Dave's Hot Chicken to open Deer Park eatery in October as franchisee plans other sites

A new fast-casual chicken restaurant chain is hoping to turn up the heat in Deer Park.

Dave’s Hot Chicken plans to open its first Suffolk County location at 1822 Deer Park Ave. sometime in October, according to the Port Washington-based franchise behind the chain.

“The buildout is very far along, with the exception of some exterior stuff,” said franchisee Jeff Froccaro. “This will be the first one in Suffolk County, and we’re confident about bringing the concept throughout the county.”

The chicken shop shares the same address as a Qdoba Mexican Eats restaurant — also operated by Froccaro’s franchise business — that opened in January, he said.

An exact date for the opening has not been set, but Froccaro said the roughly 2,500-square-foot restaurant is now waiting for the installation of gas lines before it begins hiring and training for the restaurant.

The restaurant is expected to hire around 60 workers, Froccaro said.

"The brand has been well received on Long Island and we’re excited to continue that with the opportunity in Deer Park," said Dannon Shiff, senior vice president of real estate for Pasadena, California-based Dave's Hot Chicken, in a statement. "Burger Bros has a long history of great restaurant operations and we’re excited to continue to grow with them."

Froccaro, who is vice president of Burger Bros Restaurant Group, a locally based franchise business run by his family, said plans are in the works to build out four other Dave’s Hot locations on Long Island.

The Froccaros are working on opening restaurants in Lake Grove, Bethpage, Valley Stream and Riverhead. Froccaro said the Riverhead store should be open before the end of the year.

Industry experts said Dave’s Hot Chicken has been on a hot streak in terms of national growth.

“Dave’s Hot Chicken is one of the fastest expansion stories in the history of the fast-casual restaurant segment,” Donna Hood Crecca, senior principal at Chicago-based restaurant industry research firm Technomic, said in an email. The chain grew from one location in 2017 to nearly 400 by the end of last year, she said.

“The chain is forecasted to break 500 locations nationally and exceed $1 billion in sales this year,” she said.

Crecca said chicken restaurants represent a “very competitive segment,” but Dave’s Hot has been able to outpace the growth rate of leading rivals like Wingstop and Raising Cane’s.

“The New York metro area is a growth market for Dave’s Hot Chicken,” said Crecca, who noted the business has 12 locations in New York, most of them franchised.