The sauce situation at Dave's Hot Chicken is both simpler and more interesting than you might expect. Most fast food chains have a list of five or six dipping sauces you pick from at the counter. Dave's is different - the "sauce" is built into the chicken itself.
The Main Sauce: Spice Paste by Heat Level
The primary sauce at Dave's Hot Chicken isn't a dipping sauce - it's the spice paste that's applied to every piece of chicken after frying. You choose your heat level when you order, and that determines what goes on the chicken:
Not Hot: No spice paste applied. You get the chicken in its natural state - crispy batter, juicy inside, no heat whatsoever. This is the option for people who want to taste the quality of the chicken without heat getting in the way.
Lite Mild: A very minimal application of the spice blend - barely perceptible heat, a hint of warmth, and a slight colour on the chicken. Suitable for anyone who wants flavour without any burn.
Mild: A proper mild heat - you're aware of the spice, it adds depth to the chicken flavour, and there's a slight lingering warmth. This is where most first-timers who eat spice land.
Medium: A clear, sustained heat that builds over the meal. Not aggressive, but you'll want the bread they give you. This is my regular order.
Hot: A significant heat level - you'll feel this throughout eating and for a few minutes after. The flavour is excellent but the burn is real.
Extra Hot: Not for the faint-hearted. A proper test of heat tolerance.
Reaper: Named after the Carolina Reaper pepper. The hottest level on the menu - a genuine challenge even for experienced hot food eaters. The chicken at Reaper level reaches a different calorie count because of the additional paste: a Reaper slider comes in at 587 kcal vs 553 kcal for Not Hot, with the difference almost entirely attributable to the fat in the spice paste.
Dave's Sauce (The Condiment)
Separate from the heat paste, there's Dave's Sauce - a proprietary condiment served in a small pot with orders. The 28g pot contains 134 kcal and is a creamy, tangy, mildly spiced sauce. It's closest in character to a spiced aioli. The larger Dave's Sauce Tub is 819 kcal for the 170g version, intended for sharing or for people who want a lot of it.
Other Accompaniments
Dave's also offers a honey sachet (26 kcal, 8g) and ketchup (10 kcal, 10g) - but these are more condiments than sauces. The pickles (11 kcal, 56g) that come with orders function as a palate cleanser and cooling agent rather than a sauce.
Is the Sauce Good?
Yes. The spice paste at Dave's is the product of serious recipe development - it's the foundation of the whole brand. The balance of heat, fat, and spice means it works at every level except Not Hot (which by definition has none). For the Dave's Sauce pot: yes, also good. Use it on the bread first, then ration the rest.
Build your ideal Dave's order and see the full nutrition data on the Dave's Hot Chicken calories calculator.