Dave and Busters Redux Part 2

I will be the first one to admit that Dave and Buster's is one of the worst money-suckage enterprises in these parts.  You put cash upon cash into a machine and get points on a power card.  You then swipe the power card into various games and try to win tickets.  Since the first time I went to Dave and Buster's in Providence, I have seen them go from paper tickets to tickets held on your card, from a sports bar to an after work place to an everyman's bar and restaurant.  I've seen the games change and get more expensive, but it is still one of my daughter's favorite places.

When we found out that DLG was going to get all As for the semester, I decided that I would treat her to Dave and Buster's since it was only going to be the two of us for the weekend.  That and she had reminded me that I owed her one too since I picked up the boys from a half day at their school and brought them here a couple of months ago.  The deal was that I gave her 20 dollars for every A (80 bucks!) and let her have at it.  It was a quiet Friday afternoon at the Braintree location.  We practically had the place to herself when we got in there.

Personally, I wanted to see if she could actually win a prize that I would not be throwing in the garbage in the next couple of weeks.  Would 80 dollars be enough to get us there?  Probably not without a jackpot or two.

I tried talking her out of the claw games (Those never win!).  I tried talking her out of the games where you shoot coins to try to make them fall into slots that are then pushed into a bigger pile of coins (You know which one I mean).  I tried to move her into games that allowed you to play a little more, like Deal or No Deal or Monopoly.  To no avail.  We used optics strategy to get the stuffed dolphin out of the big claw game, and decided which watch to go for in the little claw game.  And I helped her by shooting coins simultaneously with her in that push the coins game.  We even played the jumping rope game which never turns out well for anyone.

The one prize I will not throw out in two weeks

She showed me her basketball prowess on  a couple of games.  I even swished a couple of long range shots (after the timer was done...do you think she would let me shoot when it counted?  I also faked her out by showing her her report card and said that she only got 3 As; she owed me 20 bucks.  That went over like a lead balloon...

After all that, we ended up with 2500 tickets.  Too bad.  More crap galore.  Maybe some cheesy stuffed animals and some terrible candy was awaiting us since we did not win enough tickets to win any electronics.  Maybe some water bottles or some mini basketball hoops to go with the countless other ones that I've hidden from everyone.  I even tried to talk her into saving the tickets for the net time we came so she could get something really nice.  In retrospect, it is funny to think I could get out of the 30 minute shopping spree in a room the size of our kitchen.  This is her favorite part!  And I was not going to be able to cajole her out of that room any faster than she was ready to go.

34 minutes later (I'm guessing, I wasn't actually timing it).  DLG settled on some trinkets.  I thought we would be done quickly since she picked up a large stuffed dog for 2400 tickets, but then decided to put him away.  I was this close (pinching fingers together)

We walked out of there with a big smile since she was clawing at her new toys.  We grabbed some pizza since I gave her almost all of my cash.  Maybe next time she can use her own money?

The Latest on the Braintree Dave and Buster's Outpost

We've been down this road before.  Yes, the orange and blue road known as Dave and Buster's.  While Dave and Buster's in Providence is usually on our New Year's Day agenda, the full court press was put on us by the children when the Braintree, Massachusetts outpost finally opened last week.  And after the kids brought home some pretty good report cards, we finally relented to their pressure.  We thought the place was going to be opening tomorrow, but when a friend indicated that they were there earlier this week, we thought it would be a good idea to take them for the soft opening.  Plus, it's a great time to be going to the mall - two Saturdays before Christmas...this could be really fun...

Braintree, MA 2pm.  The JMR party mobile was exactly that.  Screaming, excited kids.  Parents with splitting headaches.  In between basketball games 2 and 3.  We were a party on wheels, I'll tell you.  40 bucks in each of the kids' hands and off they went.

We walk up the stairs and the first thing I notice is that the parking lot is not that busy.  Strange.  I thought this place would be teeming with teenagers being adjacent to the mall and all.  The next thing I notice are all the doormen, greeters and managers milling around the front entrance helping customers.  I think it was one manager per child.  I'm not sure if they think we're all stupid, or if the City of Braintree was really cracking down on some of the issues that we took for granted in Providence.  Who knows what a couple of games like Skee Ball and Trivia might do to these teenagers.  Particularly creepy was the Secret Service-like headgear the managers were wearing. 

OK.  We finally power up our cards and sit down in the bar to drink.  The lady I was talking to explained that the City wouldn't let them put a bar in the gameroom area - one of my favorite parts of the Providence restaurant.  We thought we would be ok with that when we were told that we could sit in the bar and play games too.  OK.  Let's try that.  Hmm, they got that one slightly wrong as we spot C seemed to be scolded by one of the Managers with the CIA gear as he's pointing at us twenty feet away.  The manager beckons us over to tell us that we had to accompany our children around the games.  See, in Providence, we could go shopping or see a movie while the kids were playing games and no one would care - although it is Rhode Island I suppose.

But the food was good. The beers were tall and the games spit out tickets, two at a time.  We would be ok.  Some brief reviews from the kids.

