Hot Chicken Takeover (HCT) is known locally for its Nashville-style hot chicken, which comes in four spice options, cold, warm, hot and holy. The always fresh chicken is brined for 18 hours and made-to-order with varying degrees of heat. The menu also includes a selection of classic sides, including mac and cheese, baked beans, and coleslaw, alongside banana pudding and sweet tea that will make you feel you are in the deep south.
“We started Hot Chicken Takeover in 2014 with a focus on offering unbelievable food and service while creating meaningful impact in the communities we serve,” shares Joe DeLoss, Founder of Hot Chicken Takeover. HCT began as a weekend-only pop-up window in Columbus’ Olde Towne East neighborhood. After eight years the company has grown from that small window to four restaurants in Central Ohio and two restaurants located just outside Cleveland: at Crocker Park in Westlake, Ohio, and in Strongsville, Ohio.
Hot Chicken Takeover attracts an eclectic mix of customers, striving to build community around long shared tables, making the experience feel more like a backyard barbecue or block party. So, when guests visit an HCT restaurant, they should be ready to introduce themselves and have a good time. Hot Chicken Takeover is about way more than just food. From its inception HCT has intentionally provided supportive employment to community members that have experienced adversity due to incarceration, homelessness, and addiction.
“We’re excited to be celebrating 8 great years of Hot Chicken Takeover and to kick off even more growth in the years to come,” shares Joe DeLoss. “We are so grateful to the HCT community; to our team members, many who’ve been with us since the early years, to our loyal guests, and to our extraordinary community of partners in Columbus and Cleveland.”
Over the last 8 years, the most popular requests by guests have been for chicken tenders and french fries. To celebrate their 8 wild years, HCT will be offering these highly-anticipated items for their entire birthday month.
Alongside these promotions, HCT will also be supporting two long-term local community partners, North-East Ohio’s Neighborhood Alliance, and Columbus’ Kaleidoscope Youth Center. Birthday activity will see HCT drive fundraising by amplifying the key work they carry out across its channels and driving customer donations.
