The restaurant serves chicken tenders of varying degrees of spiciness, fried chicken sliders, crinkle-cut fries and more. According to its website, the company began as a food cart in East Hollywood. Dave's Hot Chicken has over 20 active locations across Texas, California, Colorado and Canada.
Sam Wong, co-owner of the Plano location, said three things convinced him to buy into the concept: high-quality food, the restaurant’s interior aesthetics and strong employee morale. Wong said the company has hired 100 employees for the Plano store as of late October.
Wong said Dave’s has gained popularity in-part due to a strong social media presence and a number of high-profile celebrity investors, including the musician Drake and actor Samuel L. Jackson.
“We were asking ourselves, ‘What kind of brand can be cool and attractive to the younger generations?’” Wong said. “And we really think this is it. The food is really the star of the brand.”
Wong said he believes the location will have no problem making a name for itself despite the density of Plano’s hot chicken market.
“We stand out because there’s no brand like us,” he said. “Some have tried to copy it, but they are not even close.”
The Plano store will be the second in Dallas-Fort Worth. The company has announced plans to open more than 30 additional locations throughout Texas. 469-825-4933. www.daveshotchicken.com
