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Chicken · Nashville Hot

Dave's Hot Chicken Menu Prices 2026: Sliders, Tenders & Heat Levels

Full Dave's Hot Chicken menu prices for 2026 — the intentionally short menu of Nashville-hot chicken sliders and tenders at seven heat levels, from No Spice through The Reaper (which requires a signed waiver). Sliders start at $5.49, combos from $9.49, and the cult-favorite Mac & Cheese at $5.49. Below: the heat-level guide, full combo pricing, the cheapest options, what's new in 2026, and a comparison with Chick-fil-A, KFC and Popeyes.

7 heat levelsCombos from $9.49200+ locationsDrake investorFounded 2017, LA
Sample · $$

Signature items

2-Slider Combo$11.99
2-Tender Combo$12.99
Mac & Cheese$5.49
Cheese Fries$5.99
Dave's Lemonade$3.99
Jump to: Heat levels guide Combos & meals Cheapest items Most popular Mac & Cheese What's new in 2026 Full menu Price vs. Chick-fil-A / KFC / Popeyes FAQ
Quick answers

Common Dave's Hot Chicken menu questions

What first-time customers ask before walking in — answered in one glance.

Cheapest item
Single Slider $5.49

Pick your heat level. Choose No Spice through Reaper.

Most popular
2-Slider Combo $11.99

Two sliders + one side (mac, slaw, fries, or cheese fries) + drink. Order Mild or Medium for a first try.

Best value combo
3-Tender Combo $14.99

Three tenders + side + drink. More chicken per dollar than the 2-Slider Combo.

Best side
Mac & Cheese $5.49

Fan-favorite three-cheese mac. Often called the best item on the menu.

Heat levels guide

Dave's Hot Chicken heat levels: from No Spice to The Reaper

Every slider and tender at Dave's is ordered at a heat level. Staff will ask. There is no upcharge to go hotter — only the courage cost. Here is what each level actually feels like.

Heat LevelSpice DescriptionBest For
No SpiceNo heat seasoning. Just well-seasoned fried chicken.Kids, no-spice eaters, anyone testing texture only.
Lite MildBarely any heat. A whisper of cayenne.Spice-averse first-timers who still want a touch of warmth.
MildMellow tingle that builds slowly. About 3/10.Recommended starter — most first-time visitors.
MediumReal heat now. You'll feel it in the back of your throat. About 5/10.Confident spice eaters; people who order medium salsa.
HotSerious. Your nose runs, your forehead sweats. The most-ordered level for regulars. About 7/10.Returning customers; spice fans who want flavor with the burn.
Extra HotGenuinely difficult. The heat lingers for minutes. About 9/10.Hot-sauce hobbyists with high tolerance.
The ReaperGhost peppers + Carolina Reapers. Requires signing a waiver. Painful for most.Heat athletes only. You will be uncomfortable. You have been warned.

If you're unsure, order one slider at Mild and one at Medium. Most regulars settle on Hot after a few visits. Reaper is genuinely intense — staff will almost always ask if you're sure.

Combos & meals

Dave's Hot Chicken combo pricing (2026)

Every combo comes with one side (kale slaw, fries, mac & cheese, or cheese fries) and a drink. You pick the heat level for the chicken — no upcharge for higher heat.

1-Slider Combo$9.49

  • 1 slider (any heat level)
  • Kale slaw on the slider (included)
  • 1 side (choose from slaw / fries / mac / cheese fries)
  • 1 drink

The lightest combo. Good for smaller appetites.

2-Slider Combo$11.99

  • 2 sliders (any heat level — can mix levels)
  • 1 side
  • 1 drink

The most popular Dave's combo. Best first-time order.

1-Tender Combo$8.99

  • 1 tender (any heat level)
  • Slaw + sweet bread + house sauce on the side
  • 1 side
  • 1 drink

Cheapest combo on the menu.

2-Tender Combo$12.99

  • 2 tenders (any heat level)
  • Slaw + bread + sauce
  • 1 side
  • 1 drink

More chicken per dollar than sliders. Tender-first.

3-Tender Combo$14.99

  • 3 tenders
  • Slaw + bread + sauce
  • 1 side
  • 1 drink

Best value-per-ounce combo.

4-Tender Combo$16.99

  • 4 tenders
  • Slaw + bread + sauce
  • 1 side
  • 1 drink

Large appetite or two-person share.

