US-based Dave’s Hot Chicken has entered into a partnership with UK’s Azzurri Group to launch 180 restaurants across 10 European countries.
Azzurri — the operator of Zizzi, ASK Italian, and Coco di Mama — has secured exclusive development rights to expand the fried chicken brand throughout Europe.
The group will collaborate with local operators in each market to roll out restaurants in countries such as France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Italy, and Turkey.
The expansion follows Dave’s Hot Chicken’s successful UK debut on London’s Shaftesbury Avenue in 2024, where the restaurant drew steady queues for three months.
It also gained traction on TikTok with its viral spicy chicken challenge, which requires customers to sign a waiver before ordering.
This was followed by new openings in Birmingham and Manchester in 2025, with Azzurri planning to roll out 60 locations across the UK.
'This is a once-in-a-generation brand,' said Azzurri Group chief executive Steve Holmes. 'Dave’s Hot Chicken has all the ingredients for international success—unforgettable food, massive cultural resonance, and an incredibly scalable model. The response in the UK has been phenomenal, and we’re now focused on bringing this concept to more countries through strong local joint venture partnerships.'
Founded in Los Angeles in 2017 by three childhood friends, Dave’s Hot Chicken has expanded to more than 200 locations across the US in just six years. Earlier this summer, the brand was acquired by private equity firm Roark Capital — which also backs Subway — in a $1 billion deal.
Bill Phelps, chief executive of Dave’s Hot Chicken said: 'This agreement represents a major milestone in our global development strategy.'
'Azzurri has proven itself as a best-in-class operator with deep expertise in brand building and market execution. Their commitment to working alongside local partners gives us the scale, agility, and cultural insight needed to expand in new territories.'