C:  Enjoyed the Wheel of Fortune game, especially when his numerous swipes of his power card resulted in hitting the 1000 ticket jackpot.  Enjoyed the french fries.  Disappointed that his lava lamp didn't work.  I wish I could have just bought the lava lamp at the mall, myself.  Also won a huge three pound watch that only a grandmother could love and a life size teddy bear.  I'll be throwing those things out in a couple of weeks.

G:  Spent most of his money allotment on one of the bounce-the-ball-in-a-hole games.  I think he was gone for about 10 minutes when he found me looking for more money.  Jesus.  He had a lot of fun going through the ticket redemption island.  He ended up picking up an Angry Birds stuffed animal and a kickball.

S:  Another bling winner.  I kept trying to talk her into playing the games that spit out the tickets rather than the grabber or coin games, but then i thought that it really doesn't matter as long as she is having fun.  She ended up with some candy and a candy squirt gun.  That Squirt Gun didn't survive the night before Dad threw it out.  Sorry.

Overall, a very good experience.  I was disappointed that the kids couldn't roam around on their own (my 9 year old was more than happy to play the games by himself).  But the kids were entertained, my throwing shoulder aches, and the beers were tall.  Even the manager who scolded C came over and started to talk to S.  She looked at him like he was the Easter Bunny (that's not a good thing), but at least he was pleasant and helpful.  We'll be back.  I don't really have a choice, I think.

Dave & Buster's Only for Kids? Chuck E. Cheese Review

Earlier this year, I reviewed Dave and Buster's to understand whether a seemingly sophisticated restaurant/bar with video games and other games of chance could truly be enjoyed by a family with a seven year old, five year old and three year old.  I had compared it to an adult-friendly version of Chuck E. Cheese.  After all, its commercials touted how fun it was for adults during happy hour, but I'm sure I saw a couple of families in the background blurred out in a corner, so we had to try it.  Surprisingly, Dave & Buster's was able to muster a 35.5 Happies out of 50.0 Happies despite the fact that it took literally an hour to have someone take a hundred bucks for our simple little table order (with a couple of beers).  Don't even ask me how much money was dropped for those silly little tickets so they could be redeemed for Pokemon Cards, Silly Bandz and bouncy balls.

But I had compared Dave & Buster's to my memory of Chuck E. Cheese from back when I was a child and teenager. I had honed my skill in skee ball at my local Chuck E. Cheese and always remembered having a good time, but to truly make the comparison, I had to relive my younger days with my children.  I realize that bringing kids to a place like this is a much different matter than just reliving the good ole days.  I mean I had to twist my wife's arm just to accompany us; she was much more hesitant about this experience than I was. 

Natick, MA. 2pm.  After a morning and early afternoon dominated by Pop Warner Football and Fall Baseball leagues, the boys were already exhausted.  This might be a good thing at Chuck E. Cheese (not a good thing at dinner time when they're overtired and whiny).

GROG.  Let's just say that my wife was smart to bring her flask with her.  Could a place require beer and spirits for its workers and patrons more than an enclosed area full of screaming kids?  0.0 Happies out of 10.0 Happies.

KIDS CRAYONS AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT.  This Chuck E. Cheese certainly had plenty of entertainment for the kids.  Video games, games of chance (for tickets of course) and playhouses dominated the restaurant area.  Of course you would expect that coming here.  The kids were happy going around the game room until they found a machine that promised at least 5-10 tickets every time - in this case a football game played with ping pong balls.  This area however was devoid of TVs, music or any other diversion for adults.  It was as if they were saying "Adults, you shall enjoy none of this experience, and we couldn't care less.  Better you than us."  The only entertainment I got was listening to my four year old try to leave without her parents.  More on that story later. 9.0 Happies out of 10.0 Happies.

SPEED.  You get your ticket, put it on a stand at your table and walk away with your kids.  When you get back, your nasty pizza is usually waiting for you.  Although this category discusses how fast your food arrives and not the quality of said food, I must say that I have never seen a nastier pizza in my life.  And I would eat that before I got something from the "Salad bar."  They lose points since I could have hoisted up nasty food like that in a hurry too - nothing special about that.  6.0 Happies out of 10.0 Happies.

DESSERT.  Similar to Dave and Buster's, the kids were redeeming their tickets long before we got to this point.  Cinnamon sticks and some sort of Apple Pie concoction were the choices.   The reason points are granted at all was that trying to 5 bucks for those two options deserves points for having balls.  3.0 Happies out of 10.0 Happies.

WHO'S PAYING?  We got food and game tokens to satisfy the kids for less than 70 bucks.  That is a reasonable price if it entertains the children for three hours right?  Uh, right?  Well, in any event, 70 dollars was a fraction of the cost that I paid at Dave & Buster's.  6.0 Happies out of 10.0 Happies.

Overall, Chuck E. Cheese receives a 24 Happies out of 50.0 Happies.  Awfully mediocre as an overall experience, but since the children were bummed out to leave, does the score really matter?  Well does it matter to anyone besides us parents?  Overall, given the choice between Dave and Buster's and Chuck E. Cheese, I would rather spend a little more money for a better overall experience.  Dave and Buster's wins!

