Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken

What Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken does

Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken is a privately held fast-casual restaurant franchise specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia (corporate entity Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken, Inc., with related franchisor entity Hangry Joe's Franchising, LLC), the company operates 140+ locations across 25+ US states with a heavy concentration in the DMV corridor (30+ Virginia locations) and an emerging international presence in Dubai, Korea, and Tokyo. The core product offering centers on hot chicken sandwiches, tenders, wings, wraps, and chicken-and-waffles differentiated by a six-tier spice system running from "No Seasoning" through "Angry Hot," the latter requiring a signed liability waiver and functioning as both a risk-acknowledgment mechanic and a viral brand identity asset. All chicken is fried in 100% soybean oil from never-frozen inputs, and most locations maintain HALAL certification for chicken breasts, tenders, and nuggets.

The business model is asset-light, franchise-driven revenue. The franchisor collects initial franchise fees and ongoing royalties from independent operators across a distributed footprint, while also operating select corporate-owned or regional locations. Revenue is complemented by catering services distributed through ezcater, third-party delivery partnerships with DoorDash, UberEats, and GrubHub, and a community fundraising program offering a 20% sales giveback to participating organizations. Distribution runs through four parallel channels: franchise-operated brick-and-mortar restaurants, direct web ordering (ordernow.hangryjoes.com) and the native iOS/Android mobile app (incentivio-backed), third-party delivery aggregators, and catering.

Customer engagement is anchored in the FLOCK Rewards loyalty program: a four-tier structure (Hatchling at 10 pts/$1, Barnyard Big Shot at 11 pts/$1 above $250 annual spend, Wing Commander at 12 pts/$1 above $500, and Beak Boss at 13 pts/$1 above $1,000) with points redeemable across the menu for sides, sandwiches, and combo meals. The mobile app integrates scan-and-pay, referral bonuses (100 points per referral), and SMS/email marketing, with third-party delivery orders intentionally excluded from loyalty accrual to steer consumers to direct channels. The brand was ranked #2 in Restaurant Business magazine's Future 50 list in January 2025, placing it among the fastest-growing US restaurant chains and validating the velocity of its franchise expansion.

Name

Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken

Legal name

Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken, Inc.

Website

https://hangryjoes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken is a privately held fast-casual franchise that sells Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches, tenders, wings, and sides at six spice levels across 140+ US and international locations, serving spice-tolerant consumers and franchise entrepreneurs through restaurants, mobile ordering, catering, and third-party delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast-Casual Restaurants

NAICS

Caterers (72232)

akta.pro primary industry

Chicken Concepts (Fried/Grilled/Hot Chicken) (THAFABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Chicken & Wings QSR (THAFAAAC)

Keywords

• Nashville hot chicken
• Fast-casual restaurants
• Franchise restaurant chain
• Chicken sandwich franchise
• Hot chicken wings

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food Sales (Dine-in, Takeout, Delivery): Core revenue from selling Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches, tenders, wings, and sides directly to consumers at each restaurant location. Orders placed in-store, via app, website, or third-party delivery platforms.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalty Revenue: Hangry Joe's operates as a franchise with new franchisee recruitment via hangryjoes.com/franchise-info/. The company collects franchise fees and ongoing royalties from franchise operators, enabling rapid geographic expansion.
3. Catering Services: Catering menu available for events, gatherings, and parties, with dedicated catering ordering pages for individual locations.
4. F LOCK Rewards and Promotional Engagement: While the loyalty program itself drives revenue rather than directly generating it, it incentivizes direct app/web ordering over third-party delivery, reducing commission costs and increasing order frequency.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken is a fast-casual restaurant franchise specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken served across six proprietary spice levels, from No Seasoning to the waiver-protected Angry Hot. The core menu centers on the Chicken Sando lineup (regular, Jr., Mega), plus chicken tenders, wings, wraps, chicken & waffles, and loaded sides, with most locations using HALAL-certified chicken fried in 100% soybean oil. Distribution occurs through 140+ franchise-operated dine-in and pickup locations, the FLOCK Rewards mobile/web ordering platform, and third-party delivery (DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub) plus ezcater-based catering.

