Refund Policy

Effective Date: May 17, 2026  |  Last Updated: May 17, 2026

1. Overview

At Dave's Hot Chicken, we are committed to delivering a satisfying and high-quality dining experience with every order. We take great pride in the freshness, preparation, and presentation of our food. However, we understand that issues can occasionally arise, and we want to ensure that our customers are treated fairly and transparently in all matters related to refunds, exchanges, and cancellations.

This Refund Policy applies to all orders placed directly through our website daves-hotchicken.top, including online orders for delivery, pickup, and catering. If your order was placed through a third-party platform (such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, or similar services), please refer to that platform's refund and cancellation policies, as we have limited ability to process refunds for orders not placed directly with us.

2. Eligibility Conditions for Refunds

To be eligible for a refund from Dave's Hot Chicken, your request must meet one or more of the following conditions:

• You received an item that is incorrect (i.e., not what you ordered).
• You received food that was missing from your order and you were charged for it.
• The food you received was in an unsatisfactory condition upon delivery or pickup, including but not limited to being spoiled, undercooked, or significantly different from what was described on our menu.
• Your order was never delivered or made available for pickup, despite confirmation of your order and payment.
• A technical error on our website caused a duplicate charge or incorrect billing.
• Your order was cancelled by Dave's Hot Chicken due to an inability to fulfill it (e.g., ingredient unavailability, operational issues).

Refund requests that do not meet the above criteria may not be approved. We reserve the right to evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis and to request supporting evidence such as photographs, order confirmation numbers, or written descriptions of the issue.

3. Timeframes for Refund Requests

To ensure that all refund requests can be properly investigated, we ask that customers adhere to the following timeframes when submitting a refund request:

Requests submitted after these timeframes may not be honored. We strongly encourage customers to inspect their orders promptly upon receipt and to contact us as soon as any issue is identified.

4. Non-Refundable Items and Situations

Certain situations and items are not eligible for a refund. Please review the following non-refundable conditions carefully:

• Change of mind: Refunds will not be issued simply because you changed your mind about your order after it has been prepared or dispatched.
• Incorrect information provided by customer: If an order was delivered to a wrong address or prepared incorrectly due to errors made by the customer when placing the order, no refund will be issued.
• Spice level dissatisfaction: Dave's Hot Chicken is known for its spicy offerings. If you selected a spice level and found it to be too hot or not hot enough based on personal preference, this does not qualify for a refund.
• Partially consumed food: If the majority of a food item has been consumed, it will not be eligible for a refund based on quality complaints.
• Catering deposits: Non-refundable deposits paid to secure catering orders are not eligible for refund unless the cancellation is initiated by Dave's Hot Chicken.
• Promotional or discounted items: Items purchased with promotional codes, discounts, or as part of a special offer may have limited or no refund eligibility.
• Third-party platform orders: Orders placed through third-party delivery platforms are subject to those platforms' refund policies and are generally not refundable directly through Dave's Hot Chicken.

5. How to Request a Refund (Step-by-Step)

If you believe your order qualifies for a refund, please follow the steps below to submit your request:

1. Gather your order details: Before contacting us, please have your order confirmation number, the date and time of your order, and the specific items in question ready.
2. Document the issue: If applicable, take clear photographs of the incorrect, missing, or unsatisfactory food items. Visual evidence significantly helps us resolve your case quickly and fairly.
3. Contact us via email: Send your refund request to [email protected]. In the subject line, write: "Refund Request – [Your Order Number]".
4. Include all relevant information: In the body of your email, include your full name, contact phone number, order confirmation number, a description of the issue, and any supporting photographs or evidence.
5. Wait for a response: Our customer service team will review your request and respond within 2 to 3 business days. We may follow up with additional questions to complete our review.
6. Refund decision: Once your request has been reviewed and approved, we will notify you of the outcome and initiate the refund process according to your original payment method.

6. Refund Processing Times by Payment Method

Once a refund has been approved, the time it takes for the funds to be returned to you will depend on your original payment method. Please refer to the table below for estimated processing times:

Please note that processing times are estimates and may vary depending on your financial institution. Dave's Hot Chicken is not responsible for delays caused by banks or payment processors once the refund has been initiated on our end.

