Not Chick-Fil-A Or Jollibee: This Is The Least-Affordable Fast Food Fried Chicken Chain

Food prices are rising in every sector, from bargain groceries to fine dining, but there may be nowhere that this is more evident than the fast food menu board. The portion of the restaurant industry most focused on delivering lost-cost dining has broken that promise to consumers, as once-affordable menu items creep up to equal or even surpass the cost of comparable meals at sit-down restaurants. In a ranking of the most and least affordable fast food chicken chains nationwide, the lowest-value offering was unfortunately a favorite: Dave's Hot Chicken.

The rise of this chain has been meteoric, from its humble beginnings less than 10 years ago in an East Hollywood parking lot to the current state of affairs, with close to 400 locations in the U.S. spread across 44 states and aggressive international expansion plans in the works as well. Brand-wise, Dave's Hot Chicken couldn't be much, well, hotter. Still, those servings of Nashville-style hot chicken don't come cheap.

The core of the Dave's menu are its tenders and sliders, which are fried up and then coated with an oil-based sauce that comes in seven different levels of heat. As far as prices go, a pair of tenders with fries costs around $13, depending on the location. Swapping those tenders for sliders jumps the price to $15. The chain's "Build Your Own Big Trio" combo — with more options, like Buffalo mac and cheese or nugget-sized mini sliders — comes in at a whopping $18. None of those include a drink, which will run you another $2.49 for a small — and you may really want one depending on your chosen spice level.

The name slider might've been an unfortunate choice for Dave's, as its "sliders" are not the typical three-to-a-serving size — those are the "mini sliders" on the Dave's menu. Still, despite its sandwiches being at least as large as those of its competitors, the prices are high enough to dissuade some. "Almost $50 for 10 fast food chicken strips. It's a different kind of stupid," reads the title of one Reddit thread lambasting the chain.

Of course, this post does not stand alone. There are plenty of examples of folks checking out the Dave's Hot Chicken hype and being stunned by the cost, even if they enjoy the meal. While it may be expensive, Dave's is ranked among the fast food chains with the best quality chicken, so it is certainly still worth a visit. Given that it's a bit of a splurge, though — at least for fast food chicken — knowing which Dave's Hot Chicken menu items to buy or skip is a huge help.

The first step is to stick to the center of the spice chart. The No Spice and Lite Mild levels of sauce may not be worth it, nor is the Reaper. Everything in between, however, from Mild to Extra Hot, is a buy. The Top-Loaded Fries may also be a hit, but you may have to be a bit more selective of which shake offering you choose. It isn't cheap, but if you stick to the best items on the menu, Dave's Hot Chicken is still a good fast food splurge.