Dave's Hot Chicken New Locations in 2026: Where It's Opening Next

Dave's Hot Chicken is opening restaurants faster than almost anyone in fast food right now — and three brand-new stores go live this week. If you've been waiting for the chain to reach your city, 2026 is the year it probably happens. Here's every new location we can confirm, the cities coming next, and one insider tip for scoring free chicken when a store first opens.

Newest openings: three stores this Friday (Aug 14, 2026)

Three new Dave's Hot Chicken locations hold their grand openings on Friday, August 14, 2026 — one in Utah, one in Illinois, and a first-ever store in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Each ran a secret soft opening the day before (more on that trick below). Here are the exact addresses:

If one of these is your new local, it's the same menu you already know — tenders and sliders on the seven-level spice scale, crinkle fries, kale slaw, mac and cheese, and shakes. New to Dave's? Start with the full menu and prices so you know what to order before you're staring at the board with a line behind you.

Cities coming next in 2026

Beyond this week's three, Dave's has publicly named a long list of markets opening later in 2026. This isn't the complete list — with roughly 150 stores planned, new announcements land almost every week — but these are the confirmed ones worth watching:

Because openings move so quickly, the safest way to confirm a date for your city is the official store locator plus the brand's city-specific Instagram accounts, which post each grand opening — and the all-important soft opening — a few days ahead.

How many new locations in 2026?

Company leadership has said Dave's aims to open about 150 new restaurants in 2026. That builds on an already-huge footprint: the chain now runs more than 390 locations across 44 US states, plus 25-plus international outlets. It has sold franchise rights for over 1,000 future restaurants worldwide — so this pace isn't slowing down soon. For context on how a brand gets this big this fast, see who's actually behind it in our who owns Dave's Hot Chicken guide.

International expansion: Canada, the UK & beyond

This week's Abbotsford opening is part of a serious international push. Dave's already operates in Canada, the UK, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, and 2026 adds more — the UK alone has a pipeline of dozens of restaurants, with Leicester, Sheffield, and Bristol named among the next wave after existing London, Manchester, and Birmingham stores. The menu travels well: the same tenders, sliders, and spice scale, with prices adjusted to the local market.

How to find a new location near you

Three quick ways to check whether Dave's is coming to you:

• Our locations directory — browse open stores by state on the Dave's Hot Chicken locations page.
• The official store locator on daveshotchicken.com for the live, company-maintained map.
• Local Instagram accounts — each new store runs its own handle and announces the grand opening (and soft opening) days in advance.

Once you find your store, double-check the day-one hours — grand-opening days sometimes run special times and can sell out early.

The insider tip: hit the soft opening for free food

Here's the move most people miss. Before a grand opening, nearly every new Dave's runs a soft opening — usually a day or two earlier — where the food is free or heavily discounted while the new crew practices. All three stores opening this Friday held their soft openings on Thursday, August 13. They're announced with almost no notice and run only while supplies last, so the trick is simple: follow your local store's Instagram the week it opens and watch for the "secret soft opening" post.

Either way, download the Dave's app before you go — you'll earn rewards points on the visit, and new-store promos and deals often drop in the app first.

Why Dave's is expanding this fast

The short version: a tiny menu, a cult following, and one of the most in-demand franchise models in the country. A focused lineup keeps kitchens fast and consistent, and franchisees have lined up to buy territory — which is exactly why the store count is exploding. If you've ever wondered what it costs to own one, we break the numbers down in the Dave's Hot Chicken franchise cost guide.

Going to a grand opening? A few honest tips

Grand openings are genuinely fun — but they're busy. From experience: go at an off-peak hour (mid-afternoon beats the noon and dinner rushes), order ahead in the app if the store supports it, and start one spice level below what you think you can handle — a brand-new kitchen's "Medium" can hit differently on day one. If you're chasing the free soft-opening food, get there early; the line forms fast once word gets out.

Bottom line: with ~150 openings on the calendar, Dave's is probably heading somewhere near you in 2026. Bookmark our locations page, keep an eye on your local store's socials for that soft-opening tip, and have your order picked out before you get to the counter.