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Exact date US fast food chain branded better than KFC to launch in UK for first time
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A POPULAR US fast food chain branded better than KFC is set to launch in the UK for the first time in just a few days' time.
The first British Dave's Hot Chicken will be opening in London next month.
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The launch comes as part of the company's plans to open 60 restaurants across the UK and Ireland over the next few years.
The restaurant on Shaftesbury Avenue, central London, will open at 12pm on December 7 and launch a delivery service in the new year.
It will offer the chain's signature menu of jumbo hot chicken sliders, tenders, and bites.
The brand, beloved by celebrities including Drake and Usher, is also known for its house-made kale slaw, creamy mac and cheese, and crispy, seasoned French fries.
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James Flanders, The Sun's chief consumer reporter, got an exclusive first taste of Dave's signature dish - Dave's Hot Chicken Sliders, featuring succulent chicken breast coated in a dry rub.
He described the flavours as "game-changing" and was "astounded by the size of the chicken".
He also declared the food was better than KFC.
Dave's Hot Chicken was founded in 2017 in the US by Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan and Tommy Rubenyan as a late-night pop-up in a parking lot.
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The three childhood friends scraped together $900 to launch the venture - which quickly gained popularity, leading to the opening of a brick-and-mortar restaurant in East Hollywood.
In 2019, the founders partnered with Wetzel's Pretzels co-founder Bill Phelps to begin franchising - with 200 branches currently running across the US.
See inside fast food chain's training centre with FAKE restaurant simulator
Now, Dave's Hot Chicken has partnered with Azzurri Group to spearhead its UK rollout - the company behind Zizzi, ASK Italian, Coco di Mama, and Boojum.
Bill Phelps, chief executive of Dave’s Hot Chicken, added: "The flavour of Dave's Hot Chicken resonates across borders, and we're looking forward to the first UK store getting open soon."
But Managing Director Jim Attwood revealed the company was unsure about introducing the spiciest of its seven spice levels, the Reaper, to sensitive British taste buds.
He said: "After conducting taste tests here in the UK, we found the Reaper to be so hot that it left participants crying from the sheer heat of the spice mix."
US FAST FOOD EXPANSION INTO THE UK
Dave's Hot Chicken is far from the only American chain looking to make the transition across the pond.
The burger joint Wendy's is already a hit in the US with over 6,000 restaurants.
Now the chain that "blows McDonald's out of the water" has plans to open 400 locations.
The chain returned to the UK high street in 2021 after a 20-year hiatus.
Wendy's is most famous for its square-shaped hamburgers, which are designed to maximise the amount of meat in every bite.
Fast food giant Chick-fil-A is set to bring its beloved chicken sandwiches to our high streets next year.
The Sun exclusively revealed the exact locations of their first five permanent UK restaurants.
Tex-Mex brand Velvet Taco will also make its UK debut next spring.
Popeyes entered the UK market in 2021 and has proved to be a hit with ravenous customers ever since.
In just 30 months, the brand opened over 38 restaurants across the UK.
It has plans to reach the 60-restaurant milestone by the end of 2024.
Shake Shack, which started out as a hotdog cart, recently opened its first restaurant inside a UK train station.
Brits commuting in St. Pancras International Station can now grab their favourite burgers before jumping onto their train.
The new spot marks the fast food giant's 16th location in the UK since it was launched in Covent Garden in 2013.
While most of Shake Shack's UK sites are based in London, bosses have expanded into other locations in recent years, including Essex, Oxford, and Cardiff.
Shake Shack's humble beginnings trace back to a New York hot dog cart helmed by Randy Garutti.
Wingstop currently operates 39 sites across the UK and will open 15 more in 2024.
Lemon Pepper Holdings, which runs the fast food chain's UK portfolio, said the move would create up to 750 jobs.
The US hospitality brand said it is its biggest year of expansion since launching Wingstop in the UK six years ago.
Dunkin' Donuts, which currently has 30 stores in the UK, hopes to open 30 new branches over the next couple of years as part of a major expansion plan.
Dunkin' Donuts landed in the UK in St John's in Liverpool in May 2016.
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The chain is huge in the US, with almost 9,500 stores spread across the country.
It sells a range of doughnuts, other sweet treats, and hot and cold drinks.
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