Company’s Founders Head Back to the Same Parking Lot Where it All Started for a Special Pop-Up Celebration Party
From an East Hollywood parking lot pop-up to becoming the Fastest Growing Restaurant Chain in America1, Dave’s Hot Chicken has come a long way in a short time. The company’s sixth anniversary will be on Tuesday, May 2, and everyone is invited to celebrate with a free Slider on the house. Simply download the new Dave’s Hot Chicken app between now and May 2 and a free Slider will automatically be added to your rewards.
In a modern-day American dream story, Arman Oganesyan and best friends Chef Dave Kopushyan and Tommy Rubenyan, launched Dave’s Hot Chicken in an East Hollywood parking lot pop-up on May 2, 2017 funded by their combined life savings of $900. Seven months later, with the backing of Gary Rubenyan, the four launched Dave’s first brick-and-mortar restaurant a few blocks from the original pop-up. On May 2, 2023, from 7pm – close, the four friends will head back to that original parking lot, located at 5115 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles, for a one-night-only pop-up event. Dave, Arman, Tommy and Gary will be cooking up delicious food for local hot chicken lovers, just as they did six years ago. Videos from the event will be posted on the company’s Instagram page throughout the evening so that fans from across the globe can see where it all began. But guests everywhere can get in on the fun by downloading the new Dave’s Hot Chicken app and receiving a free Slider on us.
Dave’s Hot Chicken specializes in Hot Chicken Tenders and Sliders, along with sides of house-made Kale Slaw, creamy Mac & Cheese and crispy, seasoned French Fries. Offered at seven spice levels ranging from No Spice to Reaper (which requires a signed waiver for those who dare), each jumbo-sized chicken tender is hand-breaded and spiced-to-order, using a spice-blend crafted specifically for its heat level or no-spice. The brand’s humble beginnings as a parking lot pop-up soon drew lines around the block, with rave reviews by its fanatical Instagram followers.
“As our first-ever review said, ‘Dave’s Hot Chicken just might blow your mind!’ Every Tender is hot, juicy and spicy,” said Bill Phelps, Dave’s Hot Chicken’s CEO. “Six years ago, four friends created something phenomenal, and on May 2nd we’ll be celebrating that success by making sure everyone has the ability to enjoy Dave’s, whether you’ve been visiting since the parking lot pop-up days or have just been wanting to give the best hot chicken on the planet a try.”
1 – https://www.restaurantnews.com/daves-hot-chicken-named-americas-fastest-growing-restaurant-051322/
In a modern-day American dream story, Arman Oganesyan and best friend Chef Dave Kopushyan, along with brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan, launched Dave’s Hot Chicken in a parking lot pop-up in 2017. Dave’s Hot Chicken quickly took off, opening its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in East Hollywood. In 2019, the team struck a deal with Wetzel’s Pretzels co-founder and former CEO, Bill Phelps, and movie producer John Davis to begin franchising the Dave’s Hot Chicken concept throughout the U.S. and beyond. The company has sold the rights to more than 700 franchise locations in the U.S., Middle East and Canada and will open an additional 50 locations this year. Harkening back to an Eater LA blog that helped propel early interest in the brand, the company’s mission is to “blow their minds.” Additional brand investors include Billboard’s Artist of the Decade, Drake, former California First Lady Maria Shriver, actor Samuel L. Jackson, and Good Morning America anchor and retired NFL player Michael Strahan.
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