Angry Chickz: How Investment Fuels Hot Chicken Growth

The story of Angry Chickz begins with one unforgettable bite. When founder David Mkhitaryan first tasted Nashville hot chicken in 2017, the southern-style dish left him craving more. For nearly a year, he experimented with his own blend of bold spices, testing just how juicy, how spicy, and how flavorful he could make the perfect chicken tender. In 2018, with his recipe finally perfected, Mkhitaryan and his wife opened the first Angry Chickz in a modest 900-square-foot shop in East Hollywood. Word of their food spread quickly, transforming the tiny storefront into a foodie destination.

Now with 33 locations, each with consistent lines out the door, Mkhitaryan and his team are eager to surpass 50 stores in 2026. But scaling that quickly takes more than passion and a delicious recipe; it demands the right partner. The brand wanted to collaborate with a group that not only saw the potential in its concept but was also as obsessed with hot chicken as they are. After meticulous searching, the brand secured the support of Saratoga Investment Corp., a firm known for backing founder-led, high-growth brands.

While funding certainly matters, chief operating officer Peter Tremblay makes it clear Angry Chickz didn’t pursue the partnership solely for financial reasons. “We weren’t just looking for capital. We were looking for a true partner, one that lets us stay bold while growing smart. Saratoga got what we were building right away. They saw it, they felt it.”

Tremblay explains the investment will fuel what he calls the “three P’s: People, Process, and Platform.” Through this investment, the goal is to nurture the passion Angry Chickz team members already bring to the brand and translate energy into a consistently excellent guest experience.

Successful growth relies heavily on the support center. “With growth comes complexity, especially in California,” Tremblay says. “We need strong HR, strong IT, strong training. These are the people behind the scenes who ensure everything runs with the precision our guests expect.”

Nurturing individuals who already live and breathe the brand, while recruiting new talent who share that same passion, is vital to the brand’s success. Continuously conveying its story in every new store, at every visit, and with every bite, is what turns a visitor into a loyal guest. Strengthening operations to ensure seamless daily processes will improve wait times, alleviate team stress, and avoid guest frustration. Angry Chickz also plans to enhance every touchpoint guests interact with, including in-store kiosks and a loyalty app.

The brand is known for generating excitement among its guests, and effectively channeling that energy will allow for a more personalized connection between the chain and its fans. With time, its goal is to see higher frequency resulting from these initiatives.

The Angry Chickz fandom is particularly spirited. Attend any grand opening and you’ll find hundreds of guests waiting in line, often for hours. These openings have become a signature celebration, and the fervor extends to social media, where fans frequently share content about their visits. Scrolling through tagged posts, there are often fans smiling next to founder and CEO, David Mkhitaryan. Mkhitaryan lives for meeting guests and hearing what they have to say about the food. If Mkhitaryan isn’t in a pic, it’s likely to be the Angry Chicken itself, a bold and bubbly character that might be getting a sidekick soon.

Angry Chickz features a compact menu of seven meals and a heat meter that can make even the biggest spice lover sweat. “We only have seven items on the menu, and they better be the best darn seven items you can possibly make,” Tremblay says. “We’re fanatical about our ingredients.”

Guests are greeted by team members eager to walk them through the menu and heat levels, and dining at Angry Chickz caters to social gatherings. “We want our guests to love the brand, because love is the strongest emotion,” Tremblay adds.  “If you love something, you’ll drive an extra exit on the freeway to get it.”

Maintaining that emotional connection is central to Angry Chickz’s identity. The company’s mantra—”hungry, humble, and fun”—guides its approach to growth, fostering a sense of belonging. Instead of chasing big unit-count goals, the focus is on ensuring each unit opens stronger than the one before. “We’re not chasing 500 stores,” Tremblay says. “We’re chasing excellence.”

When scouting new locations, the team isn’t fixated only on metropolitan regions. Instead, the brand has adopted a strategy of opening in smaller communities across California and Texas, making the audience feel valued and included in its expansion. These markets are filled with families, younger consumers, and hardworking individuals looking for a hearty, flavorful, affordable meal. “We’ve opened $4 to $5 million restaurants in some of these communities,” Tremblay says. “They’re excited we’re there, and we’re often one of the only brands offering this kind of food and culture. That loyalty is powerful.”

Through its partnership with Saratoga Investment Corp., Angry Chickz plans to tap further into that loyalty with an app and loyalty platform currently in development. More details are expected soon, but for now, the brand is focused on maintaining momentum.

“One guest, one meal, one experience at a time,” Tremblay says.