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The full Dave’s Hot Chicken menu with current prices and calories. The four numbered combos, all seven spice levels including Reaper, tenders, sliders, cauliflower options, sides, top loaded shakes, Hot Boxes and drinks. Checked on 10 September 2026.
Dave’s runs one of the smallest menus in American fast food and that is the whole point. Tenders, sliders, fries, kale slaw, mac and cheese, shakes. Nothing else. The chain started as a parking lot pop up in East Hollywood in 2017 with about nine hundred dollars behind it, and it has kept the menu almost exactly as short as it was then while growing past three hundred locations.
Prices below are in store figures checked across several states in September 2026. Dave’s is franchised and prices vary noticeably by market, with California and the Northeast running above the national middle. Delivery apps add roughly 30 percent, which matters more here than at most chains because the base prices are already high for fast food.
The whole menu comes down to four numbered combos and people order by number. Every one of them includes fries, kale slaw, a slice of white bread, pickles and Dave’s Sauce, so what changes between them is only how much chicken you get and in what form.
| No. | What you get | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dave’s #1 | 2 Tenders with fries, slaw, bread and sauce | $14.49 | 1700 |
| Dave’s #2 | 2 Sliders with fries, slaw, bread and sauce | $16.99 | 1980 |
| Dave’s #3 | 1 Tender and 1 Slider with fries, slaw, bread and sauce | $15.49 | 1840 |
| Dave’s #4 | 1 Slider with fries, slaw, bread and sauce | $10.99 | 1290 |
Seven levels, and picking one costs nothing extra. The heat is applied as a dry rub and a spiced oil after frying, so the level changes the surface of the chicken rather than the chicken itself. That is why the calorie count barely moves between No Spice and Reaper.
| Level | Heat | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| No Spice | None | Plain fried chicken with salt and pepper, nothing else |
| Lite Mild | Very low | Warmth and seasoning rather than heat, the safe first order |
| Mild | Low | Smoky and slightly sweet, closer to a barbecue rub than chilli |
| Medium | Moderate | A real kick that most people can finish comfortably |
| Hot | High | Serious burn, you will want a drink, the highest most regulars go |
| Extra Hot | Very high | Sustained heat that builds through the meal |
| Reaper | Extreme | Made with Carolina Reaper, requires signing a waiver before ordering |
The Reaper waiver is a real thing rather than a marketing gimmick. Carolina Reaper peppers run into the millions on the Scoville scale, hundreds of times hotter than a jalapeno, and the restaurant will ask you to sign before it goes in the fryer. Some locations will not serve it to under 18s at all.
One piece of practical advice that regulars give and the menu does not. Go one level below what you think you can handle on your first visit. The heat at Dave’s builds rather than hitting immediately, so what feels manageable on the first bite is a different experience four bites in. Medium here is hotter than Medium at most places.
Tenders are the core product and everything else on the menu is a variation of them. They are brined, hand breaded and fried to order, which is why the wait is longer than at a standard drive thru.
| Tenders | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Single Tender | $4.99 | 550 |
| 10 pc. Dave’s Bites | $7.99 | 780 |
| 10 pc. Dave’s Bites with Fries | $10.49 | 1220 |
| Dave’s #1, 2 Tenders with sides | $14.49 | 1700 |
A slider is a tender on a brioche bun with kale slaw, pickles and Dave’s Sauce. Sliders cost more than tenders because of the bun and the build, and they carry more calories for the same amount of chicken.
| Slider | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Single Slider | $6.99 | 650 |
| Dave’s Mini Sliders | $7.49 | 620 |
| Dave’s Mini Sliders with Fries | $10.49 | 1060 |
| Dave’s #4, 1 Slider with sides | $10.99 | 1290 |
| Dave’s #2, 2 Sliders with sides | $16.99 | 1980 |
The cauliflower line is the vegetarian route and it is a real menu item rather than a token gesture. Cauliflower florets are breaded and fried in the same style and take the same seven spice levels.
| Cauliflower Item | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Single Cauli Tender | $7.99 | 490 to 550 |
| 10 pc. Cauli Bites | $7.99 | 1040 |
| Single Cauli Slider | $8.99 | 620 to 680 |
| 10 pc. Cauli Bites with Fries | $10.49 | 1480 |
| 1 Cauli Slider with Fries | $12.49 | 1150 |
| 2 Cauli Tenders with Fries | $16.99 | 950 |
| 1 Cauli Tender and 1 Cauli Slider with Fries | $17.99 | 1150 |
| 2 Cauli Sliders with Fries | $18.99 | 1350 |
One caveat worth knowing before you order it as a vegetarian. The cauliflower is fried in the same oil as the chicken at most locations, so it is vegetarian by ingredient rather than by preparation. If that matters to you, ask at the counter, because a small number of restaurants run a separate fryer.
