New Jersey: Dave’s Hot Chicken Continues To Expand

Let’s check in on the fastest growing restaurant chain in America. The last we heard about this, Dave’s Hot Chicken had one location in New Jersey with six others on the way. A few short months later, two locations are now open officially open, and more are in the works.

"The company reached an agreement to open seven new locations throughout southern New Jersey within the next five years," NJ.com reported back in September. They also spoke with a franchise owner Jason Soares. “We truly believe that this brand is something big, so knew we had to get involved. We look forward to bringing their unique take on Nashville hot chicken to more people throughout the state of New Jersey,” Soares said.

Earlier this year, the Courier Post detailed that the third location in New Jersey looks like it will be in Camden County.

Four childhood friends started it as a pop-up in an East Hollywood, CA parking lot back in 2017. Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai are also part of their expansion. Some serious investors back their efforts to take over the hot chicken industry. A-list celebrities, including Drake, Michael Strahan, Samuel L. Jackson, and Maria Shriver, are all named as those who have backed Dave’s so far.

Dave’s Hot Chicken consists of a menu that is concise yet massive in spice variation. Their fried chicken comes in a sandwich (slider) option or tenders. Here’s where things get interesting. You then choose your heat level. This ranges from “no spice” to “reaper,” which is the hottest option, and requires a signed waiver. In between, the scale has five additional options.

As for sides, Dave’s also serves crinkle-cut fries, mac and cheese, kale slaw, and pickles.

Both of these restaurants are open seven days per week starting at 10:30 am. Dave’s Hot Chicken can’t be missed. Literally. The artistic design of each location features colorful graffiti and loud signage that make the experience both fun and engaging.

Although the Super Bowl is behind us, there are still plenty of football subjects to dive into. Of course, the combine, free agency, and the draft are all approaching. However, in addition, there are a few NFL teams who have hinted at wearing new uniforms next season.

Typically, a full unveiling of these fresh threads comes in late spring or summer once the schedule is out and new players are on the roster. Still, there are some things we already know. Part of this has to do with licensing agreements. The NFL and Nike (their official uniform partner) need to go through certain protocols in order for new uniforms to be allowed. At times, this can take a few years. So, in short, preparation for these expected uniform changes began long ago.

Present-day NFL allows for teams to have their typical home and away set and the alternate look. Often, this is a nod to a throwback uniform that was a fan-favorite years ago. For example, in 2023, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers brought back the special edition creamsicle uniform.

Before we take a look at the NFL teams that will be sporting a new uniform look in 2024, let's address a related topic.

Again, this is easier said than done, but here are a few suggestions for teams that can use an upgrade. First, the New York Giants should make their throwback look permanent. This sports the "Giants" logo on the helmet with the red and white striped jersey sleeve the team wore in the '80s and '90s. Bringing back the red alternate jersey then allows for the special look twice a year. The same argument can be made for the Philadelphia Eagles. When you have that sharp "Kelly Green" set, there is no reason not to wear them at any opportunity. As for a complete overhaul, let's suggest the Indianapolis Colts go back to the drawing board. The white horseshoe helmet works (just change the facemask to blue), but the jersey and pants are stale. Less can be more these days with uni designs, so how about adding a little life here? At least the jersey can be as exciting as the future franchise quarterback, Anthony Richardson.

Those three thoughts may be long shots. However, these are not. Here are the four teams we expect to rock new uniforms looks next season.

Let's call it Aaron Rodgers 2.0. It's definitely not a bad idea to try this experiment all over again. With Rodgers back from a gut-wrenching injury, 2024 could be what fans expected 2023 to be. Perhaps having extreme patience will make the wait worthwhile. The assumption is that the Jets new uniforms, which will be unveiled in April, will resemble the "Legacy" look.

With the offensive rookie of the year in C.J. Stroud being the face of the franchise, this feels like the perfect time for the Texans to change up their look. Aside from the red alternative helmet and jersey, their previous uniform set did fall victim to the Colts' disease of just too boring. Let's just hope they don't get too flashy. The Tennessee Titans twice wore their Houston Oilers throwbacks in 2023. It has been revealed that the Texans are now doing the right thing and incorporating this iconic H-Town Blue color into the new look.

This should fall into the category of adjustments instead of a completely new look. There has been a ton of speculation already. We do believe the orange jersey will sustain. The biggest challenge the team has had with their current look is the slash-style "stripe" on the pants that don't mix and match. So, 2024 will feature a new QB in Denver, sporting the updated look.

This one flies under the radar a bit. The Lions revealed the alternate blue helmets last year. Some wonder if the popular black jersey from the early 2000s will return. It would be unfortunate for the Lions to get too far away from their traditional blue, however a stronger color scheme might be just what the team needs to take that extra step. The black jersey option might also be a good match for Dan Campbell's MCDC Metallica fandom.