Dave’s Hot Chicken promotes Jim Bitticks to CEO

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Dave’s Hot Chicken has promoted Jim Bitticks from president and main operating serviceman to CEO, effectual immediately, the institution confirmed Monday. Bitticks is succeeding Bill Phelps, who has served arsenic CEO of the Pasadena, California-based fast-casual concatenation since 2019 and volition stay connected arsenic enforcement president of the committee of directors.

“As some a franchisee and operator, Jim Bitticks has built the programs and teams down our best-in-class operations crossed astir 400 restaurants worldwide,” Phelps said successful a statement. “Guest sentiment continues to rise—an bonzer accomplishment for a marque increasing astatine this pace—and it starts with Jim’s imaginativeness for collaborative operations. I’m excited to enactment alongside Jim and the squad arsenic we proceed to stroke people’s minds with the astir unthinkable blistery chickenhearted connected the planet.”

Bitticks served arsenic COO of Dave’s Hot Chicken for the past 5 years, and successful 2021, added the rubric of president to his role. Before joining Dave’s successful 2020, Bitticks served arsenic main edifice serviceman and enforcement vice president for Blaze Pizza, and earlier that, was vice president of operations for CKE Restaurants. 

“As main operating serviceman and president, I’m grateful to person helped trade the operations that wage homage to Dave’s Hot Chicken’s origins portion supporting accelerated maturation implicit the past 5 years,” Bitticks said successful a statement. “I’ve besides been fortunate to larn firsthand from an bonzer leader, Bill Phelps, who has been astatine the forefront of shaping this company’s culture. I’m honored to proceed starring this American Dream story—supporting our franchise partners, accelerating maturation successful caller and existing markets, and staying existent to the archetypal imaginativeness of the marque and its founders.”

Dave’s Hot Chicken is 1 of the fastest increasing fast-casual chains successful the U.S. and successful 2024, grew by astir 50% to 244 locations nationally, according to Technomic data. 

The institution was acquired by Roark Capital past June.

Contact Joanna at [email protected]