Slider + Tender Combo$13.99

  • 1 slider
  • 2 tenders
  • Slaw + bread + sauce
  • 1 side
  • 1 drink

Mix of both formats — try the slider style and the tender style in one order.

Cheapest items

The cheapest items on the Dave's Hot Chicken menu

Ranked by current national-average price. Dave's is a fast-casual chain priced slightly above traditional fast food — there is no value menu — but the lower-tier items still keep a meal under $10.

  1. 1Bottled Water$2.49
  2. 2Side Kale SlawFree with every slider/tender as a topping; available as side.$2.99
  3. 3Fountain Drink$2.99
  4. 4Dave's LemonadeSignature drink.$3.99
  5. 5Side of Fries$4.49
  6. 6Single SliderCheapest chicken item.$5.49
  7. 7Mac & CheeseCult-favorite three-cheese mac.$5.49
  8. 8Cheese Fries$5.99
  9. 9Single Tender$5.99
  10. 101-Tender ComboCheapest full-meal combo (tender + side + drink).$8.99
The Mac & Cheese

Why the side dish is the most-talked-about item

Dave's Mac & Cheese — $5.49

Among Dave's regulars, the most-shared opinion is that the Mac & Cheese is the actual best item on the menu — even more than the chicken. It's a creamy three-cheese mac (cheddar + American + a third cheese in the sauce), served warm in a side cup, with a slight tang that cuts the chicken's heat. The portion is generous for a side.

If you're ordering a combo, pick mac & cheese as your side. If you're not, add one anyway — $5.49 for a half-size container that easily shares between two people.

The Cheese Fries ($5.99) are a closely related cousin — seasoned fries topped with mac & cheese drizzle. Same flavor, different texture.

  • Mac & Cheese ($5.49) — three-cheese, creamy, vegetarian
  • Cheese Fries ($5.99) — fries + mac drizzle
  • Kale Slaw (free in combo) — crisp, mildly dressed
  • Regular Fries ($4.49) — seasoned, vegan
  • Sweet white bread — comes with every chicken order; absorbs heat
What's new on the menu in 2026

Limited-time items, drink expansions & menu updates

Dave's keeps the core menu intentionally short and rarely rotates items — the brand identity is built on the seven heat levels, not on new SKUs. Here's what is current in 2026.

Stable

Core menu unchanged

Sliders, tenders, mac & cheese, fries, cheese fries, kale slaw, three lemonade flavors. Dave's intentionally avoids menu sprawl.

Drinks

Cucumber Lemonade

Cucumber-infused variant of the signature lemonade — added in select markets in recent expansions.

$3.99
Combo

Slider + Tender Combo

Cross-format combo available at most locations — one slider plus two tenders plus side plus drink.

$13.99
Heat

The Reaper holds at the top

Reaper level (ghost pepper + Carolina Reaper) remains the menu's hottest, still requiring a signed waiver. No higher level has been added.

No upcharge
Locations

Aggressive expansion

From ~70 stores in 2022 to 200+ in 2024 and growing in 2026. New stores opening in roughly every U.S. metro of size.

Rewards

Dave's Hot Chicken app

Loyalty program continues to roll out — earn points toward free sides and combos. Pre-order and skip the line.

Free
Browse the menu

Jump to a category

All five categories on Dave's deliberately short menu.

The full priced menu

Every item on Dave's Hot Chicken's menu (with 2026 prices)

All categories below. Every chicken item is ordered at one of seven heat levels (No Spice through The Reaper) at no upcharge — see the heat-levels guide above.

About these prices. Pricing shown is national-average as of May 2026, sourced from publicly documented Dave's Hot Chicken pricing. Pricing varies by market; California (where Dave's was founded), New York and Hawaii typically run 10–15% higher. The official Dave's app shows current store-specific pricing.
Calories + prices

Calories and price together for popular items

Combined view of approximate calories and current price for the most-ordered Dave's items. Calorie figures are estimates based on the standard build; toppings and condiments shift the number.

