• by Teresa Buyikian , January 8, 2024

Fried chicken or “hot chicken” restaurants aren’t generally known for their vegetables, if these exist on the menu at all.

But now even vegetarians can partake in the “hot chicken” craze. Los Angeles native Dave’s Hot Chicken today announced the menu addition launch of “Dave’s NOT Chicken,” which are seasoned bites and a slider made from cauliflower.

The sliders each start with an entire head of sliced cauliflower, which is then then seasoned using the same spices that are used on the company’s hot chicken, then fried to order. The bites are made in a similar, smaller fashion.

“Our fans have been asking us to make a meatless option that has all the flavor, crunch and spice of our Hot Chicken,” said Bill Phelps, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken “After spending weeks in the test kitchen testing countless different products, just like [our] founders did back in the parking lot pop-up days, we’ve created a meat-alternative that even our most dedicated Hot Chicken loyalists will want to try.”

To promote the new offering, Dave’s Hot Chicken has changed its signage to “Dave’s NOT Chicken” in several key markets including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, among others. The chain has also launched an oversized 3D billboard in downtown Los Angeles near the LA Convention Center, which highlights  cartoon rubber chicken mascot Dave and the new Not Chicken menu items.

Dave’s is the first national fast casual restaurant to offer a cauliflower sandwich, the company claims.

The new cauliflower dishes are available at all 180 Dave’s Hot Chicken locations across the U.S. and Canada for a limited time only.