Angry Chickz is set to fry up its first San Gabriel Valley location when it opens in San Dimas on Oct. 16, bringing its waiver-worthy Nashville hot chicken to a Costco-anchored shopping center off the 57 and 210 interchange. The new restaurant at 1042 W. Gladstone St. will mark the chain's 41st California location and its 49th nationwide, a milestone that lands as the brand barrels toward the 50-unit mark just eight years after its founding.
The San Dimas shop is at 1042 W. Gladstone St. As RestaurantNews.com reports, the opening represents the brand's first entry into the San Gabriel Valley specifically, expanding its footprint in the Southern California region where the chain got its start.
Angry Chickz founder and CEO David Mkhitaryan said Southern California is where the brand began, and that every opportunity to grow there carries meaning for the company. The chain serves hand-breaded tenders, sliders, bowls and sides across six heat levels ranging from “Country” to “Angry,” and customers ordering that top tier must sign a formal liability waiver acknowledging the chicken's intense heat, a quirk Hoodline detailed in a March 2026 article about the brand's planned Northwest San Antonio location.
Opening-Day Giveaways and Grand-Opening Plans
Opening day festivities will include limited-edition Angry Chickz jerseys for the first 100 guests, while the first 500 guests can register for a chance to win Angry Chickz for a year along with additional food prizes, per the seed report. The San Dimas opening is being framed as the start of the brand's relationship with the local community through ongoing engagement and grand-opening activities. Angry Chickz also runs an app with a rewards program for repeat customers.
San Dimas, a city of roughly 33,700 residents, is the setting for the launch.
From East Hollywood Storefront to Nationwide Franchise
Mkhitaryan founded Angry Chickz in 2018 after spending a year developing his version of Nashville-style chicken after encountering the dish; he had worked in his family's restaurant, according to QSR Research Hub. The brand grew out of a 900-square-foot storefront in Los Angeles's East Hollywood neighborhood, launched alongside his wife and best friend, into what is now a multi-state franchise system.
That growth has accelerated sharply in the past year. The chain generated approximately $83 million in systemwide sales in 2025, a nearly 50% jump over its 2024 total of $56 million, based on the 49% 2025 growth reported by Restaurant Business.
Bucking a Slowdown in Chicken-Chain Sales
That growth stands out against a broader cooldown in chicken-chain sales. Nationwide, chicken chain sales grew just 5.3% in 2025, a significant slowdown from 9.1% growth in 2024 and 12% in 2023 amid market saturation, as reported by Restaurant Business. That makes Angry Chickz's near-50% surge in systemwide sales a notable outlier in a crowded field.
Angry Chickz received institutional debt capital from Saratoga Investment Corp. in October 2025. The brand has also executed a 25-unit area development agreement to open locations across Texas and New Mexico over five years. It also has a development agreement for Pennsylvania.
Along the way, Angry Chickz has racked up industry recognition, including QSR's Ones to Watch, Fast Casual's 2026 Top 100, Fast Casual's 20 Brands to Watch, Nation's Restaurant News's Hot Concepts Award, and Fast Casual's Top Movers & Shakers honor. The chain also ranked 44th on QSR's Top 50 Contenders and 410th on Franchise Times's Top 400, and was named one of QSR's nine franchisors to watch. For San Gabriel Valley diners curious whether they can handle the top tier, Oct. 16 will be the first chance to find out — waiver and all.
