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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Dave’s Hot Chicken Franchise

Dave’s Hot Chicken is a fast-casual restaurant concept specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken, built around a deliberately narrow menu of chicken tenders and sliders offered at seven heat levels with a small selection of sides. All chicken is halal. Founded in Los Angeles in 2017, the brand launched as a parking-lot pop-up before opening its first brick-and-mortar location and beginning to franchise in 2018.

The operating model is straightforward: four combo options and three sides, executed to consistent brand standards across inline, endcap and freestanding restaurant formats. The narrow menu keeps kitchen complexity manageable and supports consistent execution across markets. The network has grown to more than 300 locations worldwide, with franchise agreements signed for over 1,000 additional units in development.

In June 2025, Roark Capital Group acquired approximately a 75% stake in Dave’s Hot Chicken, valuing the company at around $1 billion. Roark’s portfolio spans restaurant and franchise operations, and the acquisition positions the brand for continued domestic expansion alongside targeted international growth. The franchise entity, Dave’s Hot Chicken Franchise Co., LLC, is based in Pasadena, California.

Latest Resales

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Why buy a Dave’s Hot Chicken Franchise?

Those looking to buy a Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise are acquiring brand equity built through one of the most social-media-driven consumer followings in the fast-casual sector. The brand occupies a well-defined position in the spicy hot chicken category, backed by celebrity investors including Drake and Samuel L. Jackson. Its 2025 acquisition by Roark Capital, a PE firm with broad restaurant franchise experience, adds institutional resources to a system already well on its growth trajectory.

The franchise is structured for experienced multi-unit operators, which means the peer network within the system consists of proven, high-performing restaurant operators. Franchisees receive access to the FranFast management suite for operational oversight and QSR Automations for kitchen management, technology partnerships that carry value for incoming owners of an existing unit.

Dave’s Hot Chicken Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      2017

    • Franchising Since

      2019

    • New Startup Cost

      $989,800 – $3,218,000

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $40,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      50%

      of our then-current initial franchise fee

    • Royalty Fee

      6%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      4%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      244

    • New Units Opened *

      75

    • Units Transferred *

      5

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      Not Disclosed

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Dave’s Hot Chicken – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Dave's Hot Chicken provides initial training covering restaurant operations, brand standards, product preparation and guest experience, structured across 48 hours of on-the-job and 18 hours of classroom instruction. The FranFast management suite supports day-to-day operational oversight, and the brand's partnership with QSR Automations brings kitchen automation and guest management tools to franchisee locations. Ongoing support covers marketing, operations and brand standards compliance. Buyers of an existing Dave's Hot Chicken unit should confirm what initial training and FranFast system access transfer with the resale.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Dave's Hot Chicken is structured exclusively for experienced multi-unit restaurant operators. Franchisees must currently own and operate five or more QSR or fast-casual restaurants in their target market and cannot hold ownership in a competing fried chicken concept. The ideal owner is operations-focused, comfortable managing kitchen staff across multiple locations, and brings a proven track record of strong performance metrics within an existing franchise system. Candidates should be prepared for a hands-on, multi-unit development commitment rather than a semi-absentee arrangement.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Dave's Hot Chicken has earned consistent industry recognition across its growth period. In 2026, the brand ranked #245 in the Entrepreneur Franchise 500, #22 on Entrepreneur's Fastest-Growing Franchises list, and #2 on the Franchise Times Fast & Serious ranking, based on 153.9% unit growth over three years. Fast Casual named it a Top Brand in 2025. The brand has also received a Pacesetter Award from Restaurant Business and earlier recognition from Nation's Restaurant News and QSR Magazine in 2021–2022.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US fast-food chicken restaurant industry reached approximately $63.7 billion in revenue in 2026 (IBISWorld), following annualized growth of around 5.6% over the preceding five years. Rising consumer preference for protein-forward, convenient meals and broader growth in off-premise dining have supported steady industry expansion. The spicy hot chicken niche has attracted strong consumer interest through social-media-driven food culture, particularly among younger demographics. For resale buyers, national market health should be weighed alongside the competitive intensity of the specific territory.

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