Latest news with #DaveKopushyan
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Popular US fast food chain giving out ‘best' free food next week as it opens third UK site
A POPULAR US fast food chain is giving out free food this week as it opens its third UK site. Dave's Hot Chicken opened its first UK store on London's Shaftesbury Avenue in December, with fans queuing up outside to get their hands on its notorious spicy chicken. 1 Some people have described it as "the best fried chicken on the planet", while it also has a cult following with celebrity fans including Drake and Usher. The chain is now expanding to other major UK cities, and its newest store in Manchester is set to open in August. In the lead up to the opening, Dave's is giving away free food from a secret Manchester location next Tuesday, July 29. Hundreds of Dave's Signature Sliders will be given out for free at the secret pop up. Some fans have already worked out the location of the pop up, after thousands of Oasis gig-goers spotted posters plastered all over Heaton Park at the band's last Manchester concert on July 20. The posters read "Call for Hot Chicks on 07986 992770", with people who call the number receiving a voicemail revealing the date and location of the secret event. The sliders will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, so you'll need to get down there quick if you want to make sure to get your hands on the free food. Jim Attwood Managing Director of Dave's Hot Chicken UK said: 'Manchester's been asking for Dave's and we couldn't just open quietly. "Flying a plane over an Oasis gig with a hotline number felt very us. "This is about giving Mancunians a proper first taste of what Dave's is all about. Big flavour big heat big energy. COMING SOON: US Fast Food Chains Invade the UK! "Come down and get involved - just don't hang about once the sliders are gone they're gone.' Along with it's new Manchester store, Dave's Hot Chicken is set to open seven new locations by the end of the year. It opened its second branch in Birmingham earlier this year, taking over a site previously operated by ASK Italian. Steve Holmes, CEO of Azzurri Group, which owns the chain, previously said: "We've had queues at the London site three to four months after opening," he said. "The volumes are still phenomenal. "Dave's gave us the opportunity to move into a new segment with a young consumer, a fast growing part of the market, and a different proposition." Dave's Hot Chicken was founded in 2017 in the US by Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan and Tommy Rubenyan as a late-night pop-up. It now has more than 200 sites across America. The brand is aiming to open as many as 60 venues across the UK and Ireland over the coming years. HISTORY OF DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN Dave's Hot Chicken began as a late-night pop-up in a parking lot in 2017, founded by three childhood friends. At the time, Chef Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, and Tommy Rubenyan scraped together $900 to launch the venture. The brand quickly gained popularity, leading to the opening of a brick-and-mortar restaurant in East Hollywood. In 2019, the founders partnered with Wetzel's Pretzels co-founder Bill Phelps to begin franchising. The brand has since attracted celebrity investors like Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, and Usher. It currently operates out of 200 restaurants across the US. Dave's Hot Chicken has now partnered with Azzurri Group to spearhead its UK rollout. Azzurri Group is already a major player in the UK hospitality sector. The owns well-known brands Zizzi, ASK Italian, Coco di Mama, and Boojum. Azzurri employs over 6,000 staff across 230 restaurants and stores, and it serves more than 15 million meals annually. Dave's Hot Chicken has plans to open 60 restaurants across the UK and Ireland. The first restaurant will open on Shaftsbury Avenue on December 7, 2024. Other US chains in Britain Dave's Hot Chicken isn't the only American fast food chain expanding to UK shores. McDonald's rival Wendy's is planning to open 400 locations in Britain, following its return to Britain in 2021 after 20 years. Wendy's is most famous for its square-shaped hamburgers, which are designed to maximise the amount of meat in every bite. Popular chicken joint Chick-Fil-A is also set to bring its beloved chicken sandwiches to Britain's high streets next year, with The Sun revealing the exact locations of its first five UK restaurants. Popeyes entered the UK market in 2021 and has proved to be a hit, with over 38 restaurants now open. Shake Shack and Wingstop have also opened several sites now across the country. .