One cautionary note.  Do not rely on their security system and protocols - one line in, one line out and identifying stamps for parents and children.  I dropped the family off while I had to park in the back of the building and walked in by myself.  I did not receive a stamp.  Neither did my wife who walked in with the kids.  And the kids received stamps that were smudged (Who was at the door, some sort of stoner?!?).  As we were leaving and they were checking our stamps, none of us matched.  Secretly, I was thinking this was my chance to run away.  The new guy at the door was very nice about it and asked my 4 year old daughter if I was her Daddy.  Thinking he was kidding, she said "No."  Getting a little nervous, and seeing the gatekeeper get a little upset, we told her to stop kidding around.  Luckily, the guy realized that only her real parents would react like that and let us go.  Make sure when you walk in that you walk in together and everyone's stamps can be identified. 

photograph courtesy of chuckecheese.com

Chuck E. Cheese for Adults? Dave & Buster's Review

A 7 year old's nirvana?  5 year old's utopia?  3 year old's paradise?  A parent's worst nightmare?  Opinions, of course, run the gamut when Dave & Buster's is the topic.  Growing up, Chuck E. Cheese was the "go to" kids restaurant; what with its skee ball and rudimentary video games like Pacman and Galaga.  But today's kids are a little jaded.  They obtain their Nintendo DSs, Wiis and IPods at an absurdly young age now, just so they don't fall behind their friends.  Chuck E. Cheese is still fun, but the kids are looking for something more exciting, and frankly the food at Chuck E. Cheese is disgusting.  Dave & Buster's promises something a little more.  The place is larger, the games are louder and the food is edible.  Maybe even the parents can enjoy themselves here too.

12pm.  Providence, RI.  Driving an hour out of the way to go to a restaurant seems a little absurd to me.  But everyone is excited and that's the point after all.  We park our car and make our slow trek up the escalators (remember, kids can be entertained for hours on escalators, especially if they go both up AND down).  Surprisingly, I can't hear the restaurant from 500 feet away like I thought I would.  Then we walk inside.  Oh the games are in the back.  All of the adults are in the front of the restaurnat watching the games at the bar.

GROG.  A lot of choices for beer.  Guinness, Stella and Bass are mixed in with the typical domestic light beers.  Numerous fancy drinks ar on the menu too.  The place gets points simply for having Grog in the first place, like they knew that parents would need to have a drink to survive the Ticket Redemption Room at the end.  8.0 Happies out of 10.0.

KIDS CRAYONS AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT.  A perfect score!  You have pool, basketball hoops, Rock Band, Dance Dance Revolution, Skeeball and other games of chance all in one place - next to our table.  The first time the helicopter game next to us went off, it literally shook the ground to the point where my daughter grabbed the table and asked "What the?"  The real treat, though (for the kids, not really for the parents) is the ticket redemption room where you can redeem your 400,000 tickets for prizes.  Kids go crazy for this room at any amusement park, but this one seems different.  Numerous video games for the Wii, Play Station and the XBox adorn the walls.  My kids end up getting Pokemon cards and 10 bouncy D&B basketballs.  That's alright, this stuff will all end up in the trash a couple of weeks from now. 

Really, can a place ge more entertaining than this?  I think I even played a couple of games myself sneaking them in while pretending to go to the bathroom.  I know my wife was playing some games too, even hough she would never admit it.  11.0 Happies out of 10.0.  Yes, 11.0.

SPEED.  One of the wheels just fell off.  We sat near the bar in the game room.  Numerous waitstaff walked by us, admittedly with those "Better you than me" looks as I'm wrestling the jacket off my 3 year old daughter who's running toward one of the bouncy balls that she won on the way in from the claw game.  It took 20 minutes to flag someone down to take our drink order; that is just not right.  We just want a couple of beers, 3 Grilled Cheeses and some Edamame. I'll even pay you extra if you don't forget about us again.  One of the good things about the lack of attention is that we didn't feel rushed to leave our table, which was a good thing since my daughter fell asleep on the heap of jackets under our table.  4.5 Happies out of 10.0.

DESSERT.  Who cares?  The kids are all in the Ticket Redemption Room at this point anyway.  I think there was some ice cream or brownies or something.  7.0 Happies out of 10.0.

WHO'S PAYING.  Over a hundred dollars getting 3 power cards.  (Did you know that they make you pay $3 to obtain a power card?  Keep them if you go more than once.)  Over a hundred dollars on food and drinks.  Holy crap!  And all we come back with are 4 stuffed animals, 5 bouncy balls and tired kids?  I'll take it!  But that is a lot of money.  Add in the fact that Providence is an hour away and this is a once a year journey. 5.0 Happies out of 10.0 Happies.

Overall, this is more of a kids' paradise than a parent's worst nightmare.  Kids are growing up fast these days and to be able to make them smile and getting them excited about anything is a big deal, and I think this experience is worth it.  I wish the rating was higher because we all ended up having a good time, but in the end, 35.5 Happies out of 50.0 Happies.  Not perfect but better than bad.