Popular Chicken Chain to Take Over Former Poughkeepsie Diner

After a string of failed businesses have unsuccessfully attempted to fill the void left by a popular Hudson Valley diner, a West Coast chicken chain is ready to swoop in and give it a try.

It's been five years since the Table Talk Diner closed its doors on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie. Operated by the owners of the Daily Planet in Lagrangeville, the Table Talk was a popular eatery for over a decade until the pandemic forced its closure in 2020. The large building was eventually taken over by a short-lived Asian seafood restaurant before being transformed into a gym. Now, a national chicken chain is set to open its first Hudson Valley location there.

The news comes a week after learning that another Hudson Valley diner is also set to reopen as a new restaurant. The Oddessy Diner on Route 9 in Wappingers is being eyed by one of Yelp's highest-rated restaurants in Dutchess County as its second location, complete with rooftop dining.

West Coast Chicken Chain Coming to Poughkeepsie

Plans are now in motion to bring a Dave's Hot Chicken franchise to the former Table Talk Diner on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie. The chain started as a single location in Hollywood California back in 2017. Four friends with some folding chairs and a deep fryer set up a makeshift late-night food stand in an empty parking lot. Buzz quickly grew and now Dave's Hot Chicken has almost 200 locations across the country with plans to expand further in 2025.

The restaurant is known for its chicken tenders, sliders and decadent, top-loaded shakes. As the name implies, Dave's Hot Chicken offers several levels of heat on their chicken, ranging from no spice all the way to Reaper, which requires diners to agree to a long legal disclaimer. Anoyne who orders the Reaper must sign a waiver that acknowledges "eating the Reaper can cause you harm, including, but not limited to, bodily injury, property damage, emotional distress, or even death".

Approvals submitted to the Town of Poughkeepsie Planning Board show proposed new awnings featuring the Dave's Hot Chicken logo. Other cosmetic changes include hand-painted murals on the side of the building and repainted red trim across the whole restaurant.

It's unclear when Dave's Hot Chicken will open once the architectural changes are approved, but the business will likely want to get a jump start on another project directly across Route 9 that intends to transform the former IHOP into a Chick-fil-A. It appears a chicken war may be brewing up, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be happy to help decide which one is best.