The fun drought is real, and it’s here — a new study has found that one in two Americans is massively lacking in the amount of fun in their lives.
The state-by-state poll of 5,000 U.S. adults found 48% of the nation feels like their overall life is currently lacking in fun. And 12% can’t even remember the last time they had a full free day to have fun, and half wish they could do something fun and social daily, or at least a few times per week.
Those who said they don’t get enough fun in their lives just want 17 extra hours per week to change that.
With what hours they do have reserved for fun, Americans said they like to watch TV (77%), see family or friends (69%), dine out (59%), enjoy outdoor activities (50%), follow personal hobbies (49%), and play games (48%).
Commissioned by Dave & Buster’s and conducted by Talker Research, the study revealed the positive impacts of fun means feeling less stress (72%), feeling more motivation (57%), and feeling closer to family and friends (56%).
And most (89%) believe having fun with others helps them maintain a better, healthier relationship with them.
“We’ve always believed that fun is one of the most powerful ways people connect,” said Melissa Powers, vice president of marketing at Dave & Buster’s. “Our State of Fun report makes it clear that people are craving more shared, in-person experiences & fun in their lives, but factors like cost, busy schedules, and a lack of fresh entertainment options often get in the way. That’s why we’re continuing to invest in new game innovation and value-driven experiences like our Summer Season Pass — making it easier than ever for people to get together, unplug from the everyday, and create meaningful memories together.”
Compared to a decade ago, the survey found 28% believe it’s easier to find something fun to do today. According to them, it’s due to having fewer responsibilities (40%), having adult money (36%), having people around them that like to have fun (34%), and having a better work-life balance (30%).
Conversely, 52% argued that it’s actually harder to have fun than it was 10 years ago. They believe it’s largely because they can’t afford the same activities (51%), their social circle has shrunk (45%), or that they have more responsibilities (42%).
The survey also identified that fun plans are most often barred because of cost and budget (57%), personal schedule (34%), work schedule (31%), friends and family not having time to do anything (29%), general burnout (22%), and not knowing what to do (16%).
Over a third (37%) frequently think of a fun activity, but have to tone it down or cancel because something comes up. Likewise, 33% said they frequently have to cancel fun plans because adult responsibilities get in the way.
People said they’d be more motivated to prioritize fun in their life if it was a low-cost experience (55%), had more free time (41%), had more exciting things to do (32%), had better planning with their friends (29%), felt like it was “worth it” (29%) and had less work stress (22%).
“This report reinforces something we see every day — fun isn’t just entertainment, it’s an important part of people’s overall well-being,” added Powers. “As life becomes increasingly busy and digitally driven, people are looking for places where they can connect in real life, share experiences, and simply enjoy being together. We see a real opportunity to create those moments through experiences that feel social, exciting, and easy to say yes to.”
Research methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 5,000 American adults, 100 per state who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Dave & Buster’s and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Apr. 21 and May 1, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.
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