Ever since starting in a California parking lot, Dave’s Hot Chicken has taken the U.S. by storm. The restaurants are always busy, and people can never seem to get enough of the fried chicken tenders — or the heat.
That’s why the chain is still expanding at a rapid pace, including a number of locations that opened today, April 17th. Here’s where you can find the new Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants.
What Is Dave’s Hot Chicken?
In case you’re not familiar with Dave’s Hot Chicken, it’s a trendy chain that serves a small menu of spicy chicken tenders, fries, slaw, and dipping sauce. Hot chicken is a Nashville invention, with fried chicken coated in a thick cayenne-based paste that’s very spicy for most people. Even the medium spice level isn’t for the faint of heart — and the reaper level, which you need to sign a waiver just to order, was too hot for us to finish.
The parking lot stand gained loyal followers, and quickly went viral. That set the chain on the path it is today, with over 400 locations less than a decade after it started.
Where Are the New Dave’s Hot Chicken Locations?
Dave’s Hot Chicken’s Facebook page posts about new locations opening all the time. USA Today compiled the most recent posts into a list so you don’t have to scroll through endless posts of drool-worthy hot chicken.
There are eight locations opening on April 17, 2026, across eight states. They are:
- Connecticut: 13 Clark Lane, Waterford
- Florida: 19151 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 24, Miami
- Illinois: P 115 Rand Road, Suite C, Arlington Heights
- Ohio: 3265 W. Market St., Suite 100B, Fairlawn
- Minnesota: 3301 Hazelton Road, Edina
- New York: 5001 New York State Rt. 23, Oneonta
- North Carolina: 2230 E. Franklin Blvd., Suite 140, Gastonia
- Utah: 119 Crossroads Blvd., Saratoga
Beyond those eight openings, Dave’s Hot Chicken is planning to open 150 new locations throughout the year, according to a statement from CEO Jim Bitticks to USA Today. That’s a whole lot more spicy chicken in the world, and we’re here for it.
Some of the new locations opening later this year include Scottsdale, Kansas City, Portland, Salt Lake City, Boise, Wichita, Charlotte, and Memphis. They’re also opening locations further abroad in London, Dublin, and Liverpool. Hopefully Europeans will be able to handle the heat.
More From Cheapism
- I Tried Dave’s Hot Chicken, and I’m No Longer a Skeptic of Its Price or Heat — When I heard all the hype around Dave’s, which opened in my area to much fanfare, long lines, and some griping about the prices, I had to see how it stacked up.
- This Rapidly Expanding Fast-Food Chain Started in a Parking Lot — If you haven’t heard of Dave’s Hot Chicken, we can’t blame you. It owes that growth to its spot-on interpretation of Nashville hot chicken, which has brought legions of fans that have helped to make it one of the fastest-growing chains in fast-food history.
- I Tried All 26 Buffalo Wild Wings Flavors (and Survived to Rank Them) — Over the course of two hours, I slowly confused and angered my stomach, ensuring I wouldn’t want to look at another buffalo wing for at least a month.
