Chief Executive
Dave’s Hot Chicken
Since becoming chief executive of Dave’s Hot Chicken in 2019, Phelps has overseen the company as it exploded from an East Hollywood parking lot pop-up to over 145 locations open across North America and the Middle East and over 700 additional units in the development pipeline. He has decades of experience leading franchise brands. Prior to joining Pasadena-based Dave’s Hot Chicken, Phelps co-founded and was the chief executive of Wetzel’s Pretzels also in Pasadena and was an initial investor in Blaze Pizza in Atlanta, helping both brands rapidly expand their footprints. In Los Angeles County, Dave’s Hot Chicken locations can be found in Burbank. Glendale, Koreatown, Little Tokyo, Torrance and Long Beach, among other areas.
YEARS ON LA500: 1
