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LAST UPDATED: January 2025 FRANCHISE WEBSITE:<a href="https://www.daveshotchicken.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">&nbsp;https://www.daveshotchicken.com/franchising/</a> NUMBER OF LOCATIONS:&nbsp; 280+ REPORTED COST TO GET IN:&nbsp;$619,800 - $1,963,000&nbsp; REPORTED ROI (Item 19):&nbsp;N/A<a href="https://franchise.daveshotchicken.com/dhcfranchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dave’s Hot Chicken</a> is a fast-casual chicken concept that specializes in Nashville-style spicy and flavorful chicken. The restaurant features a simple menu consisting of four chicken combo meals that come in different spice levels, ranging from no spice to “The Reaper.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Dave’s Hot Chicken, headquartered in Pasadena, California, was first established as a pop-up stand in Los Angeles in 2017 by best friends <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-kopushyan-01b323121/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dave Kopushyan</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/arman-oganesyan-18b809244/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Arman Oganesyan</a> and Tommy and Gary Rubenyan, who came together with just $900 to set up a small food stand. The stand quickly gained popularity. Just one year later, an official Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurant was opened.<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6XOxWxDP8o&amp;t=1s"><div class="iframely-embed"><div class="iframely-responsive"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?app=1&amp;api_key=fd3b6b3731f34f55ba1fe3&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DE6XOxWxDP8o%26t%3D1s" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></div></figure>As a result of its offerings, Dave’s Hot Chicken has gained significant traction on social media and boasts nearly one million followers on Instagram.<figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwNtfGtOvlg/"><div class="iframely-embed"><div class="iframely-responsive"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?app=1&amp;api_key=fd3b6b3731f34f55ba1fe3&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fp%2FCwNtfGtOvlg%2F" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></div></figure><h2>How Many Dave’s Hot Chicken Locations Are There?</h2>As of January 2025, there are more than 280 Dave’s Hot Chicken locations spanning four countries, including the United States, Canada, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.<h2>What Is Dave’s Hot Chicken’s Business Model?</h2>Dave’s Hot Chicken’s business model is solely focused on providing customers with high-quality chicken featuring bold and “crave-able flavors.” The brand’s menu features a variety of chicken tenders and sliders that come in seven different heat levels, as well as sides such as fries, mac and cheese, and kale slaw.As a fast-casual concept, Dave’s Hot Chicken’s dining model emphasizes convenience and speed, making it a popular choice for those seeking quick and flavorful meals. Guests can place their orders online or at their nearest location. The brand also has a proprietary app that provides users with “frequent fryer points,” allowing them to earn rewards for every dollar they spend.<h2>How Much Can Dave’s Hot Chicken Franchise Owners Make?</h2>According to the 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Dave’s Hot Chicken:“We do not make any financial performance representations about a franchisee’s future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets.”<h2>How Much Does It Cost to Open a Dave’s Hot Chicken?</h2>The initial investment required to open a Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise ranges from $619,800 to $1,963,000. The 2024 FDD breaks down these costs as follows:<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Type of Expenditure</td><td>Min</td><td>Max</td></tr><tr><td>Initial Franchise Fee</td><td>$40,000</td><td>$40,000</td></tr><tr><td>Architect/Engineer Fees</td><td>$14,000</td><td>$50,000</td></tr><tr><td>Business Licenses &amp; Permits</td><td>$1,000</td><td>$30,000</td></tr><tr><td>Construction, Remodeling &amp; Leasehold Improvements</td><td>$275,000</td><td>$875,000</td></tr><tr><td>Equipment</td><td>$110,000</td><td>$315,000</td></tr><tr><td>Furniture, Fixtures &amp; Decorations</td><td>$11,500</td><td>$100,000</td></tr><tr><td>Smallwares</td><td>$11,000</td><td>$18,000</td></tr><tr><td>Signage</td><td>$17,000</td><td>$110,000</td></tr><tr><td>Graffiti &amp; Artwork</td><td>$30,000</td><td>$70,000</td></tr><tr><td>Grand Opening Kit/Menu Boards</td><td>$12,500</td><td>$15,000</td></tr><tr><td>Drive-Thru, Loop Timers &amp; Signage</td><td>$0</td><td>$35,000</td></tr><tr><td>Computer Equipment &amp; Information/POS Systems</td><td>$13,500</td><td>$40,000</td></tr><tr><td>Office Supplies</td><td>$1,000</td><td>$3,000</td></tr><tr><td>Uniforms</td><td>$1,500</td><td>$5,000</td></tr><tr><td>Initial Inventory &amp; Supplies</td><td>$20,000</td><td>$50,000</td></tr><tr><td>Insurance Deposits</td><td>$1,500</td><td>$4,000</td></tr><tr><td>Liquor Licensing</td><td>$0</td><td>$10,000</td></tr><tr><td>Pre-Opening Rent</td><td>$5,000</td><td>$20,000</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><h2>What Is the Franchise Fee for Dave’s Hot Chicken?</h2>The initial franchise fee required to open a Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise is $40,000. Interested candidates must also have at least $2.5 million in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $5 million.<h2>Who’s On Dave’s Hot Chicken’s Leadership Team?</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-phelps-a80a0452/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Bill Phelps — CEO</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-bitticks-cfe-0bb37515/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Jim Bitticks — President and COO</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-haley-mba-b3186713a/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Brad Haley — Chief Marketing Officer</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/leond/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Leon Davoyan — Chief Technology Officer</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynecanady/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Carolyne Canady — Chief Development Officer</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-lopez-cfe-466724180/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Juan Lopez — VP of Operations and Training</a></li></ul><h2>What Helpful Articles Can I Read to Learn More About Dave’s Hot Chicken?</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/how-franchising-fueled-daves-hot-chicken-unit-growth/644712/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">How Dave’s Hot Chicken grew from 2 units to 118 in just 3 years</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/dave-s-hot-chicken-dominates-fast-casual-industry-2023-growth-momentum?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dave’s Hot Chicken dominates the fast-casual industry with 2023 growth momentum</a></li><li><a href="https://www.fastcasual.com/news/growth-igniting-at-daves-hot-chicken/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Growth igniting at Dave’s Hot Chicken</a></li><li><a href="https://www.franchising.com/news/20230830_daves_hot_chicken_continues_2023_growth.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dave’s Hot Chicken Continues 2023 Growth</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/dave-s-hot-chicken-passes-100-units-plots-steep-growth?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-deep-dive-daves-hot-chicken-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723529" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dave’s Hot Chicken passes 100 units, plots steep growth</a></li></ul>Want to learn more about franchise opportunities on 1851 Franchise? 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Nothing contained on this site constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer to buy or sell any franchises, securities, or other financial instruments in this or in any other jurisdiction in which such solicitation or offer would be unlawful under the franchise and/or securities laws of such jurisdiction.&nbsp;All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the detailed circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in the article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the email constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. You alone assume the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information or other content in this article before making any decisions based on such information or other content.

Franchise Deep Dive: Dave’s Hot Chicken Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data

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Dave’s Hot Chicken has become one of America’s fastest-growing, fast-casual restaurant franchises as a result of its flavorful chicken and vibrant social media presence.

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