A Hot Chicken Spot So Spicy You Have to Sign a Waiver Is Opening in San Dimas Friday
San Dimas is getting a seriously spicy new restaurant, and its hottest chicken comes with a waiver. Angry Chickz is opening its first San Dimas location on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 1042 W. Gladstone Street. The Nashville-style hot chicken chain is celebrating its 49th nationwide restaurant with special giveaways, customizable heat levels, and a menu built around chicken tenders, sliders, and bowls.
The opening comes as chicken restaurants continue outperforming other major fast-food categories. According to Technomic data reported by Restaurant Business, chicken chain sales grew 5.3% in 2025, compared with 3% for the broader Top 500 restaurant chains. For local chicken lovers, Friday’s opening offers another place to explore that growing trend, whether they prefer their food mild or seriously fiery.
Angry Chickz Is Bringing Nashville Hot Chicken to San Dimas
The new restaurant marks a significant milestone for Angry Chickz, which began in Los Angeles in 2018. The San Dimas opening will become the company’s 41st California restaurant and 49th location nationwide, according to its October 5 announcement. It also marks the brand’s first San Dimas restaurant.
The restaurant specializes in made-to-order, hand-breaded Nashville-style hot chicken served in several combinations. Customers can choose their preferred heat level, from completely unseasoned to a fiery option that requires additional paperwork. That flexibility is central to the brand’s identity.
For San Dimas residents, the new location means they can try the Angry Chickz menu without traveling to another city. The company’s existing California footprint includes restaurants in nearby Ontario and Chino, along with locations across Los Angeles County and other parts of the state.
Related: 6 Tiny Restaurant Touches That Are Quietly Winning Over Diners and Making Every Visit Feel Personal
Six Heat Levels, Including One That Requires a Waiver
The restaurant’s hottest option is called Angry, and the waiver is real. According to the company’s official website, guests who select this level must sign the Angry Heat Level Waiver and Release of Liability. The company makes the form available online, and it specifically applies to the highest heat setting.
Here’s how the restaurant describes its six spice levels:
- Country: No heat.
- Mild: A light amount of spice.
- Medium: The brand’s middle-ground heat option.
- Hot: A stronger level for customers seeking more spice.
- X-Hot: The second-highest level on the menu.
- Angry: The hottest option, requiring a signed waiver.
The key distinction is that customers don’t have to sign a waiver just to eat at Angry Chickz. The requirement applies only to the Angry heat level, so diners who want something milder can order without taking on that challenge.
The restaurant’s heat scale also gives groups with different preferences more flexibility when ordering. Someone who wants no spice can choose Country, while another diner can explore the hotter options. The choice is entirely up to the customer.
What Can Customers Order at Angry Chickz?
The restaurant’s menu offers more than just spice levels. Its official menu features several combinations, including sandwiches, tenders, rice dishes, and loaded fries. Here are four options to know before your first visit.
This meal includes two hot chicken sliders topped with slaw and pickles, served with fries. It’s a straightforward choice for anyone who prefers chicken in sandwich form. If you’re visiting for the first time, this combo lets you try the restaurant’s signature slider format.
Two-Tender Combo (#2)
This option includes two hot chicken tenders served over toast, accompanied by pickles and fries. Unlike the slider combination, it puts the chicken tenders at the center of the meal. Consider this if you would rather skip the sandwich-style toppings.
Slider and Tender Combo (#3)
Can’t decide between tenders and sliders? This combo includes one chicken slider and one tender over toast, plus slaw, pickles, and fries. It’s the most direct option for customers who want to experience both of the restaurant’s main chicken formats in one order.
Chicken and Rice Combo (#4)
This meal features two chicken tenders served over buttery rice, topped with slaw, pickles, and Angry Chickz Sauce. It offers a different arrangement from the restaurant’s bread-based combinations. For diners who prefer rice with their chicken, this is the menu option to look at first.
The official menu also lists Angry Mac, Angry Fries, and Hangry Fix, along with individual sides such as mac and cheese, fries, and coleslaw. These additional choices give customers several ways to order beyond the traditional tenders-and-fries combination.
Opening-Day Giveaways Include Exclusive Jerseys and Free Chicken Prizes
The grand opening is more than a regular first day of business. Angry Chickz has announced several promotions designed specifically for the San Dimas launch. Some rewards are limited to early arrivals, so timing matters.
The first 100 guests will receive an exclusive, limited-edition San Dimas Angry Chickz jersey. The company also says the first 500 guests can register on-site for a chance to win a year of free Angry Chickz. According to the event announcement, five winners will be selected for the yearlong prize.
Additional gift cards and food prizes are planned throughout opening day. However, the company has not provided a complete public breakdown of every prize or its availability. Guests should not assume that every visitor will receive a free meal.
From a 900-Square-Foot Storefront to Nearly 50 Restaurants
Angry Chickz founder David Mkhitaryan discovered Nashville hot chicken in 2017 and began developing his own version. After working on the recipe, he opened the first Angry Chickz restaurant in East Hollywood in 2018 with help from his wife and best friend. That original location occupied just 900 square feet.
Since then, the company has expanded through corporate-owned and franchised restaurants. Technomic data reported by Restaurant Business showed that Angry Chickz recorded 49% year-over-year sales growth in 2025 and finished that year with 34 locations. The San Dimas opening represents another step in that expansion.
The growth also reflects broader shifts in how chicken restaurants compete. In its 2026 menu research, Technomic noted that operators are increasingly emphasizing distinctive products and memorable restaurant experiences. Senior director Lizzy Freier highlighted the importance of offering “signature items that can’t be made at home.”
For Angry Chickz, the combination of customizable Nashville hot chicken, a waiver-required heat level, and opening-day promotions fits that approach.
Founder David Mkhitaryan emphasized the chain’s Southern California roots in the announcement, saying, “We’re excited to bring Angry Chickz to San Dimas.”
What to Know Before Visiting Friday
Angry Chickz is scheduled to open Friday, October 16, at 1042 W. Gladstone Street, San Dimas, CA 91773. The grand-opening event listing advertises an 11 a.m. Pacific start, although the restaurant’s main website displays a conflicting time zone label. Anyone planning to arrive early for promotional merchandise should confirm the event time through the restaurant’s official website or linked Facebook event.
Customers can also explore the company’s app and rewards program, which lets you order ahead and earn points on qualifying purchases. The program is available for future visits, not just the grand opening.
Whether you want to test the waiver-required Angry heat level or simply order a mild chicken slider, Friday’s opening brings another Nashville hot chicken option to San Dimas.
The bottom line: Angry Chickz opens Friday with six spice levels, a confirmed waiver requirement for its hottest chicken, and limited opening-day giveaways for early customers.
