Dave's Hot Chicken
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Dave's Hot Chicken is a fast-casual chain that originated in 2017 as a $900 parking lot pop-up in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, founded by chef Dave Kopushyan (a French Laundry alumnus) and childhood friends Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan. The chain specializes in Nashville-style hot chicken tenders and sliders served at multiple heat levels, and has expanded rapidly to Seattle and hundreds of locations nationwide, attracting celebrity investors including Samuel L. Jackson and Drake. The brand was acquired by Roark Capital in 2025 at a $1 billion valuation.
3rd in Seattle