Dave's Hot Chicken cooks up 500th location

Less than 20 years after starting in a parking lot with portable fryers and folding tables, Dave’s Hot Chicken has reached a major milestone.

The fried chicken franchise opened its 500th restaurant on Oct. 8 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Founded in East Hollywood in 2017 by childhood friends, chef Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, and Tommy Rubenyan, Dave’s Hot Chicken quickly made the transition from a late-night pop-up eatery to a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Within months of opening, the brand caught the attention of Wetzel’s Prezels co-founder Bill Phelps. From there, Dave’s began cooking up a national franchise plan.

“When Dave, Tommy and I started this, we weren’t thinking about hundreds of restaurants. We were focused on making the best hot chicken we could and getting people to try it,” said Oganesyan, co-founder of Dave’s Hot Chicken. “To see Dave’s reach 500 locations and become what it is today is hard to put into words. The scale has changed, but the energy and obsession with the food that got us started are still at the heart of who we are.”

It’s been a very busy year for Dave’s Hot Chicken. The brand reached its 400th location earlier this year and soon opened a company record eight restaurants in a single day, ranging from markets in Connecticut to Utah.

Altogether, Dave’s has added about 100 locations to its company map since hitting the 400-location milestone.

“Reaching 500 restaurants is an incredible milestone, especially when you consider where Dave’s started and how quickly the brand has grown,” said Jim Bitticks, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken. “That growth reflects the strength of our franchise partners, our operating model and the teams supporting these restaurants every day. We’re proud of the pace, but what matters most is continuing to grow the right way. As our footprint expands, we remain focused on disciplined execution and ensuring every restaurant delivers the same mind-blowing experience our guests expect from Dave’s.”

While Dave’s has established a strong U.S. presence in metro markets, including New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, the brand has expanded its international presence. Dave’s has expanded across Canada and the Middle East while also making its debut in Europe.

An opening on London’s famed Shaftesbury Avenue has helped kick off a 60-restaurant development agreement across the United Kingdom and Ireland, the company said. Dave’s and the Azzurri Group also reached an additional 180-restaurant agreement spanning 10 European countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands.

Combined, Dave’as has sold development rights for more than 1,592 global locations.