Brand Shoutouts
13 locations, a food truck, NFL and NBA arena deals, and a halal-first menu built on Amoroso rolls. Here's what Big Dave's is doing right — and why the window for early operators is still open.
By Justin K. Sellers · 8 min read · April 1, 2026
In 2016, a Philadelphia-born actress named Eve stopped by a 700-square-foot cheesesteak joint inside a Shell gas station in Dunwoody, Georgia, took one bite, and went on every social media platform she had. The next day, Derrick Hayes had a line out the door.
That moment didn't create Big Dave's Cheesesteaks. But it announced it. Nine years later, the brand operates 13 locations and a food truck across the Southeast, sells over 1,500 cheesesteaks every day, and just landed at #6 on Fast Casual's 2025 Top 100 Movers and Shakers list — the first majority Black-owned brand to reach that position.
This is what a movement looks like before it becomes a household name.
Derrick Hayes grew up in West Philadelphia selling bean pies and newspapers, shoveling driveways, and eventually landing a job with the United States Postal Service. When his father David Hayes was diagnosed with lung cancer and couldn't get into Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, the family traveled to Emory University's facility in Atlanta for treatment. Derrick quit the postal service to be present.
Before David Hayes passed away, he made his son promise something.
"I don't want you to work like I did my whole life and have nothing to show for it." — David Hayes, as recalled by Derrick Hayes
Five years after that hospital room, Derrick Hayes opened Dave's Philly Water Ice — named for his father — in a Shell gas station in Dunwoody, Georgia. Italian ice didn't work. He pivoted to cheesesteaks. For more than a year, traffic was almost nonexistent. Then Eve walked in.
The brand Hayes built in the years after that moment is named Big Dave's Cheesesteaks — every location, every cheesesteak, every egg roll a direct tribute to a father who didn't live to see any of it.
"I've made my father famous. That was my goal. To always feel his presence."
Hayes was named to Forbes Next 1000 in 2021, graced the cover of Essence Magazine in 2022, and was recognized by Black Enterprise's 40 Under 40 in 2023. He runs The David and Derrick Hayes Foundation — focused on cancer research and early detection — and the David & Derrick Hayes College Fund, which provides quarterly funding to students maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher.
His wife, Pinky Cole — founder of Slutty Vegan — is his closest business confidant. "Having your wife as your biggest inspiration is a blessing," Hayes has said.
Big Dave's built its menu on a foundation that can't be easily faked: the Amoroso roll. Amoroso Baking Company is the Philadelphia institution whose bread is synonymous with authentic cheesesteaks. Getting that roll right is step one. Big Dave's has it locked in.
Dave's Way is the signature — beef, chicken, or salmon cheesesteak built with fried onions, fried mushrooms, American cheese, provolone cheese, and cheese whiz, named directly for Derrick's late father. Every sandwich is a tribute. The Protein Lineup offers halal beef, halal chicken, and wild-caught salmon. The halal designation is not a marketing detail. It's a genuine differentiator that gives Big Dave's access to Muslim-majority communities where most fast-casual concepts have never seriously competed. The Cheesesteak Egg Rolls are hand-rolled and available in beef, chicken, and salmon. In market after market, these egg rolls appear in customer reviews as the breakout item — the thing first-timers order on a dare and regulars reorder every visit. The 18-Inch. Select locations offer an 18-inch cheesesteak sandwich. Social media builds itself. Philly Pretzel Factory Partnership. Big Dave's partnered with Philly Pretzel Factory — the world's largest pretzel franchise — to bring freshly baked, hand-twisted soft pretzels to Big Dave's locations. Another authentic Philadelphia staple added to a menu already built on Philly credentials.The menu is intentionally focused. Tight menus train faster, cost less to operate, and deliver more consistent product across operators with different experience levels.
Big Dave's opened its first corporate location in downtown Atlanta in August 2019. By 2022, the brand had secured three food stands inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium — home of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. The stadium presence wasn't a partnership footnote. It was proof of high-volume throughput at NFL scale.
In 2024, Big Dave's expanded its Mercedes-Benz Stadium partnership to include a permanent four-year location in Section 107. Then came Kia Center in Orlando — the NBA's Orlando Magic arena — adding an NBA venue to the brand's non-traditional footprint.
