David Mkhitaryan was hooked the moment he tried Nashville hot chicken. As a spicy food fanatic since childhood, Mkhitaryan took his experience from working in his family’s restaurant and set out to popularize the dish along the West Coast.
Mkhitaryan was inspired in particular by Prince’s Hot Chicken, a recipe crafted more than 100 years ago by a scorned lover who wanted to make her beau’s taste buds see stars. After a year of obsessively creating his own twist on the classic, he teamed up with his wife and best friend in 2018 to open a 900-square-foot storefront in L.A.’s East Hollywood neighborhood.
The Angry Chickz menu includes chicken sliders and tenders of varying heats. The apex is the “angry” option, where guests sign a liability waiver.
The brand also has a track record of partnering with local organizations to host events that benefit the community.
Since 2018, Angry Chickz has grown to about 25 locations across California, Nevada, and Arizona. Now, it stands on the cusp of franchising and, in October, appointed Mike LaRue as vice president of franchise development.
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LaRue came in with a 20-year career, launching franchise systems for multiple brands, including JINYA Ramen Bar and The Halal Guys. He’s been watching the Nashville hot chicken segment scale for the last few years and recognized Angry Chickz’s potential.
“A lot of people are trying to make Nashville hot chicken work, but not too many are doing it at scale,” LaRue says. “Angry Chickz has been hiding behind the scenes, growing without anyone noticing.”
Originally, Mkhitaryan’s humble beginnings and backstory drew LaRue to the brand. He saw Mkhitaryan grow Angry Chickz to 25 units, 270,000 Instagram followers, and 400 employees in five years with no corporate infrastructure. He feels Mkhitaryan’s passion for what he does led him to advisers who want to help for the right reasons.
LaRue credits the concept’s growth to its fundamentals, which he calls “the DNA of Angry Chickz,” starting with a people-first culture that drove growth with no formal backings.
“[Mkhitaryan] got to this point by focusing on the culture, his people, and the quality of the food,” LaRue shares. “[Growth] can be difficult, but we want it to be a fun environment, and creating an experience for guests has helped sustain Angry Chickz.”
While the brand has already solidified itself within a surging category, LaRue knows the addition of a franchise program will dial up attention.
“We feel like we’re on an 80-mile-per-hour freight train we can’t stop,” LaRue laughs. “We’re growing our small executive team, and so far, it’s incredible.”
In addition to LaRue, three industry veterans joined the Angry Chickz senior leadership circle: John Scott, CFO; Peter Trembley, COO; and William Lopez, director of operations.
The trio brings experience from Wendy’s, Raising Cane’s, IHOP, and BJ’s restaurants. The chain touts the top third of reporting AUV, according to item 19 of 2023’s FDD.
While corporate unit growth has been swift, the franchise program will take a more methodical approach, ensuring the first few inked deals will be intelligently and sustainably executed.
LaRue believes the first two to three deals will dictate the next decade for Angry Chickz.
In choosing the right operators, he is applying his own methodology and checking off three boxes: perfect fit for the brand, market, and for the franchisee themselves.
“We’ve been patiently aggressive in bringing in these first couple of franchisees and setting the bar high in terms of the quality of the partnership,” LaRue says. “I’m trying to instill the mindset of who we are as a brand and bring in people who have not just restaurant experience but who fit from a culture perspective too.”
The brand is actively seeking multi-unit operators with a strong focus on community. LaRue points to leaning on groups with infrastructure on the ground in their current portfolio, and discussions with 100-plus unit operators are in the works to roll up a wide range of markets across the U.S.
As Angry Chickz spreads outside of California, Nevada, and Arizona, LaRue is keen on preserving Mkhitaryan’s passion and dedication to impacting the local community.
While interest in the brand is buzzing, he isn’t looking for short-term operators who want a cash grab.
“Making a bigger impact in communities is something rarely done at scale,” LaRue explains. “While it might take a little longer to bring in those first few franchisees, we want to create an emotional connection and we’re looking for groups that have a track record of doing that within their restaurants.”
LaRue says he’ll never claim Angry Chickz is the hottest concept or the fastest growing, but he challenges the community to “just watch” as it builds up its infrastructure, develops a franchise platform, and flips the underdog narrative.
“A lot of people talk about [making an impact], but it’s rarely done,” LaRue says. “Not a lot of brands do it consistently well, and that’s something we want to be known for as we grow.”
