Have you ever wondered where Dave’s Hot Chicken started? I certainly did before diving into research for this article The story behind this wildly popular Nashville-style hot chicken chain is one of those classic American success stories that makes you believe anything is possible – even turning $900 and a parking lot pop-up into a billion-dollar restaurant empire,
The Humble Beginnings in East Hollywood
Dave’s Hot Chicken began in 2017 in perhaps the most unlikely of places – a parking lot in East Hollywood, Los Angeles. Three childhood friends – Armando De La Torre Jr. (also known as Arman Oganesyan), Dave Kopushyan, and Tommy Rubenyan – pooled together just $900 to start their hot chicken venture. They weren’t exactly equipped with high-end restaurant gear either. Their setup consisted of:
- A portable fryer
- Some picnic tables from their backyards
- A simple menu focused on Nashville-style hot chicken
Dave, the namesake of the brand, wasn’t just any cook. He had serious culinary credentials, having trained under renowned chef Thomas Keller at the three-Michelin-star restaurant The French Laundry. This professional background gave him the skills to develop their signature hot chicken recipe that would soon capture the hearts (and taste buds) of Angelenos.
That First Night in the Parking Lot
On their opening night in that East Hollywood parking lot, they served around 140 people. A modest start, but something magical was happening. The trio had tapped into something special with their Nashville-style hot chicken – a dish that wasn’t widely available in Los Angeles at that time.
As one of the founders put it: “Three kids that wanted to support their parents and they only had $900 in savings, and so they did a pop-up in Hollywood.”
The Power of Social Media and Word of Mouth
What happened next is the stuff of restaurant legend. Word began to spread about this incredible hot chicken stand. The founders particularly Arman leveraged Instagram to promote their pop-up, posting mouthwatering photos of their crispy, spicy chicken. This social media strategy proved incredibly effective.
But the real turning point came when a food blogger from Eater LA discovered them. After tasting Dave’s hot chicken, the blogger wrote an article declaring it “mind-blowing” The next day, the article went live with the headline “East Hollywood’s New Late Night Hot Chicken Stand Might Blow Your Mind”
And BOOM! Overnight, everything changed.
The lines started forming around the block. What began as a modest operation suddenly had people willing to wait hours for a taste. This immediate, overwhelming response validated what the founders suspected – they had created something truly special.
From Pop-Up to First Brick-and-Mortar
With their newfound success, it was time to expand. By late 2018, they closed the parking lot stand and opened their first actual restaurant in a nearby strip mall on Western Avenue in East Hollywood.
The restaurant maintained the gritty, authentic vibe that had made them famous. The walls were decorated with street art by local artists – a distinctive style that would become a hallmark of the brand as they expanded.
A fourth friend, Gary Rubenyan (Tommy’s brother), also joined the team around this time, completing the founding quartet that would guide Dave’s Hot Chicken through its rapid expansion.
The Menu That Started It All
One of the most remarkable things about Dave’s Hot Chicken is the simplicity of their menu. From the beginning, they focused on doing one thing extremely well: hot chicken. Their initial menu was incredibly basic – just a hot chicken combo plate.
Today, their menu remains refreshingly simple, consisting of:
- Hot chicken tenders
- Hot chicken sliders (or both)
- Sides like french fries, cheese fries, kale slaw, and mac and cheese
- Seven different spice levels ranging from “No Spice” to the infamous “Reaper” (which requires customers to sign a waiver!)
All their chicken is halal, and tenders are served on white bread while sliders come on buns with pickles, kale slaw, and their signature “Dave’s Sauce” (a chipotle mayo).
This laser focus on quality over quantity has been a key part of their success story.
The Franchise Explosion
By fall 2019, the founders recognized the massive potential of their concept and formed an agreement with an investment group that included Bill Phelps (former Wetzel’s Pretzels CEO) and movie producer John Davis to franchise the restaurant.
Phelps became the chain’s new CEO, and the deal set plans for more than 300 locations across the United States and Canada. This was a pivotal moment that would transform Dave’s from a local LA favorite to a national phenomenon.
The expansion was rapid:
- 2020-2021: Expanded throughout California into Orange County and the Bay Area
- 2021: Opened 30+ new locations and expanded into Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, and Texas
- 2022: Further expanded into Wisconsin, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Florida, Kentucky, New York, Oklahoma, Arizona, Idaho, and New Jersey
- 2023: Continued growth into Nebraska, New Hampshire, Washington, and Pennsylvania
- 2024: Opened first locations in Georgia (with R&B star Usher as part-owner of the franchise) and Vermont
Celebrity Investors and International Growth
Part of what’s fueled Dave’s meteoric rise has been its ability to attract high-profile investors. The company has received investment from celebrities including:
- Drake
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Maria Shriver
- Michael Strahan
- Tom Werner
These celebrity connections have only enhanced the brand’s visibility and cool factor.
