The hot Reaper chicken – which is so spicy it requires people to sign a waiver to try it – has been tested on a handful of Brits ahead of the London opening and has left Dave’s unsure whether to unleash it in the UK.
Five lucky - or unlucky - Brits got to try the Carolina Reaper chicken slider last week leaving some in tears and one even running out of the taster after just one bite.
The first Dave’s Hot Chicken will open at 40 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, on Saturday, December 7 from 12pm, offering six spice levels, and the decision to include the risky Carolina Reaper is yet to be made.
The Nashville-styled hot chicken restaurant was founded by three childhood friends, Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan and Tommy Rubenyan, in an East Hollywood carpark in 2017.
Now backed by the likes of Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, and Usher, the chain boasts 200 locations across America. Its first UK site will open on the 7th of December at 40 Shaftesbury Avenue, London.
While the Reaper might not be on the UK menu, Brits will be able to enjoy the rest of the menu, available with spice levels ranging from No Spice, Lite Mild, Mild, Medium, Hot, and Extra Hot.
Jim Attwood, Managing Director of Dave’s Hot Chicken UK, said: “After conducting taste tests here in the UK, we found the Reaper to be so hot that it left participants crying from the sheer heat of the spice mix.
“We are still in discussions as to whether the Reaper will make it onto UK plates. Of course, if the nation truly wants to test the hottest chicken in the world, we could be convinced…”
Bill Phelps, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken, said: “From frying hot chicken in an LA parking lot with nothing but $900 and a dream to set up shop in one of the most iconic cities in the world, we’ve come a long way – and we’re only getting started.
“We’ve worked tirelessly with our UK team to deliver the bold flavours and tongue-tingling spice that have made us a cult sensation here in the USA. And we’re not just bringing the heat – we’re bringing the full Dave’s experience over for Brits. This opening marks the first in our plan to open up to 60 restaurants across both the UK & Ireland in the coming years.”