Oh, Dave & Buster’s. The place where grown-ass adults can channel their inner child, while scarfing down some mozzarella sticks, and getting absolutely hammered. Now? They’re jumping on the Valentine’s Day bandwagon with some 3-carat diamond rings and a Human Crane machine, where you dangle over a pit of prizes in front of total strangers. Romantic, right?
The engagement rings are valued at around $15,000. There’s a catch, though. Because, of course, there is. The promotion runs on Valentine’s Day only and exists in just five Dave & Buster’s locations nationwide, including Times Square and a handful of California stores. So, this isn’t a fun national treasure hunt. It’s a very controlled experiment in hope.
The company confirmed the stunt in a Valentine’s Day press release, leaning into spectacle and surprise. “Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular proposal days of the year, and on February 14, Dave & Buster’s is inviting couples to take part in a proposal that feels bold, memorable, and entirely unexpected,” the brand said. All accurate, especially the memorable and unexpected part where the ring is not actually in the machine.
Despite the imagery doing the rounds online, the diamond is not sitting in the Human Crane prize pit. Players still strap into the viral full-body game and get lowered face-first over a pile of prizes while a crowd watches. If someone hits the winning marker, they scan a QR code to redeem the ring later. Size, quality, and value vary by location, and winners are contacted after Valentine’s Day with fulfillment details. So, yeah. Not as fun as imagining walking away with a diamond ring in hand.
Human Crane rides start at $20 per person. What you’re really paying for is the chance to get in a super flattering harness, dangle horizontally, and have a room full of strangers watch a grown adult’s sneakers swing gently in the air.
Melissa Powers, Vice President of Marketing at Dave & Buster’s, framed the promotion as an evolution of date night. “Dave & Buster’s has always been about bringing people together for unforgettably fun moments,” she said. “This Valentine’s Day, we’re elevating that experience even further by giving couples a chance to turn date night into a proposal they’ll never forget.” Few proposals involve a harness, a QR code, and a crowd of people yelling “go left!”
For couples who want dinner with their gamble, the chain is also offering a $99 Date Night Duo Deal in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day. It includes two 90-minute all-you-can-play game cards and a sit-down meal with an appetizer, two entrées, and dessert.
If this sounds fun instead of horrifying, more power to you. Dave & Buster’s knows its lane and stays in it.
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