Nearly half of all American adults say their lives are simply not fun enough, and cost is the single biggest reason standing in the way. That is the headline finding of the first-ever “State of Fun Report,” released by Dave & Buster’s on May 12, 2026, after commissioning Talker Research to poll 5,000 adults across all 50 states.
A nationwide fun deficit by the numbers
The findings show that 48% of respondents say their lives are currently lacking in fun, while 12% cannot even remember the last time they had a full free day to have fun.
The picture sharpens further when respondents reflect on the past decade. Among those who say having fun has become harder than a decade ago, representing 52% of the sample, 51% pointed to reduced affordability of activities, while others noted shrinking social circles and increased responsibilities.
Cost stands as the dominant barrier, cited by 57% of participants, followed by packed schedules, work demands, and burnout.
A third of respondents (37%) said they regularly think of something fun to do, only to scale it back or cancel when something more pressing comes up. Another 33% said adult responsibilities frequently force them to scrap fun plans altogether.
Those who said they do not get enough fun in their lives want 17 extra hours per week to change that. Half of all respondents wish they could do something fun and social daily, or at least a few times per week.
What Americans count as fun
When asked what kinds of activities count as fun, the answers were decidedly low-key: watching TV topped the list at 77%, followed by spending time with family or friends (69%), dining out (59%), outdoor activities (50%), personal hobbies (49%), and playing games (48%).
The prevalence of low-cost, home-based activities near the top of the list reflects the same affordability squeeze that respondents named as their chief obstacle.
Despite the widespread shortfall, 89% believe that having fun with others leads to healthier, stronger relationships. The study also found that 72% said fun reduces stress, while 57% said it increases motivation and 56% said it helps them feel closer to family and friends.
The gap between what people believe about the value of leisure and what they actually manage to do with their free time is one of the report’s sharpest findings.
How the survey was conducted
Talker Research surveyed 5,000 American adults, 100 per state, online between April 21 and May 1, 2026. The survey was commissioned by Dave & Buster’s, an entertainment and dining company with a direct commercial interest in consumer attitudes toward leisure spending, a relationship the research firm disclosed in full.
Readers should weigh the findings with that context in mind, even as the sample size and state-by-state distribution give the data reasonable geographic breadth.
The report lands against a backdrop of broader leisure pressures. Nearly everyone age 15 and over (94 percent) engaged in some sort of leisure and sport activity on an average day in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; men spent more time in these activities than women, averaging 5.5 hours compared with 4.7 hours. Yet the State of Fun data suggests that having time on paper and converting it into genuinely satisfying recreation are two very different things, a distinction that tracks closely with vacation plans hitting a six-year low as cost pressures force millions to reconsider how they unwind.
The social dimension
The findings add texture to a widening pattern of Americans pulling back from shared experiences. While a minority (28%) reported that finding fun has grown easier, the majority face persistent, ordinary obstacles that quietly erode opportunities for enjoyment.
The word “ordinary” is important: this is not a crisis of access to expensive events but a daily erosion of the smaller pleasures that once filled evenings and weekends.
That erosion has a social cost, too. The report found that people are not abandoning the desire for company, but circumstances are increasingly making shared leisure a logistical challenge.
This echoes patterns researchers have tracked in other areas of American social life, from the confidence and financial barriers reshaping dating to the gradual retreat from any activity that carries a non-trivial price tag.
Melissa Powers, vice president of marketing at Dave & Buster’s, said: “We’ve always believed that fun is one of the most powerful ways people connect. 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.”
