Dave's Hot Chicken
Food & Beverage · Fast-Casual Restaurants
- Active units
- 221
Franchised, year-end 2024
About Dave's Hot Chicken
Welcome to Dave's Hot Chicken, the home of outrageously delicious hot chicken! Created by best friends Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, and Tommy and Gary Rubenyan, our brand is built on a passion for quality and a love for perfectly fried chicken. Our journey started with a tiny stand in an East Hollywood parking lot, where we served up the juiciest and most tender chicken imaginable. Each piece is topped with Dave's signature mix of spices, ranging from mild to The Reaper for those who dare. It didn't take long for the word to spread, and soon our lines were stretching around the block. With the support of our amazing customers, we were able to open a shop in a hip strip-mall, adorned with stunning artwork by local street artists. The crowds kept coming, patiently waiting for an hour or more just to get a taste of our craveable hot and spicy chicken. Today, Dave's Hot Chicken has garnered a cult following, with rave reviews across the U.S., Canada, UAE, and Qatar. Join us and experience the mouthwatering flavors that have everyone talking about Dave's Hot Chicken.
Key terms
- Footprint
2,000 – 3,000 sq ft
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing); filings on file: 2024, 2025, 2026.
Growth
- Total locations348
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings117
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate49.4%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR48.9%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio58.5×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$1.6M
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open12 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate6.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio—
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Location footprint
Showing 63 of 115 mapped locations
Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.