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Daves Hot Chicken Takes Flight With Drone Delivery Pilot In La Suburb
Dave’s Hot Chicken, a fast-casual chain specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken, has partnered with Matternet to launch a drone delivery pilot in Northridge, a Los Angeles suburb. This marks the first time a national fast-casual brand has tested drone delivery at scale, positioning Dave’s as a trailblazer in the industry.
The partnership brings together two companies that share a common goal: revolutionizing the way food is delivered to customers. Matternet, a Silicon Valley-based company, has been operating a home delivery service since October 2024, while Dave’s Hot Chicken has expanded to over 300 locations across the United States. The collaboration represents a significant strategic shift for Matternet, which has achieved numerous industry firsts, including being the first to be authorized for commercial Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone delivery operations over cities in Switzerland.
The Matternet M2 drone will be used for the pilot program, which will deliver eligible orders directly to customers’ homes. The service area is expected to start small, similar to how Matternet’s Silicon Valley operations began with a limited radius. Orders will be prepared at Dave’s Northridge Reseda location and delivered to approved homes in Northridge.
Matternet founder and CEO Andreas Raptopoulos envisions drones replacing millions of food deliveries that currently move through cities in 2-ton cars, reducing traffic and pollution. “Each day, more than 10 million food deliveries move through our cities,” he said. “I envision drones replacing those trips, delivering meals faster and cleaner.”
The experience Matternet gained from its Silicon Valley operations will be invaluable to the Northridge pilot program. In that market, the M2 drone hovered about 23 feet above ground and lowered packages via a tether system rather than landing.
Dave’s Hot Chicken was founded in 2017 by three childhood friends who scraped together $900 to launch in a parking lot with portable fryers and folding tables. The chain has since expanded to over 300 locations, including a restaurant in Tualatin, Oregon. The partnership represents an opportunity for Dave’s to differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive fast-casual market.
“For us, innovation is part of our DNA,” said Leon Davoyan, Dave’s Chief Technology Officer. “We’re excited to partner with Matternet and bring our customers the convenience and novelty of drone delivery.”
The growing restaurant drone delivery trend has been gaining momentum in recent years, with chains like Sweetgreen, Panera Bread, Chick-fil-A, Jersey Mike’s, and Wendy’s partnering with drone delivery companies like Zipline, Flytrex, Wing, and DroneUp. Restaurants are attracted to drone delivery for several reasons: off-premise business has grown since the pandemic, drones typically offer lower energy consumption per package than other vehicles, and it generates publicity as customers are more likely to post videos of drone deliveries on social media.
However, consumer perception remains nuanced, with a 2024 study finding that 74% of respondents saw value in drone delivery for medical supplies in remote areas, but only 63% considered it valuable in urban areas. Food delivery falls somewhere in between – convenient enough to be useful, novel enough to generate interest.
The partnership represents a significant step forward in the industry, demonstrating that drone delivery can be used effectively for food delivery. As the infrastructure is already in place, it will be interesting to see how this pilot program unfolds and whether America’s appetite for drone-delivered hot chicken matches its appetite for the dish itself.
Matternet’s success with commercial BVLOS operations has given it a competitive advantage over other companies. With Matternet’s FAA Type Certified drone delivery platform, the partnership is poised to succeed where others might fail.
The success of this partnership could pave the way for more restaurant partnerships to follow, as the technology becomes increasingly accessible and user-friendly. As consumers continue to demand convenient and innovative solutions, companies like Dave’s Hot Chicken and Matternet are poised to lead the way.
As the drone delivery landscape continues to evolve, it will be essential to monitor consumer behavior and adjust services accordingly. With more restaurants jumping on the drone delivery bandwagon, understanding customer preferences will become increasingly important.
The world of food delivery is likely to undergo significant changes in the coming years. As technology improves and companies like Dave’s Hot Chicken and Matternet continue to push boundaries, it remains to be seen whether America’s appetite for drone-delivered hot chicken matches its appetite for innovation.