7. Partial Refunds

In some cases, a partial refund may be issued rather than a full refund. Partial refunds may apply under the following circumstances:

• Only one or a few items in your order were missing or incorrect, and the remaining items were received in satisfactory condition.
• An item had a minor quality issue that did not render the entire meal unsatisfactory.
• A catering order was partially delivered or fulfilled.
• A promotional discount or coupon was applied to your order, and only a portion of the order is eligible for a refund.
• The customer contributed to the error (e.g., partially incorrect delivery address), warranting a partial adjustment.

The amount of any partial refund will be calculated based on the individual item prices listed at the time of purchase, including applicable taxes on those items. Delivery fees, service fees, and tips are generally non-refundable unless the entire order qualifies for a full refund.

8. Exchange Policy

Due to the perishable nature of food products, Dave's Hot Chicken generally does not offer direct exchanges in the traditional retail sense. However, in situations where an item was prepared incorrectly or does not match your order, we may offer the following remedies at our discretion:

• Replacement item: If you experience an issue with a specific menu item and are local to our operation, we may offer to prepare and send a replacement item at no additional cost, subject to order verification and availability.
• Store credit: Instead of a monetary refund, we may offer store credit in the form of a discount code or account credit that can be applied to a future order on daves-hotchicken.top.

Any offer of an exchange, replacement, or store credit is subject to approval by our customer service team and must be requested within the applicable timeframe stated in Section 3 of this policy.

9. Cancellation Policy

We understand that plans can change. Below is our cancellation policy for orders placed directly through daves-hotchicken.top:

9.1 Standard Orders (Delivery and Pickup)

For standard food delivery and pickup orders, you may cancel your order free of charge within 5 minutes of placing it, provided that food preparation has not yet begun. After this window, cancellations may not be possible, and refunds may not be issued, as our kitchen begins preparing orders promptly upon confirmation.

If you need to cancel an order, please contact us immediately at [email protected] or via any available chat support on our website. We will do our best to accommodate your request if food preparation has not commenced.

9.2 Catering Orders

Catering orders require significant advance planning and resource allocation. The following cancellation terms apply to catering orders:

10. Dispute Resolution Process

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of a refund request, or if you believe your complaint has not been adequately addressed, you have the following options for dispute resolution:

10.1 Internal Escalation

You may request that your case be escalated to a senior member of our customer service team. To do this, reply to the email thread regarding your refund request and include the subject line: "Escalation Request – [Your Order Number]". We will review escalated cases within 5 business days.

10.2 Chargeback Through Your Bank

If you are a customer in the United States and believe you were unfairly charged, you have the right to dispute the charge with your bank or credit card issuer under applicable consumer protection laws, including those enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). We encourage you to attempt to resolve any issues directly with us before initiating a chargeback, as we are committed to fair resolution.

10.3 Consumer Protection Resources

Customers in the United States may also contact the following consumer protection resources if they feel their concerns have not been resolved:

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC): www.ftc.gov
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): www.consumerfinance.gov
• Your state's Attorney General Office (for state-level consumer protection matters)

For customers located in California, additional rights may be available to you under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA) and the California Consumer Protection Laws. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for more details on your rights as a California resident.

11. Fraud Prevention

Dave's Hot Chicken takes fraudulent refund claims seriously. Any attempt to abuse our refund policy, including submitting false claims, fabricating evidence, or exploiting our processes in bad faith, may result in the refusal of your refund request, suspension of your account, and/or referral to appropriate legal authorities. We reserve the right to investigate all refund claims and to deny requests that we believe are fraudulent or made in bad faith.

12. Changes to This Refund Policy

Dave's Hot Chicken reserves the right to update or modify this Refund Policy at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to our website at daves-hotchicken.top. It is your responsibility to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our website and services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Information for Refund Requests

For all refund-related inquiries, questions, or requests, please reach out to our customer service team using the contact details below. We are committed to responding to all refund-related communications within 2 to 3 business days.