Dave & Buster’s brings back unlimited gameplay passes for summer

For the second year, Dave & Buster’s is selling passes for unlimited gameplay this summer.

The Summer Season Pass goes on sale May 19. Customers can choose from multiple tiers, each offering unlimited play, food and beverage discounts and other perks. Prices were not available, but the cost equates to as little as $1 a day, the company said.

The passes debuted last summer as part of a back-to-basics strategy at the eatertainment chain focused on driving traffic. They ranged in price from $69.99 to $149.99. Similar passes for fall and winter followed.

However, same-store sales declines have continued, including a 3.3% decrease last quarter.

The shortfall has largely come on the games side, as food and beverage same-store sales increased by 7.7% in the quarter. To address that issue, the company is working to breathe new life into its game lineup this year.

That will include the addition of 10 new games this sumer, such as Hot Wheels Ultimate Speedway, John Wick: Continental Pursuit, ICEE Slush Rush, Odin’s Hammer, Perfect Pump, Kick N Win and the Human Crane, in which customers are dangled over a prize pit.

They join the existing array of more than 130 games at Dave & Buster’s, which has 244 locations in North America under the Dave & Buster’s and Main Event brands.

To help promote the news, the chain published a “State of Fun” report, which found that nearly half (48%) of Americans say they are lacking some fun in their lives. More than half (55%) said they’d be more motivated to have fun if there were more low-cost options.

“In a culture dominated by screens and solo scrolling, our State of Fun report underscores a growing desire for real-world, shared experiences,” said Melissa Powers, Dave & Buster’s VP of marketing, in a statement. “That's why we're introducing 10 all-new games and the Summer Season Pass to make it easier than ever for people to show up, play, and create meaningful moments together."