Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles-based street food brand, has inked a franchise agreement with restaurant industry entrepreneurs and brothers John and Jeff Froccaro to open 14 restaurants in New York over the next five years. Seven will be in Queens and seven will open across Long Island’s Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
“John and Jeff bring incredible experience and industry expertise to the table, and we could not be more thrilled to work with them,” Bill Phelps, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken, said in a company press release. “Their ambition and knowledge, combined with the support and guidance from Dave’s Hot Chicken is the perfect recipe for success. We are excited to see the growth of the brand in the Queens and Long Island markets, made possible by the Froccaros.”
The brothers are second-generation restaurant owners who, along with business partner Harry Braunstein, have been in the industry for over 40 years and own 41 Qdoba Mexican Eats and Burger King locations.
“When we began our search for a brand to add to our portfolio, we knew that we wanted to be involved with a brand that offered the highest-end product, incredible corporate leadership and unmatched consumer excitement,” John Froccaro said in the release. “From the early stages of exploring the opportunity with Dave’s Hot Chicken we knew it was exactly what we were looking for. Our team is thrilled to work with Dave’s Hot Chicken and deliver an exceptional restaurant option to our area.”
The Dave’s Hot Chicken model works well in a variety of floor plans, Phelps said, and the team is seeking 2,000- to 2,700-square-foot endcaps and freestanding locations with or without drive-thru capacity.
Founded by Arman Oganesyan, chef Dave Kopushyan and brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan in early 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken has over 60 locations open in the United States and Canada.