Haven Hot Chicken officially announces its expansion with new franchise opportunities in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and North Carolina. As part of this announcement, the four-year old Hot Chicken concept has signed 25 commitments with seasoned multi-unit franchisees. The first two – located at 477 W. Central Street in Franklin, Massachusetts near Dean College set to open mid-January - and 706 9th Street in Durham, North Carolina in the heart of Duke University – will be the first to open next year with 2-4 more openings slated later in the year.
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Haven Hot Chicken, the award-winning hot chicken brand "Born Hot. Raised Right.," today announced its franchise program to passionate, hands-on entrepreneurs and experienced restaurateurs ready to bring its crispy, crunchy, juicy, spicy, delicious experience to new communities.
Born from a shared love of bold flavor and hospitality, Haven Hot Chicken was founded in 2020 by a team of four zealous food lovers. Their unique backgrounds were united by one singular vision: to redefine QSR / fast casual hot chicken with the mission to satisfy the world's craving for something better. What began as a series of in-demand, sold-out pop-ups with lines around the block in New Haven, quickly turned into a sensation leading to nine successful brick-and-mortar locations across Connecticut, fueled by explosive growth, a fanatical following and a relentless commitment to excellence.
"We didn't start Haven Hot Chicken to be just another chicken place," said Jason Sobocinski, President and Co-Founder. "We built it to set a higher bar. Food that overdelivers, hospitality that makes our guests feel seen and a business that gives back to its local community. Success comes from the quality of our team, their pride in the chicken we make and how they serve it to our guests. We're excited to partner with others who share that same fire, love really good food, enjoy service and believe in community."
"Our platform, Born Hot. Raised Right., shows up in the food and the way we treat people," added Etkin Tekin, CEO and Co-Founder. "It's bold flavor, raised on craft, care and community. We sponsor youth and collegiate sports and have long-term fundraising partnerships that fight food insecurity in our backyard. Our restaurants are always involved in their communities, from fundraising to volunteering, we are here to feed our neighbors with something better, all the while, being good citizens on our planet Earth with a strong commitment to sustainability."
"As we unveil this new initiative, we are excited to share that we have commitments for 25+ new locations coming to Massachusetts, North Carolina and Connecticut with our first franchisee partners – all seasoned, multi-unit QSR operators who also own and operate several Jersey Mike locations," added Tekin. "The first two – located at 477 W. Central Street in Franklin, Massachusetts near Dean College set to open mid-January - and 706 9th Street in Durham, North Carolina in the heart of Duke University – will be the first to open next year with 2-4 more openings slated later in the year. Our brand values align with these operators from Jersey Mike's, and we see real value in their operational prowess and understanding of how to excel with a business that runs on quality and hospitality."
Highlights of this franchise opportunity include:
- Deep Commitment to Authentic Quality and Flavor – Haven Hot Chicken's team is committed to every menu item delivering the ultimate Hot Chicken experience to its guests. The brand's signature item – THE Sandwich - was named Food Network star Guy Fieri's "Best Bite in Town" Grand Champion. With a menu featuring house made recipes that caters to broader dietary needs, including serving 100% Halal-certified chicken and vegetarian options, this guarantee of quality, flavor and consistency has propelled the brand to deliver average guest reviews of 4.6/5.
- Culture-Driven, Guest-Focused Operational Mission – Haven Hot Chicken's founders believe that hospitality is a verb. With a dedication to hospitality for both employees and community, a robust, in-house training program provides teams the tools necessary to bring joy, serve with purpose and make every guest feel seen, as well as be part of a brand that is community focused.
- Aggressive Market Momentum - Haven Hot Chicken is positioned in one of the fastest-growing QSR segments, with the chicken QSR category hitting $61.1 billion and growing at a 7.2% annualized rate. Demand for high-quality, bold-flavored chicken continues to rise, with visits to fried chicken restaurants increasing 4.3% year-over-year, outpacing the broader QSR industry.
Additional details about the franchise program:
- Investment Level – Franchise Fee $40,000 with an initial investment of $410,000-$870,000
- Available Territories in the following states – Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and North Carolina
- Ideal Franchisees – Multi-unit operators, restaurateurs, hands-on entrepreneurs
To learn more about this opportunity, visit:https://www.havenhotchicken.com/franchise.
About Haven Hot Chicken
Founded in 2020 in New Haven, CT, Haven Hot Chicken is redefining fast-casual hot chicken with a mission to satisfy the world's craving for something better. Serving Crispy, Crunchy, Juicy, Spicy chicken (CCJSD) and vegetarian "Not Chicken," Haven is home to THE Sandwich (Food Network, Guy Fieri's "Best Bite in Town" Grand Champion), house-crafted sauces, craveable sides and seasonal limited-time offerings. With a commitment to hospitality, sustainability and community, Haven is setting new standards for the industry - embracing hospitality not only for its guests but its team members in extending industry-leading benefits and upward growth, sustainability in recycling its 100% high-oleic canola oil into airplane fuel and utilizing biodegradable and compostable packaging and cutlery and straws made from repurposed oyster shells, and community through the sponsorship of youth and collegiate sports programs, and other long-term fundraising and donation partnerships.
Recognitions include ranking #160 on The 2024 Inc. 5000 List for rapid growth (No. 7 in Food and Beverage and No. 1 in Connecticut), inclusion on QSR's 40/40 List of America's Hottest Startup Fast Casuals in 2024, winner of the 2023 Fast Casual Executive Summit Perfect Pitch, highlighted as one of the "8 Best Hot Chicken Chains in America" by Eat This, Not That and named Food Network's Best Bite in New Haven.
Follow @havenhotchicken on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook or sign up for our newsletter athavenhotchicken.com.
Media Contact
Shelley Kapitulik Jaye, Splash PR for Haven Hot Chicken, 1 2038981501, [email protected], https://www.havenhotchicken.com/
SOURCE Haven Hot Chicken
Share this article