Nashville Hot Chicken Chain 'Angry Chickz' Coming to Fremont

The Nashville hot chicken trend has its roots in a story of revenge from the 1930s. According to legend, a man named Thornton Prince was served extra-spicy fried chicken by his girlfriend as punishment for his infidelity. However, Prince enjoyed the fiery dish so much that he and his brothers created their own recipe and opened a restaurant, Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, in Nashville, Tennessee. For decades, hot chicken remained a local specialty within Nashville's African-American communities. Its popularity began to spread more widely in the 2000s, spurred by events like the Music City Hot Chicken Festival, which started in 2007, and the opening of other influential restaurants like Hattie B's in 2012. The trend went national when KFC added Nashville hot chicken to its menu in 2016. Angry Chickz founder David Mkhitaryan first tasted Nashville-style hot chicken in 2017 and became obsessed with creating his own version. After a year of developing his recipe, he, his wife, and his best friend opened the first Angry Chickz in a 900-square-foot location in East Hollywood in 2018. The chain's rapid growth has been fueled by social media buzz and a simple, focused menu centered on chicken tenders with varying spice levels, coleslaw, fries, and mac 'n cheese. This operational simplicity helps to lower costs and streamline training. The hottest level, "Angry," requires customers to sign a waiver before eating. By mid-2025, Angry Chickz had expanded to 30 locations across California, with additional outposts in Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. The company recently secured growth capital from Saratoga Investment Corp. to accelerate its national expansion, with plans to reach over 50 locations. The brand has reported significant increases in same-store sales and traffic, indicating a strong and scalable model.