Scottish Sun
16-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Fast-food chain from the US that's ‘better than KFC' to open TWO more locations in weeks – check if they're near you
Following a strong reception in London, it is set to spread its wings across the country HOT TOPIC Fast-food chain from the US that's 'better than KFC' to open TWO more locations in weeks – check if they're near you A POPULAR US fast food chain is set to open more branches in the UK after its debut store found success in London. The brand is expanding its presence in Britain's major cities after its debut store went down well with customers. Advertisement 2 Dave's Hot Chicken restaurant Credit: AP 2 The chain opened its first-ever British restaurant on Shaftesbury Avenue Credit: Dave's Hot Chicken Uk Dave's Hot Chicken is now set to launch stories in Birmingham and Manchester following its success in the capital. The chain opened its first-ever British restaurant on Shaftesbury Avenue, London on December 7. Following a strong reception in London, it is set to spread its wings across the country. Steve Holmes, CEO of Azzurri Group, which owns the chain, said seven new locations will open by the end of the year. Advertisement "We've had queues at the London site three to four months after opening," he said. "The volumes are still phenomenal. "Dave's gave us the opportunity to move into a new segment with a young consumer, a fast growing part of the market, and a different proposition." The new site in Birmingham will take over a site on New Street that was previously operated by ASK Italian. Advertisement An outlet in Manchester is expected to open shortly after that. Dave's Hot Chicken was founded in 2017 in the US by Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan and Tommy Rubenyan as a late-night pop-up. It now has more than 200 sites across America. The brand is aiming to open as many as 60 venues across the UK and Ireland over the coming years. Advertisement Jim Attwood, Dave's Hot Chicken UK managing director, said in January: "From an operational simplicity perspective Greater London is easier initially. "At some point we're going to have to launch in another city though. "And if we're confident, which we are, then we should take that step sooner rather than later." US FAST FOOD EXPANSION INTO THE UK Dave's Hot Chicken is far from the only American chain looking to make the transition across the pond. Advertisement The burger joint Wendy's is already a hit in the US with over 6,000 restaurants. Now the chain that "blows McDonald's out of the water" has plans to open 400 locations. The chain returned to the UK high street in 2021 after a 20-year hiatus. Wendy's is most famous for its square-shaped hamburgers, which are designed to maximise the amount of meat in every bite. Advertisement Fast food giant Chick-fil-A is set to bring its beloved chicken sandwiches to our high streets next year. The Sun exclusively revealed the exact locations of their first five permanent UK restaurants. Tex-Mex brand Velvet Taco will also make its UK debut next spring. Popeyes entered the UK market in 2021 and has proved to be a hit with ravenous customers ever since. Advertisement In just 30 months, the brand opened over 38 restaurants across the UK. It has plans to reach the 60-restaurant milestone by the end of 2024. Shake Shack, which started out as a hotdog cart, recently opened its first restaurant inside a UK train station. Brits commuting in St. Pancras International Station can now grab their favourite burgers before jumping onto their train. Advertisement The new spot marks the fast food giant's 16th location in the UK since it was launched in Covent Garden in 2013. While most of Shake Shack's UK sites are based in London, bosses have expanded into other locations in recent years, including Essex, Oxford, and Cardiff. Shake Shack's humble beginnings trace back to a New York hot dog cart helmed by Randy Garutti. Wingstop currently operates 39 sites across the UK and will open 15 more in 2024. Advertisement Lemon Pepper Holdings, which runs the fast food chain's UK portfolio, said the move would create up to 750 jobs. The US hospitality brand said it is its biggest year of expansion since launching Wingstop in the UK six years ago. Dunkin' Donuts, which currently has 30 stores in the UK, hopes to open 30 new branches over the next couple of years as part of a major expansion plan. Dunkin' Donuts landed in the UK in St John's in Liverpool in May 2016. Advertisement The chain is huge in the US, with almost 9,500 stores spread across the country. It sells a range of doughnuts, other sweet treats, and hot and cold drinks.
