Federal Way’s mall scene just turned up the heat. Dave's Hot Chicken cut the ribbon Friday on a new storefront at The Commons, bringing the chain's Nashville-style tenders and loaded sandwiches to the I-5 corridor. Mayor Jim Ferrell and Councilmember Linda Kochmar joined franchise owners and mall officials for the opening ceremony.
Where it is
The new Dave’s sits inside The Commons at Federal Way and is listed by the chain at 1701 S Commons, while the mall’s leasing map shows the restaurant as tenant M7G. According to Dave's Hot Chicken and the mall’s leasing brochure, the space measures about 2,954 square feet and was advertised as "coming soon" ahead of the ribbon cutting.
Local leaders at the ceremony
Mayor Jim Ferrell shared photos and a short note about the event on X, highlighting the ribbon cutting and thanking franchise partners for bringing the brand to Federal Way. You can view his announcement on X.
Part of a regional push
The Federal Way opening is part of a previously announced four-location expansion across Western Washington that also includes Redmond, Tacoma and Puyallup. That rollout has been tracked locally as communities and franchise partners signed leases and prepared new sites, as detailed by KIRO 7.
Menu and what to expect
The new shop will serve Dave’s core menu of hand-breaded tenders, sliders and classic sides such as mac and cheese and kale slaw. The chain’s local listing provides a snapshot of those offerings and shows the Federal Way address on its location page at Dave's Hot Chicken.
Jobs and local impact
Franchise hiring listings show openings for shift leaders, assistant managers and team members at the Federal Way shop, indicating the new location will add local restaurant jobs. Regional reporting and mall tenant updates have tracked a wave of new restaurants and retail at The Commons and nearby developments, as reported by The News Tribune and local job listings on Harri.
With the ribbon cut, the Federal Way shop joins a growing list of national quick-service concepts landing at The Commons and gives residents another late-night and quick-service option. We will update this story as the new location posts official hours and promotions.