Corporate locations now include downtown Atlanta, Forest Park, Lawrenceville, and a new Marietta Street flagship featuring a Liberty Bell installation and custom cheesesteak artwork.
Charlotte, NC. Big Dave's opened its first out-of-state corporate location at 8552 University City Boulevard — the brand's first move beyond Georgia. Central Florida. In January 2024, former PepsiCo global president Derek Lewis signed a 10-unit franchise deal for Central Florida, covering Lake, Brevard, Volusia, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. The first location opened in Oviedo at 441 E Mitchell Hammock Road. South Carolina. Franchisees Marc and Kiera Brown and Frank and Courtney Williams signed a five-location deal for South Carolina. Their first location opened in Columbia's Five Points District at 942-B Harden Street in spring 2025 — with South Carolina State Senator Overture Walker and state legislators present at the ribbon-cutting. Their second South Carolina location in Greenville at 1224 Woodruff Road broke ground in August 2025 — the brand's fifth new opening of that year.The brand officially launched franchising in August 2023. As of early 2026, it operates 13 locations and a food truck.
Franchise inquiries and FDD request:
bigdavesfranchise.comNew-market openings are generating the kind of customer energy that marketing budgets can't manufacture.
"I'm visiting from Illinois for a few days and I was ordering Doordash and came across this place. I'm so happy that I did. I've ordered twice in 3 days. It's so good!" — Yelp reviewer, Orlando SoDo location, May 2025
"Nice clean entrance and friendly welcome from all the staff. The price was higher than I expected but the quality of the food made it well worth it. After a recent visit to Philadelphia, the cheesesteak is on spot for the taste. I'll definitely visit again." — Yelp reviewer, Orlando, May 2025
"The food was absolutely delicious!!! We'll definitely go again." — TripAdvisor reviewer, Atlanta location, 2024
"Not gonna beat this place for all you want — price, taste, service, speed, etc. For a chain it nails what it does." — TripAdvisor reviewer, Atlanta, August 2024
"We stopped in early today to avoid any lines. Everyone was friendly and attentive, the beef egg rolls definitely a must try." — Charlotte location customer
"The only place I found a better one was Philadelphia itself." — TripAdvisor reviewer, Atlanta
The pattern: food quality drives repeat visits. Egg rolls build loyalty beyond the core product. New location openings land with genuine community excitement in every market entered so far.
Big Dave's is ranked #6 on the Fast Casual 2025 Top 100 Movers and Shakers list — the first majority Black-owned brand to earn that position. Every current franchisee identifies as Black or BIPOC. The brand has community credibility that cannot be manufactured.
For multi-unit operators looking for a position in an emerging Southeast brand before territories tighten — this is the window.
The opportunity profile:
- Protected territory available in high-growth Southeast and Florida markets - 100% BIPOC franchisee base with community adoption built in - Halal positioning creating first-mover access in underserved markets - Stadium partnerships providing systemwide brand exposure at zero franchisee cost - A founder-operator with a story that drives foot traffic at every grand opening
[DEEP_DIVE_CTA url="/article/big-daves-cheesesteaks-deep-dive/" btnLabel="Read the Full Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Deep Dive"] Want the full story before you make any decisions?
Our Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Deep Dive goes deeper on everything that matters to operators:
- The actual unit economics: what the FDD says, what the payback math looks like at multiple margin assumptions, and where the data gaps are - The franchise vs. corporate location split — and what the Doraville situation means - Customer review patterns across every market, including THE CHALLENGING - Employee reviews from Indeed and what limited data says about the internal culture - The 100-location target that wasn't met — and the honest questions to ask at discovery day - Who this concept is built for, who it isn't, and what to ask in Item 21 before you sign anything [/DEEP_DIVE_CTA]
QSR Research Hub uses publicly available sources only: trade press, FDD disclosures cited in journalism, company press releases, and customer review platforms with specific location URLs. We do not contact brands before publishing. We do not accept payment for coverage. Every factual claim has a citation. Analysis is clearly labeled as analysis.
This companion article draws on the same source base as our Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Deep Dive.
Key limitations remain:
- Franchised unit performance data: The franchise program launched in August 2023 and the first franchise locations opened in 2025. No franchisee-level Item 19 disclosures are publicly available yet. Any buyer evaluating this brand right now is working from affiliate (corporate) location performance — not franchised unit results. That distinction matters. - The Doraville closure: One of the original Atlanta affiliate locations appears closed as of December 2025. The operational circumstances are not publicly documented. Ask about it at discovery day. - The 100-location timeline: Hayes publicly targeted 100 franchise locations by end of 2025. The brand is at 13 total locations. No revised public timeline has been published.
