Refund Policy

Effective Date: June 19, 2026  |  Last Updated: June 19, 2026

At Dave's Hot Chicken, we are committed to delivering an exceptional dining experience with every order. We understand that sometimes things don't go as planned, and we want to make it right. This Refund Policy explains your rights, our obligations, and the procedures for requesting refunds, exchanges, cancellations, and dispute resolution. Please read this document thoroughly before submitting a refund request.

1. General Policy Overview

Dave's Hot Chicken strives for complete customer satisfaction. Because we deal in perishable food products, our refund policy is necessarily more specific than those of non-food retailers. Refunds, replacements, and credits are offered in accordance with applicable United States consumer protection laws, including guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act, as well as any applicable state consumer protection statutes.

All refund decisions are made at the discretion of Dave's Hot Chicken management after a thorough review of each individual case. We reserve the right to deny refund requests that do not meet the eligibility criteria outlined in this policy.

2. Eligibility Conditions for Refunds

To be eligible for a refund, the following conditions must be met:

• Food Quality Issues: The item received was spoiled, undercooked, contaminated, or otherwise unfit for consumption.
• Incorrect Order: You received an item that is materially different from what you ordered (wrong item, wrong spice level, wrong quantity).
• Missing Items: One or more items from your order were not delivered or included in your bag.
• Allergic Reactions Due to Mislabeling: You experienced an allergic reaction as a direct result of an item containing an ingredient not disclosed on our menu or upon your specific inquiry.
• Significant Delay: Your order was delayed by more than 45 minutes beyond the quoted delivery or pickup time without prior notification, and you chose not to accept the order upon its late arrival.
• Order Never Received: A delivery order was never delivered and cannot be confirmed as delivered by the delivery service.

3. Timeframes for Refund Requests

All refund requests must be submitted within the following timeframes from the time of purchase or delivery:

Requests submitted after these timeframes will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may be denied. We strongly encourage you to report issues as soon as they occur to ensure a swift resolution.

4. Non-Refundable Items and Circumstances

The following items, services, and circumstances are generally not eligible for refunds:

• Orders that have been fully consumed before a complaint is raised.
• Dissatisfaction with spice level when the correct heat level was delivered as ordered. (Dave's Hot Chicken clearly labels all spice levels; please choose carefully.)
• Change of mind after the order has been prepared and/or dispatched.
• Promotional items, free add-ons, or complimentary food provided as part of a special offer.
• Digital gift cards or store credit once they have been redeemed.
• Catering deposits after preparation has commenced (see Section 9 for details).
• Third-party delivery service fees charged by platforms such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub. These must be disputed directly with the respective platform.
• Orders where the customer provided an incorrect delivery address.
• Orders where the customer was unavailable to receive delivery after reasonable attempts were made.

5. How to Request a Refund — Step-by-Step

Follow these steps to submit a refund request efficiently:

Step 1: Gather Your Information

Before contacting us, please have the following ready:

• Your order confirmation number or receipt
• The date and time of your order
• A clear description of the issue
• Photographs of the item(s) in question, if applicable (strongly recommended for food quality complaints)
• Your preferred refund method (original payment method or store credit)

Step 2: Contact Us

Reach out to us through any of the following channels:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: hotchicken-daves.rest

Step 3: Submit Your Request

In your message, include your order number, a detailed description of the problem, and any supporting photos or documentation. Clearly state whether you are requesting a full refund, partial refund, replacement, or store credit.

Step 4: Await Confirmation

Our customer service team will acknowledge your request within 1–2 business days. We may ask for additional information to verify your claim before proceeding.

Step 5: Resolution

Once your request is reviewed and approved, we will notify you of the resolution method and the expected processing time based on your original payment method (see Section 6).

6. Refund Processing Times by Payment Method

Once a refund has been approved, the time it takes to appear in your account varies by payment method:

Please note that Dave's Hot Chicken processes refunds promptly on our end; however, the final timing of when funds appear in your account is subject to your bank or payment provider's policies.

