The wait is over: Dave’s Hot Chicken is opening its Baton Rouge location

Popular fast-casual chain Dave’s Hot Chicken is opening its first Baton Rouge location on Friday. The Baton Rouge restaurant is also the chain’s first in Louisiana.

Dave’s got its start in a California parking lot in 2017 and has become something of a sensation in the time since, selling for an impressive $1 billion earlier this month. The brand is rapidly growing its footprint across the country and internationally. It currently has some 300 franchise locations, and its goal is to open 150 new locations a year going forward.

Dave’s Hot Chicken specializes in—you guessed it—Nashville-style hot chicken. In recent years, the Southern specialty has emerged as one of the nation’s hottest culinary trends. According to data from Technomic, a food service consulting and research firm, mentions of Nashville-style hot chicken on menus across the country saw a nearly 66% increase between 2018 and 2023.

The Dave’s menu is a simple one. The emphasis is on chicken tenders and sliders, with diners able to choose from seven different spice levels when ordering. Other offerings include fries, mac and cheese, shakes and slushies. Cauliflower is available as a chicken alternative.

The Baton Rouge restaurant is located at 640 Arlington Creek Centre Drive, near the intersection of Burbank and West Lee drives. While the official grand opening is slated for tomorrow, the brand on social media is teasing a “special surprise” for tonight.

“Get there by 9 p.m. and don’t forget to look up,” Dave’s writes, followed by two fireworks emojis.