QSR Research Hub does not accept payment from franchisors, franchisees, or brands for editorial coverage. This article was produced independently. Operators and buyers seeking introductions to qualified franchise advisors may visit our introductions page.
QSR Research Hub publishes operator-first franchise research for buyers, multi-unit operators, and investors tracking the fast-casual industry. Independent. Cited. No spin.
1. CNBC Make It. "How Derrick Hayes Built Big Dave's Cheesesteaks." August 31, 2023. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/31/how-derrick-hayes-built-big-daves-cheesesteaks.html
2. CNBC Make It (see citation 1). Verbatim quote from Derrick Hayes on Eve's social media post and the next-day line.
3. Greenville Business Magazine. "Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Breaks Ground in Greenville." August 20, 2025. https://www.greenvillebusinessmag.com/2025/08/20/543296/big-daves-cheesesteaks-breaks-ground-in-greenville
4. Fortune. "Big Dave's Cheesesteaks CEO grew up in 'survival mode' selling newspapers and bean pies." August 30, 2025. https://fortune.com/2025/08/30/big-daves-cheesesteaks-founder-ceo-derrick-hayes-entrepreneurship-careers-business-bean-pies-survival-mode-hustle/
5. QSR Magazine. "Introducing the Fast Casual FutureMakers: Big Dave's Cheesesteaks." April 1, 2026. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/introducing-the-fast-casual-futuremakers-big-daves-cheesesteaks/
6. Fortune (see citation 4). Verbatim quote from Derrick Hayes recalling his father's words.
7. CNBC Make It (see citation 1). Origin story: Dave's Philly Water Ice at the Shell gas station.
8. Big Dave's Cheesesteaks About page. https://www.bigdavesway.com/about-us-1
9. QSR Magazine FutureMakers (see citation 5). Verbatim quotes from Derrick Hayes on Pinky Cole, operator filter question, and Suhel Ahmed.
10. QSR Magazine. "Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Breaks Ground on Second South Carolina Franchise." August 20, 2025. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/big-daves-cheesesteaks-breaks-ground-on-second-south-carolina-franchise/
11. QSR Magazine. "Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Announces Franchise Program." November 28, 2023. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/big-daves-cheesesteaks-announces-franchise-program/ Amoroso rolls, halal protein, Philly steak supplier.
12. Charlotte's Got A Lot. Big Dave's Cheesesteaks customer reviews. https://www.charlottesgotalot.com/eat-drink/restaurants/big-daves-cheesesteaks
13. QSR Magazine. "Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Opens First Franchise Location." March 25, 2025. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/big-daves-cheesesteaks-opens-first-franchise-location/
14. Big Dave's Franchise website. https://bigdavesfranchise.com/
15. Franchise Times. "Emerging Brand Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Signs First Franchise Deal." January 19, 2024. https://www.franchisetimes.com/franchise_news/emerging-brand-big-dave-s-cheesesteaks-signs-first-franchise-deal/article_1146797e-b574-11ee-be32-d31f57eb9696.html Derek Lewis deal; Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Kia Center partnerships.
16. Yelp. "Big Dave's Cheesesteaks — Oviedo." Location page, accessed March 2026. https://www.yelp.com/biz/big-daves-cheesesteaks-oviedo-2
17. QSR Magazine. "Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Signs New Deals in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia." July 30, 2024. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/big-daves-cheesesteaks-signs-new-deals-in-florida-south-carolina-and-georgia/
18. Yelp. "Big Dave's Cheesesteak — Orlando SoDo." Customer reviews, accessed March 2026. https://www.yelp.com/biz/big-dave-s-cheesesteak-orlando?start=40
19. TripAdvisor. "Big Dave's Cheesesteaks — Atlanta." Customer reviews. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60898-d10800579-Reviews-Big_Dave_s_Cheesesteaks-Atlanta_Georgia.html
20. QSR Magazine. "Suhel Ahmed Joins Big Dave's Cheesesteaks as Strategic Adviser." July 8, 2025. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/suhel-ahmed-joins-big-daves-cheesesteaks-as-strategic-adviser/