A Los Angeles Hot Chicken Chain Backed by Drake Is Headed to Downtown Brooklyn

Dave’s Hot Chicken, a chain of Nashville hot chicken restaurants that started as a late-night stand in a Los Angeles parking lot, is headed to Downtown Brooklyn this week. The company’s latest outpost opens on May 19 at 345 Adams Street, near Willoughby Street, a spokesperson tells Eater. It’s location number three in New York City for the chicken chain backed by Drake, following storefronts in Midtown and Bay Ridge. Dave’s previously announced plans to open at least 14 outposts here in the next five years.

New program would funnel $1 million into bodega security

A new program will address rising crime rates at bodegas by investing $1 million into “security upgrades” at neighborhood delis in Harlem, Washington Heights, and the South Bronx, the New York Post reports. The pilot program was announced at a press conference on Monday by state representative Amanda Septimo, who said the fund will help bodegas put security measures in place, including high-resolution cameras and panic buttons used for contacting police.

Free pizza for a year... for $199

Blackbird, a new restaurant loyalty program backed by a co-founder of Resy, announced its first partners earlier this year: Gertie, a modern Jewish restaurant in Williamsburg, and Bananas, a vegan soft serve shop from Morgenstern’s. Upside Pizza is the latest to sign on. A $199 membership includes “free” pizza for a year (one slice per day) from Upside’s Nolita location, plus access to a summer concert series that launches on May 30 and other perks. Slices range in price from $3.50 to $5.50 each.

What are restaurant service charges used for?

The New York Times explains restaurant “service charges,” those curious, percentage-based add-ons that show up at the bottom of a check after a meal. They’re often mistaken for gratuity, but the charges — which exceed 20 percent in some cases — are actually used by restaurant owners to offset slim profit margins, inflation, labor shortages, and employee benefits, according to the Times.