Dave & Buster's, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Dave & Buster's 401(k) Savings Plan
Dallas, TXArts, Entertainment & Recreation31,702 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$68Employer $ per active participant
$214Employee $ saved per active participant
0.36%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$74.5MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity3.0 / 506th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost1.7 / 257th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving0.4 / 153th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score0 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: all industries, plans with 10,000+ active participants (fewer than 30 industry peers) (820 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 6th |
| Lower admin cost | 7th |
| Employee saving | 3th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 50% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($545,630 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Dave & Buster's put in about $68 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,229). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Direct plan expenses (0.36% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.09%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $2,150,320 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,791,326 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,101,346 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $247,611 |
| Contract administrator fees | $300 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $29,961 |
| Benefits paid out | $6,159,038 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $62.1M / $74.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 21,254 / 42,151 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,323 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $217,650 reported compensation |
| Creative Planning LLC | $29,961 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015085612NAL0002048819001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 43-1532756, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.