You may remember the beginnings of this fried chicken chain, which started as a parking lot pop-up in East Hollywood and has since become the fastest-growing restaurant chain in America. It just opened its 100th location.
After starting 2021 with just seven stores. the fried chicken chain has grown exponentially since four friends pooled $900 to launch as a pop-up in a parking lot in 2017.
According to a special report by QSR, the LA-born restaurant chain is expected to debut 85 restaurants globally in 2023, which would almost double its current size.
The story of LA's Dave's Hot Chicken
Dave Kopushyan, a chef who used to work under Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, founded Dave's Hot Chicken with his best friends Arman Oganesyan and Tommy Rubenyan.
After leaving his job at the benchmark California restaurant, Dave Kopushyan and friends opened Dave's Hot Chicken with the simple concept of serving simple but flavorful Nashville-style chicken strips in a parking lot.
The company's parking lot pop-up got a lot of attention on Instagram after an article published by Eater claimed that East Hollywood's new late-night hot chicken stand might be the most amazing thing to happen to the restaurant industry.
One year later, the company opened a brick-and-mortar location. Its design was also widely adopted by prominent investors such as Tom Werner, Samuel L. Jackson, and Drake.
The menu has kept with what works: there are four main meal options (two sandwiches and two tenders), six side dishes, and seven different spice levels that can be ordered with one of the following: “no spice” to “reaper.”
The company's laser vision and focused menu make it an ideal choice for fast-food restaurants and other areas where there are no other hot chicken options.
Most recently, the chicken chain opened its 100th location in NY in 2022. After expanding into several new regions in 2022, including the UAE, Canada, and Qatar, Dave's Hot chicken is expected to grow even further in 2023.
Final thoughts
The city of Los Angeles is known for being the home of fast food. It's a place where people come to try new things, especially when it comes to trucks and pop-up dishes.
Dave's Hot Chicken now adds to the long list of successful fast food chains born in Los Angeles that have enjoyed success, nationally and now globally, too.
Find your local store location.
If you are after chicken tendies, Dave's Hot Chicken features in our list of five great spots for fried chicken tenders in Los Angeles today.
What do you think about this?
What do you think about the fried chicken at Dave's Hot Chicken? Have you got a place you prefer to buy your chicken in Los Angeles?
Share your thoughts in the comments and feel free to share this article on social media and with your friends and family if you'd like.
Disclaimer: This article is only for educational and informational purposes.
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