Dave’s Hot Chicken Menu With Prices 2026: 15+ Must-Try Items & Best Deals

Dave’s Hot Chicken serves Nashville-style tenders and sliders in seven spice levels. These are the prices most people look for, in US.

Full menu tables, spice levels and money-saving tips are below.

About Dave’s Hot Chicken

Dave’s Hot Chicken started in 2017 as a parking-lot pop-up in East Hollywood. Four friends ran it with a portable fryer and a few picnic tables. The menu was tiny: tenders, sliders, fries and kale slaw.

Lines grew fast, and the first real restaurant opened in early 2018. Today the chain has hundreds of locations in the US, Canada and other countries. Celebrity investors like Samuel L. Jackson and Drake have backed it too.

The menu has grown since those early days. You can now order mozzarella planks, cauliflower options, loaded mac and cheese, milkshakes and big party boxes. The heart of it is still the same: crispy chicken with a heat level you choose.

Meals and Combos

Meals come with fries. Tenders are served with a slice of bread, pickles and Dave’s sauce. Sliders come with kale slaw, pickles and Dave’s sauce.

The two Big Trio meals are the priciest combos. DoorDash does not say what comes inside them, so ask at your store before you order.

For a first visit, Dave’s No. 3 is an easy pick. You get one tender and one slider, so you can compare both.

Dave’s Hot Mozz

Hot Mozz is the cheesy side of the menu. The planks come in 1, 3 and 5 piece sizes, with or without fries. You can also get a Hot Mozz slider or a pair of hot honey mozz pieces.

Dave’s NOT Chicken (Cauli)

Dave’s NOT Chicken swaps the chicken for cauliflower. The tenders come with bread, pickles and Dave’s sauce. The sliders come on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and Dave’s sauce.

Cauli prices are close to the chicken ones. Most are a little higher. If you follow a strict diet, ask the store how the cauliflower is cooked.

Dave’s Bites, Loaded Fries, Mac and Mini Sliders

Dave’s Bites are bite-size pieces of white meat chicken tender. They come with a slice of bread and Dave’s sauce. Top Loaded Fries pile cheese sauce, pickles and kale slaw on fries, then add Dave’s Bites and a drizzle of sauce.

The Spicy Buffalo Top Loaded Mac & Cheese is mac and cheese piled with fries, ranch, spicy buffalo sauce and Dave’s Bites. Mini sliders come on a potato bun with kale slaw, pickles and Dave’s sauce.

Feed a Crowd: Hot Boxes

Hot Boxes are made for parties, game days and office lunches. The tender and slider boxes hold 10 pieces each. DoorDash lists a mix of 4 mild, 5 medium and 1 Reaper for them.

DoorDash gives the same mix for the regular boxes and the Reaper Roulette boxes, yet the prices are different. Ask your store what sets them apart.

Sides

Single tenders and sliders sit under Sides on DoorDash, next to the classic extras. Kale slaw has been on the menu since the very beginning. Mac and cheese joined later.

Milkshakes

Many people like a cold shake after a spicy order. The Top Loaded shakes cost a little more than the plain ones.

Slushers, Drinks and Extras

Spice Levels Explained

Dave’s Hot Chicken has seven spice levels. Heat is personal, so use this as a loose guide.

• No Spice: all the crunch and flavor, with no heat.
• Lite Mild: a tiny hint of warmth.
• Mild: a gentle kick that most people can handle.
• Medium: the heat is clear, but still friendly.
• Hot: a strong burn that builds with each bite.
• Extra Hot: for people who already love spicy food.
• Reaper: the hottest level on the menu.

The Reaper comes with a waiver. The DoorDash page shows the waiver text, and it mentions possible harm. If you are unsure, start lower and work your way up on your next visit.

What Is Dave’s Sauce?

Dave’s sauce is a spiced mayo. Fans say it tastes close to chipotle mayo. The exact recipe is not public.

Every tender and slider comes with it, and you can add more as a side.

Popular Menu Hacks

Fans love to mix and match. These two hacks have been shared a lot online.

• The mac pile: put a tender of any spice level on a side of mac and cheese, then cover it with Dave’s sauce.
• The cheese fry stack: top cheese fries with a chopped tender and a pickle, then pour Dave’s sauce over everything.

Both hacks use items already on the menu, so there is nothing special to ask for.

Smart Ways to Save Money

These numbers use the prices in this guide.

• Pick a combo. Dave’s No. 1 costs $16.32. Two single tenders and fries would cost about $19.68.
• Dave’s No. 3 is a bargain too. It costs $17.03, while a tender, a slider and fries bought one by one come to about $20.04.
• Go big for a group. The 10-tender Hot Box works out to about $6.53 a tender, against $7.80 for a single one.
• Share the minis. The 20-piece Mini Slider Hot Box is about $1.60 a slider. The 4-piece pack is about $1.95 each.

Best Orders for Every Budget

Not sure what to pick? Here are some easy starting points, all based on the prices above.

• Small budget: a 1-piece Hot Mozz plank is $5.71. A single tender or four mini sliders is $7.80.
• Solid meal: Dave’s No. 4 is $12.06, Dave’s No. 1 is $16.32 and Dave’s No. 3 is $17.03. Dave’s No. 2 is $18.81 if you want two sliders.
• Treat yourself: a regular Spicy Buffalo Top Loaded Mac & Cheese is $13.87. Add a small Oreo Top Loaded Shake for $7.80.
• Group order: the 10-tender Hot Box is $65.32. The 40-piece Dave’s Bites Hot Box is $42.60 and feeds a crowd for less.

Easy Ordering Tips

Pick your heat level for each item. A tender and a slider in the same meal do not have to match, so you can test two levels at once.

Pair the heat with something cool. Kale slaw, mac and cheese, or a shake all help balance a spicy bite.

Check the final price in the app before you pay. Spice level, size and your location can all change the total.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many spice levels does Dave’s Hot Chicken have?

Seven, from No Spice up to Reaper.

What is the cheapest meal?

Dave’s No. 4 is the cheapest meal with fries at $12.06. For a small snack, a 1-piece Hot Mozz plank is $5.71.

Does Dave’s have a vegetarian option?

Dave’s NOT Chicken uses cauliflower instead of chicken. Ask your store about cooking methods if you follow a strict diet.

Is there a secret menu?

We could not find an official secret menu. Fans share hacks, and you can use the two above.

Why are prices different at my store?

Prices change by location and by ordering method. DoorDash says its prices are estimated from your area.

Where can I find calories?

Check the official Dave’s Hot Chicken website or app for nutrition details.

What should I order the first time?

Try Dave’s No. 3 at Medium. You get a tender and a slider, and the heat is easy to judge.Dave’s Hot Chicken keeps things simple: crispy chicken, a heat level you pick, and plenty of sides. The newer items, like Hot Mozz and the cauliflower range, give you more to explore.