Entrepreneur
03-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Dave's Hot Chicken Acquired for $1B By Roark Capital
Dave's Hot Chicken, which began in 2017, announced on Monday that it was acquired by private equity firm (and Subway owner) Roark Capital in a $1 billion deal. The chicken shop, which specializes in a hot, Nashville-style of the bird, expects to open 155 locations this year and end 2025 with 400 restaurants worldwide, according to a press release. Not bad for a company that began with a group of childhood friends in an East Hollywood, California, parking lot. Related: 'It Was Like a Drug': How Dave's Hot Chicken Grew a Cult Following From a Parking Lot "This is one of the great entrepreneurial journeys of our time, and now we begin the next chapter in the story," said Bill Phelps, Dave's Hot Chicken's CEO, in a press release. "Our entire organization is excited about the fit between Dave's Hot Chicken and Roark, and we're looking forward to continuing to blow our guests' minds and unlocking growth and value for our franchise partners." According to data from "Big Chicken" is on the up, and Dave's Hot Chicken was the leader of the flock, with the "most significant" year-over-year visit growth (67.2% in Q4 2024 and 60.0% in Q1 2025) of all the chicken chains, including Huey Magoo's, Super Chix, and Raising Cane's. Dave Kopushyan, the "Dave" in the name, is one of the founders and the chef who began slinging the now-famous hot chicken using portable fryers and folding tables. He told Entrepreneur in 2022 that the company's fast success is making them work even harder. "You just have to be present for all of it," Kopushyan said. "And you have to believe in your product and use that motivation to keep going." Related: Private Equity Giant Blackstone Acquires Jersey Mike's Subs for $8 Billion In 2019, Dave's began franchising, and the company says it has sold the rights to more than 1,000 locations in the U.S., the Middle East, and Canada. Roark is based in Atlanta and specializes in franchised businesses, per the AP. It purchased Subway sandwiches in 2023 and backs a slew of restaurant chains, from Jimmy John's to Jamba Juice. Dave's Hot Chicken Sliders - Courtesy of Dave's Hot Chicken
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Billion Dollar Deal In the Works for Dave's Hot Chicken
Eight years after pooling their combined savings of $900 to sell fried chicken out of a yellow pop-up tent in East Hollywood, the four young founders of Dave's Hot Chicken are about to ink a deal to sell their Pasadena-based chain of restaurants for $1 billion according to The Wall Street Journal. Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan had no restaurant experience when they teamed with chef Dave Kopushyan to create their crave-worthy chicken, slaw, and curly fries. 'We took the idea of In-N-Out,' Oganesyan said in an interview. 'The concept of it and the way it works, and we took the flavor of hot chicken, and we combined it together, and that's how the idea was kind of born'Today, the franchised chain boasts 275 restaurants, from the original brick-and-mortar on Western Avenue to stores in three dozen states, Canada and the Middle East. The chain's investors include Samuel L. Jackson, former California first lady Maria Shriver, Boston Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner, and rapper Drake, and it consistently placed among the best hot chicken restaurants (we ranked it #2 in L.A.) and among the most successful franchises. Last year, food research firm Technomic named Dave's the fastest-growing restaurant chain in course, private equity came calling. Atlanta-based Roark Capital, named for the hard-charging character in Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead, is a behemoth in food service and the world's largest investor in franchise companies. The $38-billion fund has already snatched up Carl's Jr., Subway, Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Jimmy John's, adding them to a portfolio filled with an endless string of strip mall dining favorites: Dunkin, Cinnabon, Jamba, and Baskin Robbins are all part of Roark. Private equity firms manage $6 trillion in assets in every industry, from housing to hospitals to fast food. Throughout all of their success, co-founder and namesake Dave Kopushyan has always done it for the food. 'As a chef,' he said in an interview. 'I'm proud of the food that I make, and I want people to have it. When I see people eat and they look at each other and they smile like 'yeah, this is good.' That's why I do my job.' Be the First to Know! Keep up with the latest from Los Angeles Magazine. Sign up for The Daily Brief below or by clicking here.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dave's Hot Chicken explores potential sale
US-based fast-casual restaurant chain Dave's Hot Chicken is exploring a potential sale and has hired the investment bank North Point to manage the process. The deal could value the company at $1bn, including debt, as reported by Reuters. The sale process is attracting interest from private equity companies. The discussions are occurring as restaurant operators such as Dave's are faced with rising labour costs. Known for its Nashville-style hot chicken, Dave's has seen a surge in consumer demand for chicken and now has more than 250 locations worldwide. The company generates $1bn in annual sales. Dave's and North Point have not responded to requests for comment. The chain, which is majority-owned by founders Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan and Tommy and Gary Rubenyan, welcomed rapper Drake as an investor in 2021. It has also received support from high-profile individuals such as actor Samuel L Jackson. Kopushyan and his co-founders started the business in 2017 in an East Hollywood parking lot with just $900. By 2019, they had appointed Bill Phelps, co-founder of Wetzel's Pretzels, as their CEO. Dave's operates on a franchised business model and has sold rights to more than 1,000 franchise locations across the US, the Middle East and Canada. Restaurant franchises are often appealing to private equity firms due to their ability to generate consistent royalty fees and relatively lower operational costs. The US restaurant sector has been active in dealmaking, with Blackstone acquiring Tropical Smoothie Cafe in 2024 and chains such as Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers and Crumbl currently engaged in discussions on potential sales. In February 2025, Dave's Hot Chicken partnered with Reality Based Group (RBG), a tech-enabled customer experience improvement company, to enhance its customer experience. "Dave's Hot Chicken explores potential sale " was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
