
Dave's Hot Chicken is an American fast-casual restaurant chain that has recently expanded to over 100 locations in four countries. The chain has recently added meatless options to its menu, including cauliflower sliders and bites, and has temporarily changed its name to Dave's NOT Chicken to promote these new offerings. The new meatless options are said to have the same flavor, crunch, and spice as the chain's popular hot chicken dishes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for name change | Introduction of meatless options, specifically cauliflower-based dishes |
| New name | Dave's NOT Chicken |
| Locations with new signage | Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Tampa, Washington DC |
| Other promotional strategies | Engaging 3D billboard, Instagrammable backgrounds |
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What You'll Learn

Dave's Hot Chicken added vegetarian options to their menu
Dave's Hot Chicken, the fast-growing American fast-casual restaurant chain, has expanded its menu offerings to include vegetarian options. The new meatless additions feature cauliflower as the primary ingredient, providing a tasty alternative to their famous hot chicken.
Known for its spicy Nashville-style chicken tenders and sliders, Dave's Hot Chicken has answered the calls of its customers for vegetarian options. The restaurant's CEO, Bill Phelps, acknowledged that "for years, our fans have been asking us to make a meatless option that has all the flavor, crunch and spice of our Hot Chicken."
The new vegetarian menu items include Cauliflower Sliders and Bites, which are hand-seasoned and fried, replicating the experience of their chicken counterparts. The introduction of these options showcases Dave's Hot Chicken's commitment to innovation while staying true to its brand and roots.
The addition of vegetarian options is a significant step for Dave's Hot Chicken, which has traditionally focused on its namesake hot chicken. The restaurant chain has been deliberate in its product innovation, ensuring that any new menu items align with its brand and do not veer too far from its core offerings.
To promote the new vegetarian options, Dave's Hot Chicken temporarily changed its name to "Dave's NOT Chicken" at select locations. This playful rebranding, accompanied by eye-catching exterior signage and Instagrammable backgrounds, generated buzz and highlighted the meatless alternatives. The campaign exemplified the brand's creativity in marketing and its dedication to meeting customer demands.
Dave's Hot Chicken's expansion into vegetarian options demonstrates its adaptability and willingness to evolve. By introducing plant-based alternatives, the restaurant chain not only caters to a wider range of dietary preferences but also reinforces its commitment to delivering flavourful and satisfying experiences to all its customers.
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The chain changed its name to Dave's NOT Chicken
Dave's Hot Chicken is a fast-growing American fast-casual restaurant chain that was founded in 2017. The chain has been careful about adding new items to its menu, which initially consisted of only a few choices of hot chicken tenders and sliders. However, in January 2024, Dave's Hot Chicken introduced its first new core menu item: Cauliflower Sliders and Bites. To celebrate this meatless option, the chain temporarily changed its name to "Dave's NOT Chicken" and altered its exterior signage and advertising billboards accordingly. The new name is meant to emphasize that the chain, known for its hot chicken, is now offering a meatless alternative.
The addition of cauliflower items to the menu is a response to years of requests from fans for a meatless option that still offers the same flavor, crunch, and spice as the chain's famous hot chicken. Dave's Hot Chicken spent weeks in the test kitchen experimenting with various products to create a meat alternative that would appeal to both new customers and their most dedicated hot chicken enthusiasts. The introduction of Cauliflower Sliders and Bites also makes Dave's the first national fast-casual restaurant to have a cauliflower sandwich.
The chain's decision to change its name to "Dave's NOT Chicken" is part of a publicity stunt to promote its new vegetarian options. The name change is accompanied by Instagrammable backgrounds and billboards featuring Dave, the company's mascot, and the new Not Chicken menu items. The chain has also added eye-catching 3D billboards in locations such as Los Angeles, previously utilized by brands such as Nike and Red Bull.
The name change to "Dave's NOT Chicken" is a playful way to draw attention to the new meatless options while still emphasizing the chain's focus on chicken dishes. This temporary rebranding is a creative strategy to generate buzz and excitement around the new cauliflower menu items, leveraging the power of social media and visual advertising to reach a wider audience.
With the addition of Cauliflower Sliders and Bites, Dave's Hot Chicken demonstrates its willingness to innovate and adapt to customer demands while staying true to its roots as a provider of Nashville-style hot chicken. The chain's careful approach to menu expansion, combined with its focus on flavor and quality, has contributed to its success and rapid growth.