7. Partial Refunds

A partial refund may be issued in the following circumstances:

• Only one or a few items in your order were incorrect, missing, or unsatisfactory — a refund will be issued for those specific items only.
• The food quality issue affected part of your order but not the entire order.
• A delivery delay impacted part of your order (e.g., some items arrived cold while others were acceptable).
• The customer has partially consumed the order before identifying a valid issue.
• Catering orders where partial services were rendered before cancellation.

The amount of a partial refund will be calculated based on the proportional value of the affected items, minus any applicable delivery or service fees that were correctly fulfilled.

8. Exchange Policy

In many cases, Dave's Hot Chicken may offer a replacement rather than a monetary refund. This is often the fastest way to resolve your issue. Exchanges or replacements may be offered when:

• An incorrect item was delivered and a replacement can be provided within a reasonable timeframe.
• An item was missing from a pickup or delivery order and you are able to return to the location.
• A food quality issue is isolated and the remainder of the order was satisfactory.

If you prefer a monetary refund over a replacement, please indicate this clearly when submitting your request. We will honor your preference to the extent permitted by this policy. Replacements for delivery orders may be subject to the availability of delivery drivers and may take up to 60 minutes to arrive.

9. Cancellation Policy

Standard Orders (Online / In-App / Phone)

Orders may be cancelled free of charge within 5 minutes of placement, provided that the kitchen has not yet begun preparation. After 5 minutes, or once your order is confirmed as "In Preparation" by our system, cancellations will not be accepted for a full refund. A store credit may be offered at our discretion.

Scheduled Pickup Orders

Scheduled pickup orders may be cancelled up to 30 minutes before the scheduled pickup time for a full refund. Cancellations made within 30 minutes of the pickup time will result in a store credit equal to 50% of the order value.

Catering and Large Group Orders

Catering orders and large group orders (defined as orders over $200 or serving more than 15 people) are subject to a separate cancellation schedule:

10. Dispute Resolution Process

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your refund request, Dave's Hot Chicken encourages you to pursue the following dispute resolution process before initiating a chargeback with your bank or credit card provider:

Step 1: Internal Escalation

Request that your case be escalated to a senior manager by replying to your refund resolution email or contacting us directly at [email protected]. Include the subject line: "Refund Dispute Escalation – [Your Order Number]". A senior team member will review your case within 3 business days.

Step 2: Formal Written Complaint

If the escalation does not resolve your concern, you may submit a formal written complaint to us by email at [email protected]. We will respond within 5 business days with a final written decision.

Step 3: External Resolution

If you remain unsatisfied after our internal process is exhausted, you have the right to:

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov.
• Contact your state's Attorney General's Consumer Protection Office.
• Initiate a chargeback through your bank or credit card issuer, subject to their policies and timeframes.
• Pursue resolution through small claims court in the applicable jurisdiction.

11. Store Credit as an Alternative

In some cases, Dave's Hot Chicken may offer store credit as an alternative to a monetary refund. Store credit:

• Is applied directly to your Dave's Hot Chicken account or issued as a digital voucher code.
• Does not expire for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance.
• Cannot be exchanged for cash.
• Is non-transferable.
• May be applied to any future order at participating Dave's Hot Chicken locations or through our website.

12. Third-Party Delivery Platforms

If your order was placed through a third-party delivery service such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, or a similar platform, please be aware of the following:

• Refund requests for orders placed through third-party platforms must be initiated through that platform's own support system.
• Dave's Hot Chicken is not responsible for refund decisions made by third-party platforms.
• Delivery fees, tips, and service charges collected by third-party platforms are outside our control and cannot be refunded by us.
• If a third-party platform denies your refund for a legitimate food quality issue, you may contact us directly at [email protected] with documentation, and we will review your case individually.

13. Policy Amendments

Dave's Hot Chicken reserves the right to modify this Refund Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on our website at hotchicken-daves.rest with an updated effective date. Continued use of our services following any modification constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

14. Contact Information for Refund Requests

For all refund inquiries, replacements, and complaints, please reach out to our customer care team using the contact details below: