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Same-store sales at the Dave & Buster's eatertainment chain, which has 247 locations including Main Event, fell 5.4% year-over-year in the quarter ending May 5. During the same period, inflation was 4.2%. Accounting for inflation, same-store sales declined 9.2%.
Executives blamed the decline on the economy, inflation, gas prices, geopolitical uncertainty, pressure on lower-income consumers, a calendar shift in spring break timing, failed promotional messages, and a limited number of new games. Quite frankly, management was full of excuses.
Those excuses, which blame factors present in that May-to-May year, don't hold up when we look at the longer-term performance. D&B's quarterly same-store sales have trended lower for more than three years. Adjusted for inflation, same-store sales are down by more than one-third compared with 2019.
As we wrote extensively in our May 2026 issue (www.whitehutchinson.com/ news/ lenews/ 2026/ may/ article104.shtml#article) , we believe the root cause of the long-term decline is that the Dave & Buster's model is obsolete. The same may be true of their Main Event family entertainment centers, since D&B consolidates both brands in all its financial reporting.
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