The international expansion has been equally impressive:
- January 2021: First international location opened in Toronto, Canada
- September 2022: Expanded to Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- November 2022: Opened in Doha, Qatar
- July 2023: Arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- December 2024: First UK location opened in London, with plans for 60 more
The Billion-Dollar Milestone
The most recent chapter in Dave’s Hot Chicken’s incredible journey came in June 2025, when the company was acquired by private equity firm Roark Capital Group in a deal valued at $1 billion. Just eight years after starting in that East Hollywood parking lot with $900, the company had become a billion-dollar enterprise.
As Bill Phelps, Dave’s Hot Chicken’s CEO, said: “Dave’s Hot Chicken has one of the greatest origin stories in the restaurant business, with the founders starting Dave’s as a parking lot pop-up restaurant in Hollywood with a portable fryer, and picnic tables from their backyards.”
Why It Worked: The Secret Sauce Behind Their Success
So what exactly is it about Dave’s Hot Chicken that’s made it so successful? Several factors seem to have contributed to their explosive growth:
1. Quality and Consistency
Dave’s has maintained a strict focus on quality, hand-breasting chicken to order using high-quality ingredients. This commitment to excellence shines through in every tender they serve.
2. Social Media Savvy
From day one, the founders understood the power of social media, particularly Instagram. Their ability to create viral content has been unmatched in the restaurant industry. Today, Dave’s has:
- More than 10 million organic video views on TikTok
- The most Instagram followers of any national fast-casual brand per restaurant
3. Simplicity
Unlike many restaurants that try to do too much, Dave’s kept their menu simple, focusing on perfecting one thing: hot chicken. This allowed them to maintain quality while scaling rapidly.
4. The Experience
Dave’s created more than just food – they created an experience. From the street art decorating the walls to the challenge of trying their spiciest “Reaper” level chicken, dining at Dave’s feels like an event.
5. Smart Business Moves
The founders recognized when to bring in experienced business partners to help scale their concept. They’ve also made smart operational decisions, like finding ways to increase efficiency without sacrificing quality.
Why Chicken Remains King
Dave’s Hot Chicken isn’t the only chicken chain finding success today. Brands like Raising Cane’s and Super Chix are also thriving. Industry experts suggest this is because chicken is:
- Versatile and can be prepared in numerous ways
- A popular and “safe” protein choice for most consumers
- Well-suited to various flavor profiles, particularly spicy ones
As Dan Rowe, CEO of Fransmart, noted: “Chicken is pervasive and a safe default for anyone trying a new brand. Hot chicken in particular – like Nashville hot chicken, etc. – is the flavor of the day with chicken, and Dave’s Hot Chicken owns the segment.”
Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
The Dave’s Hot Chicken story offers several valuable lessons for anyone dreaming of starting their own business:
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Start small and prove your concept – They didn’t need a fancy restaurant to test their idea; a parking lot was enough.
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Focus on quality over quantity – They perfected one item before expanding their menu.
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Leverage social media – They understood the power of Instagram from day one.
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Know when to bring in experts – They recognized when they needed experienced business partners to scale.
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Stay true to your roots – Despite massive growth, they’ve maintained the quality and authenticity that made them successful.
The Dream Continues
Today, Dave’s Hot Chicken operates 283 restaurants globally, with hundreds more in development. Their story serves as a powerful reminder that with passion, determination, and a great product, the American dream is still very much alive.
As the founders themselves say on their website: “Oh, and if you ever wonder whether your dreams can come true, remember us. Some guys in an East Hollywood parking lot, who started with $900 and a dream of our own.”
From humble beginnings in a parking lot to a billion-dollar international brand in just eight years, Dave’s Hot Chicken has cemented itself as one of the greatest success stories in recent restaurant history. And to think, it all started with three friends, a portable fryer, and a dream in East Hollywood.
So next time you’re enjoying those spicy, juicy tenders, remember – you’re tasting more than just great chicken. You’re tasting the American dream.
Flying the L.A. coop
Soon after launching their first storefront, investors John Davis and Bill Phelps entered the picture.
Davis, a prolific movie and TV producer, had his hand in a number of fast-casual restaurants. He’d helped incubate and grow businesses such as Blaze Pizza and Wetzel’s Pretzels with his business partner, Phelps. Advertisement
In 2018, Dave’s founders sold half of the company to Davis and Phelps, and tapped the latter as chief executive; the company launched the second Dave’s in 2019, quickly followed by a half-dozen more. Franchises spread into San Diego and Orange County, then Canada, across the U.S. and into the United Arab Emirates and London. Lines at openings still routinely wrap around the block, eight years into business.
