PEORIA, Ill. (25News Now) – Dave’s Hot Chicken is officially serving customers in Peoria after holding its soft opening Thursday.
The new restaurant expands the chain’s presence in Central Illinois, joining locations in Bloomington, Champaign and Springfield. Operator Chris Zalinski said the company had been looking at Peoria for some time before finding the right location.
Zalinski said the response from customers during the opening period has been strong.
“It’s been absolutely amazing,” Zalinski said. “It’s been very, very warm and welcoming. Peoria is very excited to have us here, and we’re really excited to be here as well.”
Dave’s Hot Chicken specializes in chicken tenders and sliders, with customers able to choose from seven different heat levels. Zalinski said the most popular options so far have been mild, medium and hot.
For customers looking for an even bigger challenge, the restaurant’s hottest option is the Reaper level. Zalinski said customers have to sign a waiver before trying it.
The menu also includes fries, cheese fries, kale slaw and mac and cheese. Zalinski recommends the No. 3, which comes with a tender and slider, as a starting point for first-time customers.
Zalinski said the Peoria restaurant marks the company’s 24th store operated by his group, which now has locations across four states.
“It’s just super exciting. It’s like a rocket ship,” Zalinski said. “We started this off, you know, just a couple stores, and here we are five years later. This is our 24th store. We’re operating four different states.”
The restaurant held a sneak peek event Wednesday before Thursday’s soft opening. Its grand opening is scheduled for Friday.
Zalinski said the company is also continuing to search for possible future locations, although no additional Central Illinois stores have been confirmed.