Loaded fries are fries under cheese sauce, chopped chicken and Dave’s Sauce. They are sold in three sizes and the large is genuinely a sharing item rather than a single portion.
| Loaded Fries | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Small Top Loaded Fries | $6.99 | 740 |
| Small Cauliflower Top Loaded Fries | $6.99 | 700 |
| Regular Top Loaded Fries | $10.99 | 1180 |
| Regular Cauliflower Top Loaded Fries | $10.99 | 1120 |
| Large Top Loaded Fries | $15.99 | 1760 |
| Large Cauliflower Top Loaded Fries | $15.99 | 1680 |
Kale slaw is the item that surprises people. It is a vinegar based slaw rather than a creamy one, it cuts through the heat better than anything else on the menu, and it is included in every numbered combo.
| Side or Sauce | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Side of Dave’s Sauce | $0.25 | 180 |
| Side of Cheese Sauce | $0.50 | 90 |
| Fries | $3.99 | 440 |
| Kale Slaw | $3.99 | 270 |
| Mac and Cheese | $4.29 | 290 |
| Cheese Fries | $5.49 | 460 |
| Large Dave’s Sauce | $2.99 | 1530 |
The shakes are the other half of the Dave’s identity and the top loaded ones arrive with cereal, cookies or candy piled on the lid. They are heavy enough to count as a meal on their own.
| Shake | Small | Regular | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry price | $4.99 | $5.79 | $8.49 |
| Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry calories | 590 to 610 | 740 to 760 | 1170 to 1210 |
| Top Loaded Shake | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Oreo Top Loaded Shake | $7.99 | 760 |
| M and M Top Loaded Shake | $7.99 | 760 |
| Lucky Charms Top Loaded Shake | $7.99 | 950 |
| Large M and M Top Loaded Shake | $10.49 | 950 |
| Large Oreo Top Loaded Shake | $10.49 | 980 |
| Large Lucky Charms Top Loaded Shake | $10.49 | 1200 |
Dave’s pours Coca-Cola products and the frozen slushers are the drink most people reach for at the higher spice levels, since something cold and sweet does more for the burn than water does.
| Drink | Price | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Small Soft Drink | $2.29 | 0 to 290 |
| Regular Soft Drink | $2.69 | 0 to 330 |
| Large Soft Drink | $2.99 | 0 to 380 |
| Bottled Water | $2.99 | 0 |
| 20 oz Bottled Soda | $2.99 | 0 to 230 |
| Frozen Slushers | $3.69 | 400 |
Slusher flavors include Hi-C Flashin’ Fruit Punch, Hi-C Orange LavaBurst, Minute Maid Strawberry Lemonade, Powerade Mountain Berry Blast, plus Rocket Creme, Orange Creme and Strawberries and Creme.
Hot Boxes are the catering format and they are ordered ahead rather than off the counter. Each one comes with the sides and sauces built in and you pick a single spice level for the whole box unless you order the Roulette.
| Hot Box | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Box of Fries | $12.00 | Fries only, sized for a group |
| Cauli Bites Hot Box | $30.00 | Cauliflower bites for a small group |
| Hot Box of Minis | $40.00 | Mini sliders with sides |
| Hot Box Tenders | $50.00 | Tenders with fries, slaw and sauces |
| Hot Box Roulette | $55.00 | Mixed spice levels, nobody knows which is which |
| Hot Box Sliders | $70.00 | Sliders with fries, slaw and sauces |
| Cauli Slider Box | $95.00 | The largest cauliflower box |
Hours are set by the franchise and Dave’s runs later than most fast casual because a lot of its trade is evening and late night.
| Day | Opens | Closes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday to Thursday | 11:00am | 10:00pm to 11:00pm | No breakfast, opens at lunch |
| Friday | 11:00am | Midnight or later | Busiest evening |
| Saturday | 11:00am | Midnight or later | Long waits after 8pm |
Some urban locations run to 1am or 2am on weekends. There is no breakfast menu at any Dave’s, and because everything is fried to order the wait at peak times regularly runs 15 to 25 minutes even when the queue looks short.
