Late-night hot chicken brand expands to Tampa

For those in and around USF in Tampa looking for a midnight snack, a new late-night hot chicken restaurant is opening Friday. 

Dave’s Hot Chicken, a pop-up restaurant turned chain in California, is expanding in Florida with a Tampa location opening Friday, June 16. The late night concept’s hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. 

The location is near the University of South Florida at 2540 E. Fowler Ave.

According to its website, the concept started in May 2017 with $900 to purchase a fryer. Operating as a pop-up in an East Hollywood parking lot, the four friends who started it got noticed by rapper Drake, who eventually invested in the brand. 

Dave’s Hot Chicken's menu features hot chicken tenders and sliders alongside kale slaw, macaroni and cheese and french fries. 

Now a franchise, the brand requires an initial investment of $615,800 to $1,825,000 per restaurant and franchisees are required to develop five or more restaurants, a hint that more locations may be in store for the Tampa Bay area.