In April 1974, Dave Corriveau opened Cash McCool’s Saloon & Game Parlor in Little Rock. The business was later sold in October 1975.

In 1975, David Corriveau established Cash McCools, a restaurant in Little Rock, Arkansas, which was later sold. This venture marked the beginning of his journey towards creating Dave & Buster's.

In 1977, David Corriveau opened Slick Willy's World of Entertainment, a 10,000-square-foot billiard and game house in Little Rock, Arkansas. This establishment played a significant role in the development of Dave & Buster's.

On September 15, 1978, James “Buster” Corley, Dave Corriveau, and Larry “Goose” Garrison opened Buster’s Bar & Restaurant next door to Slick Willy’s.

Corley and Corriveau invest $3 million to establish the first Dave & Buster's location in a 40,000 square foot warehouse in Dallas. The business generates $3.5 million in revenue during its inaugural year.

On December 2, 1986, Dave & Buster's celebrated their 4th anniversary. The event was attended by key figures like Cory Haynes and Buster Corley, highlighting the success and growth of the company.

In 1988, David Corriveau and James Corley opened the second Dave & Buster's location in Dallas, Texas. This new location mirrored the success of the first one, solidifying the concept of combining games and dining.

In 1989, 80% of Dave & Buster's was acquired by Edison Brother Stores. Buster Corley, known for his leadership skills, and Dave Corriveau, a unique personality, brought creative energy to the business, focusing on customer experience.

In 1991, the third Dave & Buster's location opened in Houston, featuring a 53,000 square foot complex.

In 1992, the fourth Dave & Buster's establishment was launched in Atlanta.

The fifth Dave & Buster's location opened in Philadelphia in 1994, boasting a 70,000 square foot complex with a significant investment of $11 million.

In 1995, the majority owner of Dave & Buster's spun off its interest to its shareholders, leading to the company going public and selling stock on the NASDAQ. This move allowed for further expansion and growth of the brand.

In 1996, Dave & Buster's expanded its locations by opening three new units and entered a joint venture with Iwerks Entertainment Inc. to develop and operate Iwerks 16-seat Turbo Ride Theatres at several Dave & Buster's locations. This move aimed to enhance the entertainment offerings of the brand.

In 1997, Dave & Buster's introduced the Power Card, a declining balance card that replaced traditional tokens and tickets in their arcade section. The Power Card is used to activate most arcade games and can be reloaded at 'power stations'.

In 1998, Dave & Buster's opened five more complexes, bringing its total U.S. locations to 17. The company introduced new formats for different market sizes and expanded internationally through licensing agreements.

On August 27, 1999, Dave & Buster’s stock plummeted by 45% as the company warned of lower-than-expected second-quarter earnings. This led to a slowdown in expansion despite ongoing operations.

In January 2000, Dave & Buster's announced an increase in marketing and advertising budget by $4 million to boost sales instead of relying solely on expansion and word of mouth.

In December 2001, Dave & Buster’s announced a $1.87 million loss for the third quarter, a significant decline from the $1.5 million profit recorded in the previous year.

On April 8, 2003, Dave & Buster’s revealed a 5 percent decrease in fourth-quarter revenue, dropping just below $100 million, and a 32 percent decline in profit to $3.2 million, attributed to the lingering economic impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

In April 10, 2003, Dave & Buster’s, a company with 32 stores and 7,500 employees, made the decision to separate the chairman and CEO roles. Peter Edison was appointed as chairman, while Corley became the CEO and Corriveau the president. This restructuring included pay cuts for the co-CEOs and other cost-cutting measures.

In 2004, Dave & Buster's acquired nine Jillian's locations after Jillian's filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Seven of these locations were rebranded with the Dave & Buster's name.

On December 8, 2005, Dave & Buster's announced that it would be acquired by private equity firm Wellspring Capital Management.

On December 9, 2005, an affiliate of Wellspring Capital Management LLC, a private equity firm based in New York, announced the acquisition of Dave & Buster’s. The deal involved purchasing the company, which had 46 locations across the U.S. and Canada, for $375 million at $18.05 per share.

On March 8, 2006, the buyout of Dave & Buster's by Wellspring was completed, taking the company private.

In September 2006, Steve King, who had previously served as the chief financial officer, succeeded Corley as the CEO of Dave & Buster's. Corley was then appointed as chairman emeritus.

On March 16, 2007, Corriveau stepped down from his position as president and director of Dave & Buster's.

On July 16, 2008, Dave & Buster's Holdings Inc filed with the SEC to become a publicly traded company. The Initial public offering (IPO) was initially set for October 5, 2012.

In 2008, the owner of Dave & Buster's expressed intentions to take the company public again, as per archived sources.

Dave & Buster's sponsored a World Wrestling Entertainment match that took place on the July 20, 2009, edition of WWE Raw on the USA Network, which is believed to be the first match on any WWE program to have a specific sponsor associated with it.

In May 2010, Oak Hill Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Menlo Park, California, agrees to purchase Dave & Buster's, a chain of entertainment and dining venues with 56 stores, for $570 million.

On July 18, 2011, Dave & Buster's initiates the process for an initial public offering (IPO) with a fundraising goal of $150 million.

In October 2012, due to market volatility, Dave & Buster's decides to cancel its planned initial public offering (IPO).

On March 24, 2013, the history of Dave & Buster's, Inc. was retrieved from Funding Universe.

In September 8, 2014, Dave & Buster's once again files for an Initial Public Offering (IPO), indicating its intention to go public and offer shares to investors.

On October 10, 2014, Dave & Buster’s becomes a publicly traded company under the Nasdaq symbol PLAY, with an IPO price set at $16 per share.

Co-founder David Corriveau passed away on February 7, 2015, at his home in Dallas, Texas.

On April 8, 2015, Senate Bill 745, sponsored by Arkansas state Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, is enacted as Act 1209, increasing the limit on arcade game winnings and paving the way for the opening of Dave & Buster’s in Little Rock.

In 2016, Dave & Buster's introduced the wearable Power Card, inspired by Disney's MagicBands, allowing guests to access games and activities with a RFID-enabled wristband for a seamless experience.

In 2017, patron Joseph Levy Cohen at Dave & Buster's in Toronto, Canada, achieved the Guinness World Record for the longest chain of redemption tickets, totaling 360,000 tickets. The chain measured an impressive length of 2,9134 feet during the certification ceremony.

On January 24, 2018, the company history of Dave & Buster's was retrieved from company-histories.com.

On November 5, 2018, contact information for Dave & Buster's was retrieved.

On June 11, 2019, Dave and Busters was expected to have strong earnings due to healthy hiring and retail outlay.

Dave & Buster's experienced a 70% decrease in same-store sales during fiscal year 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions on non-essential businesses.

In fiscal year 2021, Dave & Buster's began to recover with a decrease of only 10% in same-store sales as restrictions eased, but faced a setback in the fourth quarter due to the Omicron variant.

In 2022, Dave & Buster's announced a franchise deal to expand into Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. This strategic move signifies the company's international growth and presence.

Dave & Buster's piloted a new 'store of the future' format in 2023, focusing on interactive social gaming spaces and updated bar experiences.

Dave & Buster’s, Inc. is a company that operates a chain of entertainment and dining venues. It offers a variety of arcade games, food, and drinks for customers to enjoy.