ItemCalories (approx.)Price
Single Slider (Mild)~440$5.49
Single Tender (Mild)~330$5.99
1-Slider Combo (w/ fries)~900$9.49
2-Slider Combo (w/ mac)~1,200$11.99
2-Tender Combo (w/ fries)~1,050$12.99
3-Tender Combo~1,300$14.99
Mac & Cheese (side)~530$5.49
Cheese Fries (side)~750$5.99
Side of Fries~430$4.49
Dave's Lemonade (Med.)~240$3.99

Calorie figures are approximate, based on documented public estimates and the standard slaw + bread + sauce build. The chicken itself runs ~300–340 cal per slider and ~200–240 cal per tender depending on size.

Price comparison

How Dave's compares to Chick-fil-A, KFC & Popeyes

Like-for-like price check against the three most-searched U.S. chicken chains, May 2026 national averages.

CategoryDave's Hot ChickenChick-fil-AKFCPopeyes
Signature chicken sandwich/slider$5.49$5.25$5.49$5.49
3-piece tender combo$14.99$10.65$8.49$8.99
Cheapest combo with drink$8.99$10.49$5.99$10.49
Mac & Cheese (side)$5.49$5.25$5.49$5.49
Signature drink (Lemonade)$3.99$5.25$3.99$3.99
Spicy heat level options7 levelsSpicySpicySpicy

Dave's sits at the top of the fast-casual hot-chicken category. The chain's differentiator isn't price — it's the seven-heat-level system and the intentionally limited menu. Chick-fil-A, KFC and Popeyes all compete on different axes (service, value, Louisiana flavor).

Signature spotlight

Three items that define Dave's Hot Chicken

The chain's identity comes down to a handful of items. Here's what makes each one distinctive.

$5.49 · 7 heat levels

The Slider

The flagship form: hand-battered fried chicken on sweet (slightly Hawaiian-style) white bread with kale slaw and Dave's signature sauce. Picked at any of seven heat levels. This is the item the brand was built around in the 2017 parking-lot pop-up.

$5.49 · Vegetarian

The Mac & Cheese

The cult favorite. A creamy three-cheese mac (cheddar + American + a third cheese) served warm in a half-pint cup. Among regulars it's frequently called the best item on the menu — yes, even more than the chicken.

No upcharge · Waiver req.

The Reaper

The highest heat level — ghost peppers + Carolina Reapers. Customers ordering Reaper must sign a waiver acknowledging the intensity. It is genuinely painful for most people. The brand keeps Reaper as the menu's marketing punctuation — it is the level no one quite expects to actually order.

Dietary & allergens

Vegetarian options and customizations (with prices)

Dave's is a chicken-first chain — the menu skews toward fried chicken. But there are real options for vegetarians and lighter eaters:

The Mac & Cheese, Cheese Fries and regular Fries are all vegetarian; the regular fries are also vegan. The kale slaw is vegetarian. None of the chicken items are vegetarian — Dave's does not currently offer a plant-based slider or tender.

Gluten note: the sweet white bread, breaded chicken and cheese fries all contain gluten. Cross-contact possible throughout the kitchen. Confirm with the restaurant if you have a serious allergy.

  • Vegetarian sides: Mac & Cheese ($5.49), Cheese Fries ($5.99), Kale Slaw ($2.99)
  • Vegan side: Regular Fries ($4.49) — confirm fryer at your store
  • No vegetarian chicken option currently
  • No-heat option: order any slider/tender at "No Spice"
  • Drinks free of dairy: All lemonades, fountain sodas, bottled water
About Dave's Hot Chicken

From a Hollywood parking lot to 200+ stores.

Dave's started in 2017 as a parking-lot pop-up in East Hollywood, Los Angeles. Four founders — Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan and Gary Rubenyan — pooled $900 to set up a tent on a side street, frying chicken to spec and selling sliders with kale slaw and house sauce. The pop-up went viral within months; lines stretched around the block. The first brick-and-mortar opened in 2018.

The brand has since expanded to over 200 U.S. locations and is on a fast-growth trajectory. Drake joined as an investor in 2021, alongside Boston Red Sox owner John Henry and actor Samuel L. Jackson. Recent valuations place the chain above $1 billion. The menu has stayed deliberately short — the brand identity is the seven heat levels, not menu sprawl.

2017Founded (parking lot)
200+U.S. locations
7Heat levels
$900Initial pop-up cost
Related on Menupedia

Compare with other chicken menus

If you're choosing between Dave's and a peer — or scouting other chicken chains — these are the closest comparisons on Menupedia.

