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US fast food chain reveals menu ahead of first UK restaurant opening in DAYS – including super-hot Reaper flavour
Bosses previously thought the Reaper would be too hot for Brits to handle
A POPULAR US fast food chain has revealed its menu ahead of opening its first UK restaurant in a few days' time.
This will eventually also include a super-hot flavour, called the Reaper, that bosses were previously unsure if Brits could handle.
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Dave's Hot Chicken will be opening its first-ever British restaurant on Shaftesbury Avenue, London on December 7.
It will be serve up dishes including the chain's signature chicken tenders, seasoned French fries and jumbo sliders - which will also be available for home delivery from January next year.
To accompany the mains, there'll be a range of sides and condiments on offer - including kale slaw, pickles, Dave's speciality sauce and mac and cheese.
And, you can order your chicken in any of six different spice levels - from no spice all the way through to extra hot.
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The Reaper, an even spicier rub available in US branches, will also come to the UK soon, The Sun reported last month.
This is after Managing Director Jim Attwood raised concerns it might be too hot for 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."
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.
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He described the flavours as "game-changing" and was "astounded by the size of the chicken".
He even declared the food better than KFC.
See inside fast food chain's training centre with FAKE restaurant simulator
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.
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.
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.
How to save money eating out
THERE are a number of ways that you can save money when eating out. Here's how:
Discount codes - Check sites like Sun Vouchers or for any discount codes you can use to get money off your order.
Tastecard - This is a members club where you pay to have access to discounts worth up to 50 per cent off at thousands of restaurants. It costs £4.99 a month or £34.99 for the year.
Loyalty schemes - Some restaurants will reward you with discounts or a free meal if you register with their loyalty scheme, such as Nando's where you can collect a stamp with every visit. Some chains like Pizza Express will send you discounts for special occasions, such as your birthday, if you sign up to their newsletter.
Voucher schemes - Look out for voucher schemes offered by third party firms, such as Meerkat Meals. If you compare and buy a product through CompareTheMarket.com then you'll be rewarded with access to the discount scheme. You'll get 2 for 1 meals at certain restaurants through Sunday to Thursday.
Student discounts - If you're in full-time education or a member of the National Students Union then you may be able to get a discount of up to 15 per cent off the bill. It's always worth asking before you place your order.
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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