It’s been a really hot week for Dave’s Hot Chicken.
The acclaimed fast-casual restaurant chain known for its Nashville-style hot chicken notched a brand milestone through the opening of seven new restaurants across diverse markets nationwide. The locations include: Wauwatosa, WI; Saugus, MA; Phoenix, AZ; Queensbury and Tonawanda NY; Westminster, CO, and Webster, TX.
“It’s been an exciting week for our team,” says Bill Phelps, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken. “For the last few years, people have watched us quickly breakthrough the fast-casual segment ceiling with record units signed, but now people get to experience us opening our doors at an unbelievably fast pace. It’s all made possible with our mind-blowing food, great corporate team and our experienced operators. We did seven openings in six states all in just one week, and we’re not slowing down!”
Hot off this week’s growth momentum, Dave’s Hot Chicken has opened 69 new locations so far this year, bringing its total open store count to 170. Also this year, 109 more franchise commitments for new locations were signed, bringing its total commitment count to 862 and a packed pipeline heading into 2024.
“In order for us to achieve this growth, all aspects of the brand needed to be firing on all cylinders at the same time,” adds Juan Lopez, VP of Operations & Training at Dave’s Hot Chicken. “It’s a direct result of having the right team members and experienced franchisees working together. As we opened a record seven new locations in one week this week and expanded into several new markets, our primary focus remains on providing outstanding dining experiences to new and existing communities nationwide to satisfy the incredible demand for our famous Nashville-style hot chicken.”
Capitalizing on its existing growth momentum, Dave’s Hot Chicken has identified various avenues to further enhance its extensive footprint. This includes strategic recruitment efforts, introducing fresh menu selections, and establishing noteworthy partnerships. In line with its ambitious growth plans for 2024, Dave’s Hot Chicken remains dedicated to reinforcing its top-tier executive team. Notably, this commitment has included the recent additions of CMO, Brad Haley, and CTO, Leon Davoyan, to the brand’s standout corporate team.
Founded by Arman Oganesyan and classically-trained chef Dave Kopushyan, along with brothers, Tommy and Gary Rubenyan in early 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken initially opened as a parking lot pop-up in East Hollywood, with lines quickly wrapping around the block. Since then, the brand has exploded in popularity and now has 170 locations open in the United States, Canada and the Middle East.
Dave’s Hot Chicken offers a robust business model, including national and local marketing support, proven systems, manuals and operating procedures, as well as assistance with site selection. As the brand expands, it is seeking qualified, experienced, and passionate restaurant operators and franchise groups to develop the concept in key markets.