Common questions

Dave's Hot Chicken menu — frequently asked questions

Quick answers to the questions people most often ask about Dave's menu, heat levels, pricing and origin.

What is Nashville hot chicken at Dave's Hot Chicken?

Nashville hot chicken is a Tennessee-born style — fried chicken brushed or coated in a cayenne-and-spice oil paste after frying, served traditionally on white bread with pickles. Dave's interprets it with kale slaw instead of just pickles and adds a house sauce on sweet (slightly Hawaiian-style) white bread. The chicken is hand-battered fresh and the heat level is selected per order — from No Spice to The Reaper.

What's the difference between Mild and Hot at Dave's Hot Chicken?

Mild is the recommended starter heat — flavorful with a mellow tingle that builds, suitable for most diners. Hot jumps multiple steps up: it's the level most returning customers settle on, hot enough to make your nose run and the back of your throat tingle. If Mild is a 3/10, Hot is around a 7/10 for someone who handles spice. Medium sits between them.

What is The Reaper at Dave's Hot Chicken?

The Reaper is Dave's highest heat level — chicken seasoned with a blend that includes ghost peppers and Carolina Reaper peppers, two of the hottest peppers in the world. Customers ordering Reaper-level chicken are required to sign a waiver acknowledging the intensity. Staff will almost always confirm the order twice. It is genuinely uncomfortable; most spice-tolerant fans top out at Extra Hot. Don't try Reaper as your first visit.

How much is a 2-Slider Combo at Dave's Hot Chicken?

The 2-Slider Combo is typically $11.99 nationally — two hand-battered sliders (at your chosen heat level) plus one side (kale slaw, fries, mac & cheese, or cheese fries) plus a drink. It's the most popular combo on the menu and the best per-dollar way to try Dave's. Pricing varies modestly by market (~$10.99–$12.99).

Is Dave's Hot Chicken cheaper than Chick-fil-A?

Per item, Dave's runs slightly higher: a single slider is $5.49 vs. Chick-fil-A's Original Chicken Sandwich at ~$5.25. Combos are closer — Dave's 2-Slider Combo at $11.99 vs. Chick-fil-A's Original Sandwich Meal at ~$10.49. The pricing reflects positioning differences: Dave's is fast-casual hot chicken with the heat-level system; Chick-fil-A is a polished fast-food chicken-sandwich operation.

Does Drake own Dave's Hot Chicken?

Drake is a significant investor in Dave's Hot Chicken — he joined the cap table in 2021 along with Boston Red Sox owner John Henry and actor Samuel L. Jackson. Drake doesn't own the chain outright; the founders (Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan and Gary Rubenyan) retain meaningful control alongside Drake and other backers. The brand was valued at over $1 billion as of recent funding rounds.

What's in Dave's Mac & Cheese?

Dave's Mac & Cheese is a creamy three-cheese mac — cheddar, American cheese and a third cheese in the sauce — served warm in a side cup. It's frequently called out by fans as the best item on the menu, even more so than the chicken. Pricing: $5.49 as a side, included as a side option in any combo at no extra charge. Vegetarian.

How many sliders should I order?

For most adults: a 2-Slider Combo ($11.99) is a complete meal with side and drink. Lighter eaters do well with a 1-Slider Combo ($9.49). If you want to share or you're hungry, the 3-Tender Combo ($14.99) gives more chicken. Dave's portions are generous — the kale slaw and sweet bread add real bulk to a slider. If it's your first time, start with 2 sliders at Mild or Medium and a side of mac & cheese.

Where did Dave's Hot Chicken start?

Dave's started in 2017 as a parking-lot pop-up in East Hollywood, Los Angeles. The four founders — Dave Kopushyan and his three friends — pooled $900 to launch the original tent setup. The pop-up went viral within months, drawing lines around the block. The first brick-and-mortar location opened in 2018 in East Hollywood. The chain has since expanded to 200+ locations and is on a fast-growth trajectory.

What's the cheapest item at Dave's Hot Chicken?

The cheapest items are the side of fries ($4.49), the kale slaw side ($2.99), a fountain drink ($2.99) and bottled water ($2.49). Among entrées, the single slider at $5.49 is the cheapest chicken option. The 1-Slider Combo at $9.49 is the cheapest full-meal option (entrée + side + drink). Dave's doesn't run a traditional value menu — the menu is intentionally short.

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