Product overview

Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken & Wings is a fast-casual restaurant franchise specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken. The core product portfolio centers on the Chicken Sando lineup (Sando, Jr. Sando, Mega Sando), along with chicken wraps, fingers, wings, and Chicken & Waffles. Sides include Loaded Fries and Loaded Mac & Cheese. The company operates a digital ecosystem comprising a mobile app (iOS/Android) for ordering and loyalty, the FLOCK Rewards program with tiered points (10-13 pts/$), and web-based ordering via Incentivio. Additional services include catering (via EZ Cater), community fundraising (20% sales giveback), and the Angry Hot Challenge requiring a signed waiver for the highest spice level. All chicken is halal-certified at most locations, fried in 100% soybean oil, and made from never-frozen ingredients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Sando Signature Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich: a crispy, juicy chicken breast with special sauce, pickles, and cider slaw on a brioche bun; available across six spice levels from No Seasoning to Angry Hot. Targeted at dine-in, takeout, and delivery customers.
• Mega Chicken Sando Upsized 8 oz seasoned chicken breast sandwich on brioche with cider slaw, pickles, and Hangry sauce; available à la carte or as a meal with waffles, fries, and 24 oz drink. Targeted at higher-appetite dine-in and delivery customers.
• Jr. Sando Smaller-portion version of the classic Chicken Sando offering the same Nashville-style hot chicken experience in a more compact size; redeemable via FLOCK Rewards at 1000 points.
• Chicken Wrap Chicken wrapped in a tortilla with fresh toppings and sauces, offered as a handheld sandwich alternative across multiple spice levels.
• Chicken Fingers/Tenders Crispy chicken tenders offered at multiple spice levels, used both as an à la carte item and as a featured National Hot Chicken Day promotion ($2/tender).
• Chicken Wings Traditional chicken wings offered at various spice levels from mild to Angry Hot; can be ordered 'naked' (no flour) as a gluten-conscious option.
• Chicken & Waffles Southern-style dish combining crispy chicken with fluffy waffles, typically served with sauce and toppings; also featured in the Mega Sando combo meal.
• Loaded Fries French fries topped with cheese, chicken, and sauces as a vegetarian-friendly indulgent side and lighter option.
• Loaded Mac & Cheese Macaroni and cheese topped with additional ingredients as an indulgent side dish.
• Chicken Salad Salad option featuring chicken for lighter-meal customers, with customizable toppings.
• FLOCK Rewards Loyalty Program Multi-tiered mobile-first loyalty program (Hatchling, Barnyard Big Shot, Wing Commander, Beak Boss) earning 10–13 points per dollar and redeeming 500–1800 points for menu items including sides, sandwiches, and combo meals. Drives direct ordering and bypasses third-party commissions.
• Hangry Joe's Mobile App iOS and Android mobile application (App Store id 6714466557; Google Play) for online ordering, FLOCK Rewards tracking, store locator, Scan & Pay checkout, and referral-code management.
• Catering Services Catering menu for events, gatherings, and parties offered via the ezcater platform and individual location catering pages, serving event hosts and corporate customers.
• Fundraising Program Community fundraising program that returns 20% of event sales to participating community organizations, schools, and nonprofits, with recommended event slots Monday–Wednesday 5pm–8pm.
• Online Ordering Platform Web-based ordering platform (ordernow.hangryjoes.com) for pickup at any Hangry Joe's location, integrated with the FLOCK Rewards loyalty program for point earning.
• Angry Hot Waiver / Challenge Sign-a-waiver challenge providing access to the 'Angry Hot' spice level, the brand's spiciest offering, framed as a viral experience.
• Hangry Joe's Franchise Opportunity Franchise offering sold to entrepreneurs and investors to operate Hangry Joe's restaurant locations, generating franchise fees and ongoing royalty revenue for the franchisor.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% fundraising giveback on event sales for community organizations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WTVO (Rockford)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHangry Joe's Rockford partnered with WTVO (local TV station) as the exclusive sponsor of the Evening for Hope Telethon benefiting the Rockford Rescue Mission. The event raised over $128,000 and Hangry Joe's provided branding and promotional support for the televised telethon.
• Rockford Rescue MissioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHangry Joe's Rockford served as exclusive sponsor of the Evening for Hope Telethon, which raised over $128,000 to support life-changing programs and services at the Rockford Rescue Mission. The telethon showcased stories of resilience and transformation from Life Recovery residents.
• DoorDashminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership enabling last-mile delivery to consumers ordering from Hangry Joe's locations. Logo featured on the locations page.
• UberEatsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership. Note: orders placed through third-party delivery services do not earn FLOCK Rewards loyalty points.
• GrubHubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership for consumer orders. Orders through third-party platforms do not earn FLOCK Rewards loyalty points.
• ezcaterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatering platform partnership for event and corporate catering orders across Hangry Joe's locations.
• Inclusive WebminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHangry Joe's partnered with Inclusive Web to conduct regular accessibility audits of its website, ensuring compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wingstop: Wings-focused QSR chain with strong digital and loyalty infrastructure and franchise-driven growth. Overlaps with Hangry Joe's on wings menu and spice-level customization, and on franchise-led national expansion.
• PDQ: Chicken tenders and sandwiches fast-casual chain with a comparable menu, dine-in experience, and target customer. Operates a smaller but directly competitive footprint in select US markets.
• Raising Cane's: Chicken-focused QSR with a single-protein menu (chicken fingers) and a national franchise footprint. Comparable target demographic (younger consumers seeking quick-service chicken meals) and similar loyalty-program engagement strategies.
• Slim Chickens: Chicken tenders and wings fast-casual chain operating on a franchise model with similar menu architecture (chicken-focused with multiple sauces and spice levels). Closely comparable concept, scale, and growth trajectory.
• Dave's Hot Chicken: Nashville-style hot chicken fast-casual chain with rapid franchise expansion. Direct competitor in the same product category (spicy chicken sandwiches and tenders) with a similar target customer and franchise-led growth model.

Broad incumbents

• Chick-fil-A: Dominant US chicken QSR with a broad menu and exceptional loyalty/digital infrastructure. Competes for the same chicken-eating occasions and customer demographic, but operates at significantly larger scale across a wider menu.
• Popeyes: Major chicken QSR chain with a national footprint and established spicy chicken offerings (including the signature chicken sandwich). Overlaps with Hangry Joe's on spicy chicken sandwiches but operates as a broad incumbent across many menu categories.
• KFC: Global fried chicken QSR incumbent with deep brand recognition. Comparable chicken-centric menu positioning but much broader scale and less emphasis on premium, spice-tiered fast-casual experiences.

Regional players

• Bojangles: Chicken-and-biscuits fast-casual chain primarily serving the Southeastern US. Comparable on chicken-centric menu and Southern-style flavor profile, but with a strong regional concentration rather than national distribution.

Others

• Incentivio: Restaurant technology platform providing online ordering and loyalty infrastructure that powers Hangry Joe's FLOCK Rewards program. An enabling technology partner rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hangryjoeshot
• Facebookfacebook.com/hangryjoeschicken
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hangry-joe-s-chicagoland-hot-chicken
• Instagraminstagram.com/hangryjoeschicken

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken