Dave’s Hot Chicken, With Massachusetts Locations, Named Most-Loved Food Brand of 2025

A Massachusetts fast-casual restaurant chain has gained recognition from a noted authority source for foodies.

Yelp, the popular online platform and app that shares information about businesses through user-generated reviews, has named Dave's Hot Chicken as its most-loved food brand of 2025. 

According to a Delish report, 71% of Dave's reviews were four or five stars — the highest among the brands analyzed — with praise for generous portions, speedy service, high-quality food, and easy customization options. Other notable names on the list include Trader Joe's, bb.q chicken, First Watch, and In-N-Out Burger.

Yelp noted that its review analyzed consumer behavior — star ratings, page views, returning visitors, searches, and photo uploads — to assemble its Most Loved Food Brands in America for 2025. Yelp then relied on AI-powered review insights to assess value, service speed, ambiance, price, and customer experience when calculating each brand's loyalty score.

Originating as a pop-up in Los Angeles in 2017, the restaurant specializes in Nashville-style hot chicken tenders, sliders, and sides. The chain's Massachusetts footprint includes Boston, Hadley, Worcester, Newton, Franklin, Chelmsford, Lexington, Braintree, and Medford, among six others.