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The new name is a publicity stunt
Dave's Hot Chicken is an American fast-casual restaurant chain that was founded in 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The chain has since expanded to several countries, including Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. The restaurant is known for its Nashville-style hot chicken tenders and sliders, with a focus on spice levels ranging from "no spice" to "reaper".
In January 2024, Dave's Hot Chicken introduced a new meatless option to its menu: cauliflower sliders and bites. To promote this new offering, the restaurant chain temporarily changed its name to "Dave's NOT Chicken" at select locations. The new name is likely a publicity stunt aimed at generating buzz and attracting attention to the new meatless menu items.
The temporary name change is accompanied by exterior signage changes and the creation of Instagrammable backgrounds at these locations, further suggesting a publicity stunt intended to encourage social media engagement and sharing. This strategy leverages the power of social media and visual content to create a viral marketing effect, with customers sharing photos and generating organic reach for the brand.
Additionally, the new name, "Dave's NOT Chicken," is a playful twist on the original name, creating a sense of intrigue and curiosity. This clever wordplay not only captures the attention of existing customers but also has the potential to attract new customers who are curious about the story behind the name change.
While some may view this as a creative marketing strategy, others may perceive it as a gimmick or a temporary ploy to generate short-term interest. However, the ultimate success of this publicity stunt will depend on the quality of the new meatless menu items and whether they live up to the expectations set by the playful name change.
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The restaurant's exterior signage was changed
Dave's Hot Chicken, a fast-growing American restaurant chain, has temporarily changed its name to "Dave's NOT Chicken" to celebrate the addition of new meatless options to its menu. The restaurant has introduced new cauliflower items, including cauliflower sliders and bites, that offer the same flavour, crunch, and spice as its famous hot chicken.
The restaurant's exterior signage has been changed to reflect this new temporary name. The new signage, which reads "Dave's NOT Chicken," has been put up at various locations, including Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Tampa, and Washington, DC. These locations will also feature Instagrammable backgrounds for fans of the new cauliflower menu items.
The change in signage is part of a publicity stunt to promote the new meatless options and generate buzz around the brand. The stunt has caught the attention of customers and the media, with some speculating that it is a clever marketing strategy to attract attention and others praising the taste of the new cauliflower offerings.
The temporary name change and new exterior signage demonstrate Dave's Hot Chicken's commitment to innovation and willingness to experiment. By embracing new menu options and creating a fun and engaging marketing campaign, the restaurant chain is generating excitement and attracting new customers while still staying true to its brand.
The exterior signage change is a bold move that showcases Dave's Hot Chicken's confidence in its new meatless offerings. By temporarily altering its name and signage, the restaurant is inviting customers to try the new cauliflower options and experience the same delicious flavours that have made its hot chicken so popular.
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The new menu item is a meat alternative
Dave's Hot Chicken has temporarily changed its name to Dave's NOT Chicken to celebrate the launch of its new meatless menu item. The new menu item is a meat alternative that has all the flavor, crunch, and spice of their Hot Chicken.
The fast-growing restaurant chain, known for its hot chicken sliders and tenders, has added new meat-free options to its menu. The new item is called Cauliflower Sliders and Bites, and it is the first new core menu item since the original parking lot pop-up. Dave's NOT Chicken will be hand-seasoning and frying up the new cauliflower sandwich, which is also the first national fast-casual restaurant to do so.
The new menu item was created after spending weeks in the test kitchen, just like the founders did back in the parking lot pop-up days. The company wanted to create a meat alternative that is so tasty that even their most dedicated Hot Chicken fans will want to try it. The new Cauliflower Sliders and Bites will be available at select locations, including Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Tampa, and Washington, DC.
Dave's Hot Chicken was started in 2017 and has now sold the rights to more than 700 franchise locations in the US, the Middle East, and Canada. The restaurant chain is careful when considering new additions to the lineup, as they want to keep the menu tightly focused on its namesake hot chicken. The original location was a small street food stand in a parking lot in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, with a limited menu featuring only a hot chicken combo plate.
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Frequently asked questions
Dave's Hot Chicken changed its name to Dave's "NOT" Chicken to celebrate the addition of meatless options to its menu. The new options include cauliflower sliders and bites.
The restaurant's CEO, Bill Phelps, said that "for years, our fans have been asking us to make a meatless option that has all the flavor, crunch and spice of our Hot Chicken".
No, various Dave's Hot Chicken restaurants changed their exterior signage to read "Dave's NOT Chicken" and added Instagrammable backgrounds to promote the new meatless options.










































