Dave’s Hot Chicken Turns Up Heat with 500th Restaurant

October 08, 2026 // Franchising.com // PASADENA, Calif. — Dave's Hot Chicken today announced the opening of its 500th restaurant in Phoenix, AZ, on October 8, marking another major milestone for a brand that began with three childhood friends, $900, portable fryers and folding tables in an East Hollywood parking lot less than a decade ago.

What started in 2017 as a late-night pop-up quickly drew lines around the block, with an early Eater LA review helping fuel demand that soon outpaced the founders’ original plans. Rather than spending a year at the pop-up and another with a food truck, Dave’s made the leap to brick-and-mortar within months, eventually catching the attention of Wetzel’s Pretzels co-founder Bill Phelps, who partnered with the founders to begin franchising the concept nationwide.

“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 Arman 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.”

That early momentum has only accelerated. Dave’s reached its 400th restaurant earlier in 2026, with development maintaining an aggressive pace in the months that followed. Shortly after, the brand opened a record eight restaurants in a single day in April across markets from Connecticut to Utah. In total, Dave’s has added approximately 100 restaurants since reaching the 400-unit milestone, demonstrating the strength of its franchise system and its ability to execute at scale while maintaining the consistent guest experience that has fueled its rise.

“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.”

Dave’s rapid climb to 500 restaurants has also taken the brand to some of the world’s most recognizable cities and destinations. Across the U.S., Dave’s has established a presence in major metropolitan markets from New York and Chicago to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, while increasingly taking the concept beyond traditional restaurant real estate and into major airports. Internationally, Dave’s has expanded across Canada and the Middle East and made its European debut with a high-profile flagship on London’s iconic Shaftesbury Avenue. That opening helped kick off a 60-restaurant development agreement across the U.K. and Ireland, and Dave’s has since expanded its partnership with Azzurri Group through an additional 180-restaurant agreement spanning 10 European countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands. With development rights sold for more than 1592 locations across globe, the brand is continuing to introduce its signature hot chicken to new markets and audiences around the world.

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, with lines quickly wrapping around the block. Dave’s Hot Chicken offers a robust business model, including national and local marketing support, proven systems, manuals, operating procedures, and 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 such as Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE Dave’s Hot Chicken

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