UK high streets, especially in big cities, have never been so well-stocked with fast food options.
Along with the longstanding heavyweights in McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, and Subway, we’re now replete with dozens more international imports making it harder than ever to know where to stop for lunch.
Wing Stop, Popeye’s, Jollibee, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell are just a handful to mention, and Chick-fil-A is on the way, too.
But among this swelling list is one name that comes with boundless recommendations from our US cousins: Dave’s Hot Chicken.
The chicken joint opened its first UK outlet on Shaftesbury Avenue, London in December 2024 and made an immediate impression.
First spawned in Los Angeles, there are now Dave’s Hot Chicken shops across the US and a further two in the UK. Birmingham and Manchester are the lucky cities in question there, but the rest of the country needn’t wait long to get a taste.
Dave’s Hot Chicken has signed a deal with Azzurri Group, which owns Zizzi and ASK among others, to open 57 more sites across the UK.
The chain, which TikTok user @TheBurgerReviews described as ‘way better than any other chain restaurant I’ve dined in’, will also open a total of 180 restaurants in Europe.
While the planned locations have yet to revealed, the existing UK outlets give us an idea of what to expect.
Birmingham’s Dave’s Hot Chicken, based at 56 New Street, has been set up in in a classic building decked out with a space-themed interior. UFOs, holograms, and LA artist graffiti from Splatterhaus and Dehmq give the place an uncommon vibe that appeals almost as much as the chicken.
In Manchester, the first Dave’s Hot Chicken has been opened in Printworks, an entertainment complex that pays homage to the city’s warehouse rave culture. Here there’s plenty of exposed steel, lofty ceilings and lasers, offering a more toned-down breed of the vibe at the Birmingham outlet.
“Birmingham and Manchester are on the up, with food scenes to rival London’s,” said Jim Attwood, managing director of Dave’s Hot Chicken UK, per Metro.
“Opening up our next two locations here kicks off our national expansion, and we can’t wait to welcome our first fans through the doors.
“We’re taking Dave’s Hot Chicken nationwide. Watch this space.”
Prices at Dave’s Hot Chicken start from £8, and a concentrated range of chicken options is sure to get you salivating.
Its tenders and sandwiches branded as ‘sliders’ are both made with halal British chicken and make up the bulk of the options, but Londoners can tuck into recently-introduced chicken bites at the Shaftesbury Avenue store too.
Fries, gherkins and coleslaw are available on the side, and it wouldn’t be ‘Hot’ without an extensive range of spicy sauces.
Of those, there’s No Spice, Lite Mild, Mild, Medium, Hot, Extra Hot and The Reaper to choose from. Good luck to the brave souls taking on the Reaper. You’ve been warned.
The other European nations set for a Dave’s Hot Chicken launch include: France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Italy, and Turkey.
"This is a once-in-a-generation brand," said Steve Holmes, Chief Executive at Azzurri Group.
"Dave’s Hot Chicken has all the ingredients for international success—unforgettable food, massive cultural resonance, and an incredibly scalable model. The response in the UK has been phenomenal, and we’re now focused on bringing this concept to more countries through strong local joint venture partnerships."
Featured Image Credit: Bloomberg / Contributor/Getty Images
Rachael Davis