Speed Is Dead in Fast Food: Dave’s Hot Chicken CEO Explains What Matters

The “fast” in fast food has become a relic of the past. Jim Bitticks, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken, is challenging an industry-wide assumption that convenience still means speed. Speaking to QSR Magazine, Bitticks declared: “It’s not 1999. Nobody is going through a drive-thru because they’re in a hurry. If they’re in a hurry, they’re mobile ordering.”

Convenience Over Speed

This shift in customer behavior became evident when Dave’s opened a drive-thru location and offered waiting customers the opportunity to come inside without a line. To the company’s surprise, customers refused. They preferred sitting in their cars, scrolling through TikTok, over entering the restaurant. Bitticks notes that pushing staff to work faster actually undermines quality and damages sales. The focus must shift from velocity to experience.

Product Buzz Drives Growth

The real catalyst for sales growth, according to Bitticks, is product innovation and buzz. Dave’s recent launch of Hot Mozz—a fried-mozzarella item—spectacularly demonstrated this principle. Within three days, the product reversed same-store sales from a 9% decline to a 30% surge, and demand was so overwhelming that the chain completely sold out for a month. The former CEO even called to congratulate Bitticks, calling the shortage “one of the great achievements in marketing.”

For Dave’s Hot Chicken, the results speak volumes. The chain achieved 58% growth last year, powered not by speed, but by strategic product innovation and customer engagement. As the fast food industry evolves, success increasingly depends on creating buzz and offering distinctive products that capture consumer interest—not on serving food faster.