Dave’s Hot Chicken signs 1st NJ lease

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Dave’s Hot Chicken is ready to make its Garden State debut.

The Los Angeles-based fast-casual brand said this week it will open its first New Jersey shop in Passaic County operated by Amit Patel. The location is tentatively set for a winter 2022 opening.

“It’s exciting to get the ball rolling on Dave’s Hot Chicken’s entrance into New Jersey,” Patel said in a statement.

Dave’s Hot Chicken first announced it was coming to New Jersey in September 2021, when it signed a franchising agreement with Patel for 14 locations.

The eatery will be located in the West Belt Plaza at 57 Route 23 in Wayne—with easy access to main thoroughfares and near the Willowbrook Mall. Patel described the store’s location as “ideal … to establish our presence and draw customers in.”

His perspective extends beyond logistics to the business’s front-facing offerings, as well, as an experienced multi-unit operator who has also owned several Buffalo Wild Wings and Blaze Pizza franchises throughout the state, according to DHC.

“Dave’s Hot Chicken is unlike anything else found in the area, and I think this location gives us a great opportunity to introduce our craveable food to the people of New Jersey,” he said.

That food includes hot chicken tenders and sliders — whose spice levels can be adjusted anywhere from none to “Reaper” — in addition to the sides: house-made kale slaw, mac & cheese and fries or cheese fries.

Dave’s Hot Chicken was founded by Arman Oganesyan and Dave Kopushyan — a classically trained chef — in early 2017 as a parking lot pop-up. Now it has more than 60 locations across the U.S. and Canada, and is seeking to continue its growth. According to the brand, it has more than 700 units committed since its franchising initiative took off in 2019.

On the operating side, DHC describes its business model as robust, offering national and local marketing support; systems, manuals and operating procedures; and assistance with site selection. As far as that’s concerned, DHC said it looks for endcaps and freestanding locations, ideally between 2,000 square feet to 2,500 square feet—and if there’s drive-thru infrastructure that’s even better. CBRE’s Jay Miller and Nicole Nannola exclusively represent Dave’s Hot Chicken in its central and northern New Jersey expansion plans.