Dave’s Hot Chicken is a fast-casual brand built around Nashville-style chicken tenders and sliders with seven spice levels, simple sides, and a high-energy street aesthetic. The dave’s hot chicken franchise focuses on multi-unit development, disciplined build-outs, and speed of service. Public industry data places the brand’s average unit volume around $3.1M, reflecting strong demand when sites, staffing, and marketing are executed well.
What is the Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise
The Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise standardizes a compact menu and line flow to drive throughput: breading and fry, hold, assemble, out. Restaurants lean into bold, graphic interiors and neighborhood-specific wall art. Development is typically for five or more restaurants in a DMA, with financial requirements that include ~$2.5M in liquid assets and ~$5M net worth. Operators prioritize end-caps or pad sites with visibility, parking, and late-night access; drive-thru capability and queue management are a plus where zoning allows.
Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise cost & fees
| Cost Item | Amount / Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | One-time at signing |
| Estimated Initial Investment | $619,800 – $1,963,000 | Construction, equipment, opening, working capital |
| Architect / Engineer | $14,000 – $50,000 | Plans & approvals |
| Construction / Leasehold Improvements | $275,000 – $875,000 | Site-dependent |
| Equipment | $110,000 – $315,000 | Fryers, hoods, refrigeration |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Décor | $11,500 – $100,000 | Seating, millwork, finishes |
| Smallwares | $11,000 – $18,000 | Trays, utensils, cambros |
| Signage | $17,000 – $110,000 | Exterior/interior |
| Graffiti / Artwork Package | $30,000 – $70,000 | Brand aesthetic |
| POS / IT | $13,500 – $40,000 | Hardware & software |
| Grand Opening Kit / Menu Boards | $12,500 – $15,000 | Launch materials |
| Drive-Thru / Timers (if applicable) | $0 – $35,000 | Site option |
| Initial Inventory & Supplies | $20,000 – $50,000 | Food & paper |
| Pre-Opening Rent | $5,000 – $20,000 | Carry during build |
| Training | $12,000 – $23,000 | Travel & wages |
| Additional Funds (3 months) | $16,300 – $48,000 | Payroll, contingencies |
Use the current FDD to confirm Items 5–7 for your cycle; local construction, equipment spec, and rent can move totals within the range.
Footprint, build-out & staffing
- Footprint: high-visibility end-cap or pad; some markets add drive-thru. Layouts emphasize the cookline and an efficient expo/pack station to speed take-out and delivery.
- Back-of-house: fryers and holding, refrigeration, a simple make table, POS with kitchen display, and clear pickup lanes for couriers.
- Team model: GM, shift leaders, line cooks, cashiers/expediters; staffing flexes for late-night and weekends. Throughput depends on breading discipline, oil management, and expo accuracy.
- Demand drivers: limited menu, consistent spice scale, social-first marketing, strong opening pushes, and smart late-night hours where allowed.
Training & support
Franchisees receive site criteria, LOI support, prototype plans, equipment specs, and opening checklists. Training covers line flow, food safety, prep standards, inventory/COGS control, labor matrices, and grand-opening marketing. Ongoing support includes national campaigns, LTOs, performance dashboards, and coaching on speed, accuracy, and guest sentiment.
Steps to open
- Discovery & FDD review — align on multi-unit plan, markets, and capital.
- Site selection & LOI — visibility, access, parking, and late-night trade.
- Design & build-out — apply prototype; order equipment, signage, and IT.
- Hiring & training — assemble the opening team; rehearse line flow and expo.
- Grand opening — execute funded launch and neighborhood outreach; push social content.
- Operate & scale — optimize labor/COGS, add drive-thru where feasible, and roll additional restaurants as KPIs stabilize.
Dave’s Hot Chicken Franchise Info: https://store.daveshotchicken.com/
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Starting investments from:$619,800
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Company type:Restaurant
- Year company was founded:2017
- Corporate address:600 Playhouse Aly Unit 504, Pasadena, California, 91101, USA