Dave’s Hot Chicken is preparing to open a new location in Cary, serving its hand-breaded tenders and sliders at Alston Town Center, with a projected launch later this year. The restaurant is slated for 4675 NC Highway 55 inside Alston Town Center. It would mark the brand’s fourth Triangle location this year, with the franchisee eyeing a third-quarter 2026 opening, according to The News & Observer.
Where It Will Sit
Alston Town Center, anchored by a Whole Foods Market at west NC-55, already counts tenants like Moe’s Southwest Grill and Hollywood Feed. The center also recently added a new Life Time fitness club, a hint that national brands are paying close attention to the corridor. For the full tenant lineup, check the directory at Alston Town Center.
Menu, Heat Levels and Price Points
Dave’s sticks to a tight, chicken-forward playbook built around tenders, sliders and saucy boneless bites, with sides such as mac and cheese, plain or cheese fries and kale slaw. The chain leans hard into its seven heat levels, topping out with the waiver-required “Reaper.” Per Dave’s Hot Chicken, that simple, high-energy format is the core of the brand.
Local reporting pegs expected price points for the Cary shop with boneless bites starting around $9, sliders with fries near $10 and combo meals roughly $13 to $14, as reported by The News & Observer.
Who’s Opening It
The Cary franchise will be run by Morrisville-based couple Russell and Loreen Hansen, who operate several Dave’s locations across North Carolina. Local coverage has tracked the Hansens’ rollout and their plans for more stores in the region; find background at RALtoday.
Timeline and What to Watch
With a third-quarter 2026 target on the books, look for permitting, buildout and hiring to ramp up ahead of a grand opening later in the year. The center also lists a coming-soon Sweetgreen West Cary location, and combined with the new Life Time and Dave’s, it points to continuing interest from national chains in west Cary. Keep an eye on Sweetgreen and the Alston Town Center directory for updates.
