For the first time since Oct. 3, OpenAI’s new TikTok-style app Sora lost its spot as the No. 1 download in Apple’s App Store. The short-lived champion wasn’t another AI tool or social media platform: it was Dave’s Hot Chicken.
The reason had nothing to do with artificial intelligence. Instead, it was tied to rapper Drake’s birthday and a clever marketing promotion that turned one of America’s spiciest chains into an overnight app sensation.
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Free chicken for Drake’s birthday
Every year since 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken has marked Drake’s birthday by offering free sliders to anyone who downloads the restaurant’s app. This year, with his birthday falling on Oct. 24, the giveaway quickly pushed the app to the top of the charts.
The surge wasn’t small. Dave’s chief technology officer told Wired the promotion drove more than 343,531 new accounts, far exceeding its typical 20,000–25,000 weekly average. That jump made the app the most downloaded in the country for a brief stretch over the weekend.
Drake’s connection to Dave’s Hot Chicken
If you’re wondering why Drake’s birthday matters to a chicken restaurant, there’s a good reason. The Grammy-winning rapper became a major investor in Dave’s Hot Chicken back in 2021.
While the exact terms of his investment weren’t made public, the company reached a major milestone this year according to The Associated Press. A large portion of the chain was sold to a private equity firm, reportedly valuing the brand at $1 billion — not bad for a restaurant that started as a Los Angeles parking lot pop-up.
The chicken app’s reign didn’t last long. By the end of the weekend, Sora reclaimed its position as the No. 1 app in the store.
OpenAI’s newest platform, often compared to TikTok but for its AI-only video content, continues to attract millions of downloads just weeks after launch.
