Nashville Hot Chicken Week: What to Know
Nashville Hot Chicken Week is a city-wide dining event where restaurants across Nashville offer $8 hot chicken specials, showcasing both traditional and creative takes on the city’s most iconic dish. The event highlights Nashville hot chicken’s cultural roots, modern evolution, and the restaurants that continue to shape its legacy.
Classic Nashville hot chicken, traditionally served on white bread with pickles.
Get ready to feel the burn!
Nashville Hot Chicken Week is a city-wide celebration of one of Nashville’s most iconic dishes: hot chicken. Each year, restaurants across the city participate by offering specially priced hot chicken dishes, giving locals and visitors a chance to experience both traditional and creative interpretations of this famously spicy food.
During Hot Chicken Week, participating restaurants feature $8 hot chicken specials, and diners are encouraged to explore multiple locations and vote for their favorites using the official event app.
Due to recent winter weather, select restaurants have extended their Hot Chicken Week specials through February 6, though participation varies by location.
How Nashville Hot Chicken Week Works
Nashville Hot Chicken Week is both a dining event and a friendly competition.
Restaurants create a special hot chicken dish priced at $8
Diners visit participating restaurants throughout the city
Votes are cast for:
Best Traditional
Best Overall
Most Unique Dish
All voting, restaurant listings, and prize eligibility are managed through the official Nashville Hot Chicken Week app.
The Nashville Hot Chicken Week App
The official app is the most accurate and up-to-date source for participation details.
Why the app matters:
Displays a real-time map of participating restaurants
Shows which locations are honoring the $8 pricing
Allows digital check-ins for prize eligibility
Enables official voting in all categories
Because weather, demand, and ingredient availability can affect participation, checking the app before visiting a restaurant is strongly recommended.
Official App Information:
Apple App Store & Google Play: Search “Nashville Hot Chicken Week”
Typically published by Patchboard, LLC and associated with the Nashville Scene
Notable Nashville Hot Chicken Week Restaurants
Several well-known Nashville restaurants consistently draw attention during Hot Chicken Week for their classic or crowd-favorite offerings.
Prince’s Hot Chicken – The original Nashville hot chicken, traditionally served with white bread and pickles
Hattie B’s – A modern hot chicken staple with competition-only specials
Pepperfire Hot Chicken – Known for inventive combinations, including hot chicken over fried grilled cheese
Bishop’s Meat & 3 – A traditional meat-and-three with deep ties to hot chicken history
Restaurants Known for Unique Hot Chicken Dishes
Hot Chicken Week also highlights creative interpretations that go beyond the classic “chicken on bread” format.
Limo Peruvian Eatery – Peruvian-inspired brasa-style hot chicken with layered sauces
BoomBozz Craft Pizza – Hot chicken wings and pizza-based interpretations, including ultra-spicy challenges
Saint Añejo – Hot chicken tacos paired with cooling crema
Punk Wok – Hot chicken served in steamed bao buns with pickled vegetables
These restaurants are often mentioned in the Most Unique Dish category.
Tips for Experiencing Nashville Hot Chicken Week
All featured specials are priced at $8
Popular restaurants may have long wait times
Participation can change daily due to weather or demand
The official app is required for voting and prize eligibility
Guests are encouraged to tip based on the full value of the meal
A Legacy of Revenge: The History of Nashville Hot Chicken
While Nashville hot chicken is often attributed to Thornton Prince, the story behind the dish is more nuanced—and far more memorable. According to local legend, the fiery recipe was created in the 1930s by Prince’s girlfriend as an act of revenge, loading his fried chicken with extreme cayenne heat. Instead of recoiling, he loved it—eventually opening the BBQ Chicken Shack, now known as Prince’s Hot Chicken.
What began as a neighborhood specialty has since become one of Nashville’s defining culinary contributions—an internationally recognized dish that reflects the city’s bold personality and cultural identity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nashville Hot Chicken Week
What is Nashville Hot Chicken Week?
Nashville Hot Chicken Week is an annual, city-wide dining event where restaurants offer $8 hot chicken specials and diners vote for their favorites using an official app.
When does Nashville Hot Chicken Week take place?
The event typically occurs in late January and early February. In some years, select restaurants extend participation due to weather or other factors.
How much do the Hot Chicken Week dishes cost?
All official Hot Chicken Week specials are priced at $8.
Do all restaurants participate for the full week?
No. Participation may vary, especially during extended dates. Some restaurants may opt out or sell out due to ingredient availability.
How do you vote during Hot Chicken Week?
Voting takes place through the official Nashville Hot Chicken Week app, which requires account creation and location-based check-ins.
Is Nashville hot chicken always extremely spicy?
Heat levels vary by restaurant. Many locations offer multiple spice levels, but Nashville hot chicken is traditionally known for its cayenne-heavy heat.
Who invented Nashville hot chicken?
Nashville hot chicken is often attributed to Thornton Prince, but its origin is rooted in a local legend. In the 1930s, Prince’s girlfriend allegedly created the intensely spicy chicken as an act of revenge for his infidelity, only for him to enjoy it and later turn it into a business. That story led to the founding of Prince’s Hot Chicken and the rise of one of Nashville’s most iconic dishes.
Helpful Links
Official Nashville Hot Chicken Week Site: https://www.hotchickenweek.com
Nashville Scene: https://www.nashvillescene.com
Prince’s Hot Chicken: https://princeshotchicken.com
Hattie B’s: https://hattieb.com