Walk into an Arcade Time and be prepared for your senses to be ignited: The flashing lights of hundreds of arcade games blend with the soundtrack of retro hits, while the scent of fresh cotton candy drifts through the room. Parents are challenging their kids to air hockey. Teens are discovering the finesse required to master a vintage pinball machine. Friends are battling over Mortal Kombat before enjoying a round of craft cocktails and dinner.
That’s exactly the experience founder Jonathan Demare set out to create.
“We’re not just an arcade,” Demare says. “We’re in the business of selling fun.”
That philosophy has helped transform Arcade Time from a single South Florida establishment into one of the country’s fastest-growing arcade concepts. Founded in 2020, the company recently earned the title of Number One Arcade in the U.S. at the 41st Bowling Center Architecture and Design awards and now operates locations in Orlando, Miami, Coral Springs, Jacksonville, and Wellington, with additional venues planned throughout the Southeast and beyond.
For Demare, the company’s success isn’t simply about games or attractions. It’s about recreating something he believes society has been missing. “The world needs more social interaction,” he says. “People need places where they can disconnect from their phones, challenge each other, laugh together, and make memories.”
Those memories are personal for Demare. More than two decades ago, he met his wife inside an arcade—a moment that helped shape both his personal life and his vision for Arcade Time. “I’ve always been drawn to arcades,” he says. “It was a place where I felt like I belonged. Now we get to create that feeling for other people.”
While many entertainment centers cater primarily to children, Demare envisioned something different: a destination where multiple generations could gather under one roof to play, dine, and reconnect.
To keep to that vision, Arcade Time’s owner personally curates the games at each and every location. “Every single game is hand-selected,” Demare says. “Whether someone grew up in the ’80s, the ’90s or the early 2000s, we want there to be something that instantly resonates with them.”
That means guests will find everything from nostalgic classics such as Pac-Man and Street Fighter to state-of-the-art virtual reality attractions, racing simulators and duckpin bowling. Demare believes the variety is what keeps people coming back.
“Most people think arcades are just for kids,” he says. “We focus on creating something for everyone. Grandparents have games they recognize. Parents have games they grew up with. Kids discover something completely new. Everyone finds something they’re good at.”
Arcade Time has also reimagined what guests can expect from arcade dining.
Rather than serving the typical pizza-and-hot-dog fare, the company developed a chef-driven menu featuring charcuterie boards, Arctic salmon, elevated burgers, shareable appetizers, and craft cocktails.
“We never wanted to be the typical bowling alley snack bar,” Demare says. “People are genuinely surprised by the quality of the food.”
His advice? “Don’t eat before you come,” he says with a laugh. “Eat while you’re playing. That’s part of the experience.”
While Arcade Time is now thriving, its 2020 launch was shaky. During the pandemic, Demare and his team had to constantly adapt while navigating changing public health guidance and uncertain revenue.
“It was incredibly challenging,” he says. “Nobody really knew what was happening. We had to learn how to operate safely while still creating a great guest experience.”
Despite those early obstacles, Arcade Time has expanded rapidly, opening multiple locations throughout Florida with more to come. The arcade maven’s next move is to expand across Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Las Vegas, and Virginia.
Although Demare has no business partners, he’s quick to credit his team rather than himself. “Our success isn’t because of one person,” he says. “It’s because we have an incredible group of people who are knowledgeable, passionate and genuinely care about what we’re creating.”
That passion extends to Demare himself.
“This isn’t a paycheck,” he says. “It’s my life. I work 18 to 22 hours a day because I love this industry and I love creating experiences that make people happy.”
Looking ahead, he sees no ceiling for Arcade Time. “I used to say maybe we’d grow to 100 locations,” he says. “Now I don’t think it’s smart to put a number on it. We’re incredibly well received, and we want to bring this concept to every market where there’s a need.”
At its core, however, Arcade Time isn’t about expansion. It’s about preserving something Demare worries society is losing.
“People need places where they can relax, compete, laugh and connect,” he says. “Whether you’re an adult blowing off steam after work or a child making new friends, those experiences matter.”
After all, his own life changed because of an arcade.
“I met my wife in one 26 years ago,” he says. “Arcades bring people together. If we can create places where families make memories and friends reconnect, then we’ve accomplished exactly what we set out to do.”
