Prolific Long Island franchise firm embarks on new hot concept

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As fast-food franchise experts, entrepreneurial brothers John and Jeff Froccaro have always known what’s hot. And this time, their latest venture really is. 

The Froccaros’ Port Washington-based Burger Brothers Restaurant Group opens its first Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurant on Friday in Fresh Meadows. The 2,855-square-foot store at 61-45 188th St., which replaces a shuttered Boston Market, is the first of 14 Dave’s Hot Chicken locations—seven on Long Island and seven in Queens–that the franchisees plan for the area. 

The first of the chain’s Long Island locations is expected to open in mid-March in a 2,555-square-foot space in the Parkway Plaza shopping center at 207 Glen Cove Road in Carle Place that was formerly occupied by Hale & Hearty.  

When searching for another brand to add to their portfolio, the Froccaros said they wanted to be involved with a brand that offered “the highest-end product, incredible corporate leadership and unmatched consumer excitement.” So, they hatched a deal with Dave’s Hot Chicken. 

“Their chicken is best in class with a very loyal social media following,” John Froccaro told LIBN. “There’s a very dense core demographic in our development areas with great unit economics.” 

Dave’s Hot Chicken specializes in Nashville-style hot chicken tenders and sliders, with spice levels ranging from “No Spice” to “Reaper.” Each restaurant also serves sides of house-made kale slaw, macaroni and cheese and crispy fries or cheese fries.    

Founded in 2017 by Arman Oganesyan, Chef Dave Kopushyan, and brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan, Dave’s Hot Chicken got its start with a parking lot pop-up, before opening a brick-and-mortar location in East Hollywood.  

In 2019, the founders struck a deal with Wetzel’s Pretzels co-founder and former CEO, Bill Phelps, and movie producer John Davis to begin franchising the Dave’s Hot Chicken concept throughout the U.S. and beyond.   

The company has more than 200 locations with more than 300 under development. Additional brand investors include music artist Drake, former California First Lady Maria Shriver, Red Sox owner Tom Werner, actor Samuel L. Jackson, and Good Morning America anchor and retired NFL player Michael Strahan. 

The Froccaros and their longtime business partner Harry Braunstein are veterans of the food franchise industry and own and operate 31 Burger King restaurants located throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. The franchisees also own eight Qdoba Mexican Eats restaurants in the area.  

The Froccaros’ experience in the restaurant business began in 1982, when their dad, James, a Burger King exec, opened his first burger joint in Port Washington. Since then, the company has grown to become one of the area’s most prolific quick-service restaurant franchisees. Over the past decade, a third generation of Froccaro family members has joined the company and are heavily involved in its operations and development of a growing restaurant portfolio. 

The franchisees are currently seeking appropriate locations for Dave’s Hot Chicken that range in size from 2,000 to 2,700 square feet, which can be endcaps and freestanding locations, with or without drive-thru capacity. 

When the franchisees first signed their multi-store deal, Bill Phelps, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken, was impressed with the Froccaros experience and industry expertise. 

“Their ambition and knowledge, combined with the support and guidance from Dave’s Hot Chicken is the perfect recipe for success,” he said in a written statement. “We are excited to see the growth of the brand in the Queens and Long Island markets, made possible by the Froccaros.”