After ‘banner year’ in Meridian, exploding chain opens 2nd Treasure Valley restaurant
It won’t be 95-degree temperatures alone blistering Canyon County this Friday.
Tongue-blazing chain Dave’s Hot Chicken will open a new restaurant in Nampa. It will be the breakout brand’s second Idaho location, following its Gem State debut in Meridian a year and a half ago.
“We’re really excited,” said Idaho franchisee Doug Davis, who brought Buffalo Wild Wings to Idaho before parting ways with the brand in 2015.
Located at 16365 N. Marketplace Blvd, the new Dave’s Hot Chicken will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight every day, Davis said.
Founded in Los Angeles seven years ago, Dave’s has exploded in popularity. In mid-2023, it was named America’s fastest-growing restaurant chain by industry research firm Technomic. “The recognition was earned because Dave’s Hot Chicken’s systemwide sales increased 156% over the past year,” according to a media release, “outpacing every other chain nationwide.”
Business at Dave’s in Meridian has been exceptional, Davis previously told the Idaho Statesman. “We’ve had a banner year,” he said.
Unlike the Meridian location, Dave’s in Nampa — at the Treasure Valley Marketplace — doesn’t include a drive-thru. But it features a walk-up window, in addition to indoor seating. Like Meridian’s store, the interior is decorated with a street-art vibe.
Nashville-style hot chicken sliders are available in seven spice levels, and be warned: The upper echelon is flat-out molten. Extra Hot — right below Reaper — is a choice I would not make again. Even as a spicy food junkie, I’m ordering Medium next time for maximum flavor enjoyment. (If you want things mega-mellow, order no spice. Or Lite Mild.)
Dave’s recently added a new menu item: Bites. “Perfect for snacking, Dave’s Bites offer the same taste and quality as the rest of the Dave’s Hot Chicken lineup,” a media release says. “Available in three spice levels (no spice, Medium and Hot), they’re priced at $6.99 for a generous 10-piece serving of the Bites, or $9.99 with fries.”
Davis has a deal to open at least four Dave’s Hot Chicken locations in five years, he said.
The hope? That Boise proper will get a taste of Dave’s in the next year or two.
“I’m working real hard on it,” he said. “Believe me, I am.”
