Dallas in 1982 by David “Dave” Corriveau and James “Buster” Corley. The partnership grew out of the founders' earlier neighboring businesses in Little Rock, Arkansas: Corley operated Buster's, while Corriveau operated an entertainment venue that had used the names Cash McCool's and Slick Willy's World of Entertainment. Their new concept combined a restaurant and bar with a substantial arcade, creating a format intended to make dining and entertainment part of the same visit. Corriveau and Corley initially operated the business as co-chief executives. The business expanded with outside capital in 1989, when Edison Brothers Stores purchased a majority interest. The investment supported development in additional cities. Dave & Buster's was later separated from Edison Brothers and went public in 1995, with Andy Newman serving as chairman. By 1997, the chain had reached ten locations. That year it also introduced the Power Card, an electronic alternative to traditional arcade tokens. The card stored game credits and became a central part of the customer experience, while reducing the maintenance issues associated with coin-operated machines. Later iterations added contactless readers and mobile-wallet support. In 2004, Dave & Buster's acquired nine locations from Jillian's after that entertainment chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Seven acquired sites were rebranded under the Dave & Buster's name and two were closed. The company announced a sale to Wellspring Capital Management in 2005, moving into private-equity ownership. In 2010, Oak Hill Capital Partners, together with company management, completed an acquisition from Wellspring. Dave & Buster's attempted to return to the public markets in the late 2000s, filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2008 and setting an IPO date for 2012. That offering was withdrawn shortly before it opened. A second IPO was completed in October 2014. The company sold 5.88 million shares at an offering price within the reported $16-to-$18 range, raising approximately $94 million for debt repayment. Its common stock began trading on Nasdaq under the symbol PLAY. The company continued to build its identity around large venues containing a full-service restaurant, a bar, an arcade, sports screens, and private-event capabilities. Its menu developed around American casual-dining staples, including burgers, steaks, seafood, chicken, pasta, desserts, and beverages. The Million Dollar Midway became the brand's name for its games area, which includes video games, simulators, interactive attractions, and ticket-redemption games. Although venues welcome families and groups, the concept has a stronger adult and sports-oriented emphasis than many children's entertainment businesses. Age and supervision policies vary by location, with under-21 guests generally subject to guardian and evening-access requirements. The COVID-19 pandemic created a severe operational shock. Government restrictions and reduced consumer traffic affected both the restaurant and entertainment portions of the business. The company's same-store sales fell by about 70 percent in fiscal 2020 according to the cited company history, then improved substantially in fiscal 2021 as restrictions eased. The Omicron variant nevertheless affected fourth-quarter performance in 2021. Leadership changed during the recovery period. CEO Brian Jenkins retired in September 2021, after which chairman Kevin Sheehan served as interim CEO. In April 2022, Dave & Buster's announced an agreement to purchase Main Event Entertainment from Ardent Leisure and RedBird Capital Partners for $835 million. The transaction closed in June 2022, and Main Event CEO Chris Morris became Dave & Buster's CEO. The acquisition broadened the portfolio with a family entertainment concept that includes activities beyond arcade gaming. The founders died during the following decade. David Corriveau died in Dallas in February 2015. James Corley died in January 2023 after a self-inflicted gunshot wound; his daughter stated that he had suffered a stroke several months earlier that caused severe communication and personality-related impairment. From 2023 onward, the company tested a Store of the Future format and began extending elements of it to other locations in 2024. The approach emphasizes social and group play, including electronic darts and shuffleboard, while redesigning bars and sports-viewing areas. Reported features include a self-service beer wall in the arcade area, larger television viewing zones, a 40-foot video wall, and a VIP watch room. The company has also expanded outside North America through partnerships and franchise arrangements, including operations in India, the Philippines, and Australia. Its overall strategy remains centered on combining food and beverage sales with high-frequency arcade play, event occasions, sports entertainment, and prize redemption.
- 2023
Store of the Future pilot begins
[1]The company tests a redesigned venue format centered on social gaming and upgraded sports viewing.
- 2022
Main Event acquisition completed
[1]Dave & Buster's completes its $835 million acquisition of Main Event Entertainment.
- 2014
Second IPO completed
[1]The company returns to Nasdaq trading under the symbol PLAY.
- 2010
Oak Hill acquisition completed
[1]Oak Hill Capital Partners and company management acquire Dave & Buster's from Wellspring.
- 2005
Sale to Wellspring announced
[1]The company announces an acquisition by Wellspring Capital Management.
- 2004
Jillian's locations acquired
[1]Nine locations are acquired from Jillian's after its Chapter 11 filing; seven are rebranded.
- 1997
Power Card introduced
[1]The company introduces an electronic card system for activating games and managing credits.
- 1995
First public-company phase
[1]Dave & Buster's is spun off from Edison Brothers and becomes publicly traded.
- 1989
Edison Brothers provides expansion capital
[1]Edison Brothers Stores purchases a majority interest to support expansion.
- 1982
First Dave & Buster's opens in Dallas
[1]David Corriveau and James Corley open the first venue, combining a restaurant, bar, and arcade.
