The appointment of Jim Bitticks as the new Chief Executive Officer of Dave’s Hot Chicken is an important transition in leadership within the fast-casual restaurant chain recognized for their Nashville-style spicy fried chicken and is part of the company’s effort to rapidly expand its restaurant locations, both in the United States and around the world. The promotion takes effect immediately as the company continues to capitalise on strong consumer demand for premium quick-service chicken concepts.
Bitticks succeeds Co-Founder and CEO Joel Clark, who will remain actively involved in the business as a board member and in an advisory role. Dave’s was started by Clark in Los Angeles in 2017 as a pop-up shop, but has since grown quickly into a fast-casual restaurant franchise with locations throughout the United States. Although Clark has stepped down from his position as CEO, he will still provide guidance for Dave’s continuing vision and strategies for growth outside of California.
Before his elevation to CEO, Bitticks served as President of Dave’s Hot Chicken, a role in which he helped steer day-to-day operations, oversee franchisee development and support brand expansion across multiple U.S. regions. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry as an executive leader in multi-concept franchises, he has worked extensively to grow their brand and create consistency in the operations of those brands.
The Board of Directors of Dave’s Hot Chicken announced that one of the major factors that led to their decision to hire Bittick was his extensive experience and understanding of the company’s business from the kitchen through digital ordering and franchising. A board representative noted that his leadership “positions the brand for a new chapter of strategic, sustainable growth” and that Bitticks’ operational focus will help balance rapid unit growth with strong customer experience.
In a statement, as noted in NRN, following his appointment, Bitticks said:
“Dave’s Hot Chicken has an incredible foundation, from our culture of quality and heat to the passion of our crew members and franchise partners. I’m honoured to step into the CEO role at a time when our brand’s momentum is strong, and I look forward to writing the next chapter with our team and our communities.”
Co-founder Joel Clark added:
“Jim has been instrumental in building and scaling this brand. His knowledge, leadership, and commitment to Dave’s values make him the right person to drive our future success. I’m excited to continue working with him and supporting the company’s growth from the board.”
Originally based in Los Angeles and generally accepted as the leading company to popularize Nashville hot chicken on an international level, Dave’s Hot Chicken has rapidly grown through both corporate and franchising as their primary growth strategy. Currently, Dave’s Hot Chicken is expanding into new U.S. markets with new technology-based delivery systems and will soon be opening international franchise locations to extend brand reach beyond the Southern states of the U.S.