Skip the numbered combo unless you actually want that much food. A single tender at $4.99 plus fries at $3.99 is $8.98 against $14.49 for the #1, and you are giving up one tender, the slaw and the bread. For most people that is a better meal at a much better price.
Order Dave’s Bites instead of tenders if you want more pieces. Ten bites at $7.99 gives you more chicken by weight than two tenders and it costs less. Take the free water rather than a soda if you are ordering at Hot or above, and take the kale slaw seriously, because vinegar cuts the burn better than a sweet drink does. And if you are feeding four or more, the Hot Box Tenders at $50 undercuts four separate #1 combos by a wide margin.
This is a heavy menu and it does not pretend otherwise. The chicken is brined, breaded and fried, the sauce is mayonnaise based, and every combo bundles fries, bread and a sauce cup by default. A Dave’s #1 at around 1,700 calories is more than most people expect from what looks like two pieces of chicken.
The lighter routes exist but you have to build them yourself. A single tender at 550, a kale slaw at 270 and water lands at 820 calories for a full meal, and dropping the Dave’s Sauce saves another 180. Kale slaw at 270 and mac and cheese at 290 are the two lightest sides, and fries at 440 are heavier than either. On sodium, the brine and the spice rub push most items well past 1,000mg, and there is no low sodium route through this menu. Choosing No Spice does not reduce sodium meaningfully, because the salt is in the brine rather than the rub.
Seven, from mildest to hottest: No Spice, Lite Mild, Mild, Medium, Hot, Extra Hot and Reaper. Choosing any level costs nothing extra and none of them meaningfully change the calorie count, because the heat is a dry rub and spiced oil applied after frying.
Yes. Reaper is made with Carolina Reaper peppers and restaurants ask you to sign a waiver before ordering it. Carolina Reapers run into the millions on the Scoville scale, hundreds of times hotter than a jalapeno. Some locations will not serve it to under 18s.
About $14.49 for two tenders with fries, kale slaw, a slice of bread, pickles and Dave’s Sauce. Dave’s #2 with two sliders is $16.99, #3 with one of each is $15.49 and #4 with a single slider is $10.99. Prices vary by franchise and run higher in California and the Northeast.
A Dave’s #1 comes to around 1,700 calories once the fries, slaw, bread and sauce are counted, and the #2 goes past 1,900. A single tender on its own is 550. Ordering a tender and a side of fries instead lands near 990 for a full meal.
Go one level below what you think you can handle. The heat at Dave’s builds through the meal rather than hitting on the first bite, so Medium here is hotter than Medium at most places. Mild is a smoky, barbecue style rub with very little burn, and Medium is where the real heat starts.
Yes. The cauliflower tenders and sliders take all seven spice levels and are a proper part of the menu. One caveat: at most locations the cauliflower is fried in the same oil as the chicken, so it is vegetarian by ingredient rather than by preparation. Ask at the counter if that matters.
The house sauce that comes with every combo, a mayonnaise based dip rather than a thin sauce. A single cup is 180 calories and the large tub is 1,530, so it adds up faster than most people expect. Extra cups are $0.25.
No. There is no breakfast menu at any location and restaurants open at 11:00am. The full menu runs from opening until close, which is usually 10pm or 11pm on weeknights and midnight or later at weekends.
A single tender at $4.99, then fries and kale slaw at $3.99 each. A tender with fries comes to $8.98 for a full meal, which is six dollars less than the equivalent numbered combo and the same chicken.
Everything is breaded and fried to order rather than held under a lamp, so 15 to 25 minutes at peak times is normal even when the queue looks short. Ordering ahead through the app is the only real way around it.
Price disclaimer. USA Food Menu is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with Dave’s Hot Chicken. Prices and calorie counts on this page were checked on 10 September 2026 across several states and reflect in store ordering, not delivery app pricing. Dave’s is franchised and prices vary by market, running above the national middle in California and the Northeast. The Reaper waiver policy and cauliflower fryer arrangements are decided locally, so confirm with your restaurant before ordering.