Products and positioning
Large-format casual dining and location-based entertainment for adults, families, groups, sports fans, and event customers.
Restaurant and location-based entertainment · 1982
Dave & Buster's venues
The core offering is a large-format venue combining a full-service American restaurant, full bar, arcade, sports-viewing areas, and event space. Locations are designed for groups and occasion-based visits, with revenue generated from both food and beverage purchases and paid game play. Menus generally span casual American dishes such as burgers, steaks, seafood, chicken, pasta, and desserts.
Arcade and interactive gaming · 1982
Million Dollar Midway
The Million Dollar Midway is the branded arcade area found in Dave & Buster's venues. It typically contains video arcade games, sports and racing simulators, interactive attractions, social games, and prize-redemption machines. The area is intended to support repeated play and group competition rather than functioning as a small supplementary arcade attached to a restaurant.
Gaming payment and loyalty interface · 1997
Power Card
Introduced in 1997, the Power Card is a reloadable electronic card used to activate most games and track game credits. It replaced many traditional tokens and simplified payment and machine operation. Dave & Buster's later added proximity readers so guests could tap cards at machines, and digital versions became available through the DING DING DING application and supported mobile wallets.
Venue format · 2023
Store of the Future
The Store of the Future is a redesigned Dave & Buster's format piloted in 2023 and expanded more broadly from 2024. It emphasizes interactive social games such as electronic darts and shuffleboard, larger sports-viewing screens, refreshed bar areas, and more premium group spaces. Reported design elements include a large video wall, a VIP watch room, and a self-service beer wall in the arcade area.
Family entertainment center concept
Main Event Entertainment
Main Event is a separate family entertainment concept acquired by Dave & Buster's in 2022. Its portfolio broadens the parent company's exposure beyond the Dave & Buster's restaurant-arcade model and includes family-oriented attractions and activities. Main Event also provides a distinct brand platform for customers seeking entertainment-centered visits rather than the more adult-oriented Dave & Buster's environment.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009Bowling for Soup tour sponsorship
United States
Dave & Buster's sponsored a 2009 tour by the rock band Bowling for Soup as part of its entertainment-oriented promotional activity.
- 2009WWE Raw sponsorship
United States
The company sponsored a match on the July 20, 2009 edition of WWE Raw, an unusual branded integration between a restaurant-entertainment chain and professional wrestling programming.
- UFC event screening partnership
United States · Canada
Dave & Buster's has served as a corporate sponsor of UFC and has promoted screenings of UFC pay-per-view events and episodes of The Ultimate Fighter in venue viewing areas.
- D&B for DB's charity support
United States
The company has supported the charity event D&B for DB's, associated with fundraising for children through Dave Bevans' Children.
- San Jose Sharks postgame sponsorship
United States
Dave & Buster's has sponsored postgame reports connected with San Jose Sharks broadcasts, reinforcing its sports-viewing positioning.
Brand decisions
2023
Store of the Future formatGeneration changeBackground
The company sought to refresh its large-format venues and increase the role of social games, sports viewing, and premium group experiences.
Action taken
Dave & Buster's piloted redesigned locations with electronic darts, shuffleboard, larger screens, a large video wall, upgraded bars, and a VIP watch room.
Aftermath
Elements of the format began expanding to additional locations in 2024.
2022
Acquisition of Main Event EntertainmentM&ABackground
Dave & Buster's sought to broaden its location-based entertainment portfolio and add a family entertainment center concept.
Action taken
The company agreed to acquire Main Event Entertainment from Ardent Leisure and RedBird Capital Partners.
Aftermath
The transaction closed in June 2022, and Main Event CEO Chris Morris became CEO of Dave & Buster's.
Acquisition price. $835 million (Announced April 2022; completed June 2022)
2014
Return to public ownershipStrategyBackground
After a withdrawn IPO plan in 2012, the company pursued a second public offering following its period under private-equity ownership.
Action taken
Dave & Buster's sold 5.88 million shares in an offering reported at $16 to $18 per share, with proceeds intended in part for debt repayment.
Aftermath
The company resumed Nasdaq trading under the ticker PLAY.
IPO proceeds. $94 million raised (2014 initial public offering)
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Dave & Buster's hires new agencies to get more people into its locations[3]
Dave & Buster's has hired new agencies as part of an effort to get more people into its locations, as reported by Adweek.
Reported
Dave & Buster’s appoints Michael Quartieri CFO[4]
Dave & Buster’s announced that it appointed Michael Quartieri as Chief Financial Officer.
Reported
Dave & Buster's launches guest engagement app[5]
Dave & Buster's launched a guest engagement app that lets guests tap their smartphones on games, reload Power Cards and use a rewards program. The app is available to Android and Apple device users, including Apple Watch users.
Reported
Dave & Buster's and Stuzo partner on guest app[5]
Dave & Buster's worked with commerce solution provider Stuzo on its guest engagement app; Stuzo's technology and digital product innovation services support the app.
Sources5 sources
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