Dave’s Hot Chicken, a fast-growing quick-service restaurant built around spicy chicken tenders, is set to enter the Southwest Florida market by mid-February with a Fort Myers location off Dani Drive.
A Tampa-based franchisee owns the rights to the brand across Southwest Florida and will start with one store, said Ian Lieberman, who, along with his brother Adam, owns FTB Services. Tampa-based TWT Restaurant Design, Construction & Development Co. is building out the interior at 7925 Dani Drive, Unit 150, at the southern end of the building that also houses the region’s first Chicken Salad Chick. Dave’s Hot Chicken will be the first tenant on that building’s south side.
The chain has expanded rapidly, growing from about 20 locations a few years ago to roughly 380 this year. The Fort Myers restaurant is expected to employ 40 to 50 people.
“When Dave’s comes to any market, it’s really exciting,” Lieberman said. “It’s a really fun vote of confidence. These stores are really busy. It’s a real vibe. We try to make it a fun, lively atmosphere.
“We’re going to spend a lot of thoughtful time on the artwork for this store. We’re really focused on the guest experience for this unit in particular. The first one in any area is always the most important.”
Dave’s Hot Chicken, known for its signature tenders, sliders, and spice levels from mild to Reaper, will open its first Fort Myers location on Dani Drive.
Dave’s Hot Chicken
Operating partner Peter Ungerleider will oversee area locations.
“You sign for a certain number,” Lieberman said. “For us, that number is somewhat of a moving target. We’re going to build one and see what the reception’s like, and then we’ll do another one, closer to North Naples.
“We’ll see what real estate presents itself. I’d love to build three or four in Southwest Florida and 10 to 12 in Tampa Bay.”
Southwest Florida’s fast-casual chicken segment has grown quickly, with Huey Magoo’s opening earlier this year in Cape Coral, PDQ operating in south Fort Myers and Raising Cane’s planning an expansion there. Lieberman said Dave’s Hot Chicken stands out for product quality. “I feel very strongly we serve the best chicken tender in the market right now,” he said. “You don’t need sauce to flavor it. Most restaurants are serving different versions of the same thing.”
He said many concepts are emerging now because the region lacked variety for years. “The only real chicken concepts for a long time were Chick-Fil-A and KFC,” he said. “There really weren’t many options for a fast-casual segment for a long time.”
A “Coming Soon” sign hangs in the window of the future Dave’s Hot Chicken on Dani Drive in Fort Myers. The Tampa-based franchisee says the first store will guide plans for additional locations in Southwest Florida.
David Dorsey
Lieberman added that broader cultural and culinary trends are shifting. “Asian markets have been eating gobs of chicken for years,” he said. “If you look at Korea or China or Japan, it’s one of the safest products.” He also noted the nationwide embrace of spice: “American folks are more open to different flavors and bolder flavors than they ever have. What’s going to shock the customer is how crispy the chicken is on the outside and how juicy it is on the inside. You can be the judge.”
The franchisee moved quickly on the Fort Myers site. “Dani Drive is really the jumping off point for our success in Southwest Florida,” Lieberman said. “Fort Myers doesn’t always get the newest stuff right away. But with the growth of the region, the population is getting younger. There are so many people who want the new concept.
“It’s really central. It’s busy. It’s where a lot of folks from the whole region go for various forms of retail, because you have a little bit of everything there. You’ve got a Publix. You’ve got a mix of entertainment with Top Golf. It’s a good, central place for people to come up and get a little bit of everything that we want.”