“I’ve been doing the restaurant industry since I was 15 years old — I’m 51 years old now, and I’ve never seen anything like Dave’s or the fandom around it,” said Jim Bitticks, Dave’s president and chief operating officer.
Bitticks joined Dave’s after the company’s fourth restaurant and had worked with Phelps and Davis at Blaze Pizza. The companies’ franchise and expansion plans, he said, are similar: Roughly 99% of the restaurants should be franchise-owned-and-operated, with a few company-helmed restaurants to staff training teams, which then help open new franchise locations around the world.
The four founders still own and operate seven locations, including the first restaurant and three others in L.A., plus three in Las Vegas. They see themselves as a kind of In-N-Out for Nashville hot chicken — but with a globe-spanning reach.
Within two years of Dave’s partnership with Phelps and Davis numerous celebrities signed on as investors, including Drake, Samuel L. Jackson and Maria Shriver. Advertisement
“It was great, but I emphasized to everybody that celebrities are not going to make or break your brand,” Oganesyan said. “If your food can’t stand on its own two feet, then it doesn’t matter if the pope endorses you, nobody’s gonna care.”
‘It’s not called Dave’s Mild Chicken’
When not working shifts at Echo Park vegetarian restaurant Elf Cafe, Kopushyan toiled in his home kitchen with spice blends for 4½ months, obsessively tinkering with breading, seasoning and frying.
The three friends ate it every day, tasting and discussing each batch in Kopushyan’s Hollywood apartment. He wanted to steer the pop-up in a cheffier direction, incorporating their own house-made bread and pickles, while Oganesyan wanted something more tailored to his own “simple palate.” Eventually, they found a compromise.
The recipes, however, remain secret.
They scraped together about $900: $315 Oganesyan had saved, $300 from Kopushyan’s most recent Elf Cafe paycheck, and another $300 from Rubenyan. Advertisement
When the trio deemed their product ready, Rubenyan’s parents spotted an opportunity: Across the street from their East Hollywood flower shop sat a vacant lot. They knew the landlords, who gave the trio their blessing to use the space. The plan was simple: pop up for roughly a year, then spring for a food truck and slowly grow the operation into a bricks-and-mortar.
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Things moved at a much faster pace than any of them imagined.
Dave’s Hot Chicken debuted in May 2017, running Monday to Saturday, informally, in the parking lot.
“If we got shut down, we got shut down; back to square one,” Oganesyan said of the business plan. Fortunately for them, it never happened.
As word of mouth spread, curious customers lined up for meals that included two tenders with fries, slaw and slices of white bread, nearly identical to what the chain offers today. A few weeks later, the team added sandwiches.
Eventually they would expand the spice-level offerings from the simple choice of mild or hot to today’s seven options, ranging from no spice to reaper. “We always tell people to get hot, because it’s not called Dave’s Mild Chicken,” Oganesyan said.
The chicken — sourced from Wayne Farms — has been halal from Day 1, not due to religious preferences but to quality, a choice they said contributed to the seamless expansion into the United Arab Emirates. Advertisement
The early days were hectic, according to its owners, who said they were “working against the elements” with far too many customers than they were prepared for.
An early article from Eater LA multiplied the lines overnight, with 60 to 90 guests waiting for at least an hour. Instagram and TikTok fueled the demand, creating more buzz and a flurry of parking-lot imitators across the city. Within a few months, the trio realized they’d need to ride the hot chicken wave and expand earlier than planned.
Rubenyan’s brother, Gary, became a partner, which allowed them to launch their first restaurant, a corner space in a strip mall on Western Avenue. They invited their friends to scrawl spray-painted phrases and sketches across the walls, an aesthetic now seen in Dave’s locations around the world.
The Truth About Dave’s Hot Chicken
FAQ
Where is Dave’s hot chicken originally from?
The original location consisted of nothing more than a small street food stand with a portable fryer, a few picnic tables, and a limited menu, and was located in a parking lot in the East Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Initially the stand sold only one item: a hot chicken combo plate.
Did Dave’s hot chicken start in LA?
“Dave’s Hot Chicken has one of the greatest origin stories in the restaurant business, with the founders starting Dave’s as a parking lot pop-up restaurant in Hollywood with a portable fryer, and picnic tables from their backyards,” said Bill Phelps, Dave’s Hot Chicken’s CEO.
Did Dave’s hot chicken start with 900?
Like so many American dreams, ours had a humble beginning.
Three childhood friends in their 20’s who scraped together $900. Our not-so-grand opening was in 2017, in a parking lot in East Hollywood, with a couple of folding tables and a portable fryer under the night sky.
Where did Asad’s hot chicken originate?
Asad Khan, the founder of Asad’s Hot Chicken, revolutionized the world of spicy comfort food in Philadelphia by combining bold flavors with a unique twist on the classic Nashville hot chicken.