Bottleneck Introduces Rebel’s Hot Chicken
After the successful launch of its first virtual brand/restaurant, Secret Sauce, Bottleneck launched Rebel’s Hot Chicken, the bold new carryout and delivery concept. The brand operates out of the group’s Old Town Pour House and City Works locations (aside from City Works in Disney Springs and Pittsburgh). Rebel’s Hot Chicken presents a bold and playful take on the fiery Nashville-style chicken that continues to reign as a sought-after flavor for foodies and spice-lovers alike.
Send Noods and Make ‘Em Spicy
“We’re excited to present a new menu that celebrates the fiery flavors of Nashville hot chicken that people love in a playful and creative way,” says Bottleneck Chief Marketing Officer Angela Zoiss. “Rebel’s Hot Chicken is the new stand-alone choice for guests who are looking for high-quality, flavorful, and affordable hot chicken dishes that are hard to come by.”
The Menu
The menu is centered around Rebel’s Hot Chicken’s very own hot chicken sauce that delights taste buds with a super-flavorful, multi-dimensional spice that’s synonymous with the beloved Nashville classic. While customers are sure to enjoy signature creations like Inferno Indulgence Flaming Fried Chicken Sandwich featuring delectable buttermilk-breaded crispy chicken topped with a spicy combo of Nashville hot sauce, scorpion slaw, and pickled jalapeno on a brioche bun, the rest of the menu features a variety of craveable dishes created to celebrate this hot and spicy recipe including:
● Nacho Average Appetizer – Hotter than the blacktop of a Houston highway soaking up the midday sun, our nachos bring the heat. Perfectly crisp chicken on a hot bed of tortilla chips oozing with pepper jack cheese and Nashville hot sauces so good you’ll serenade the plate. Topped with pickled jalapenos, Pico de Gallo, white beans, avocado, a drizzle of cilantro lime cream and a touch of micro cilantro.
● Send Noods and Make ‘Em Spicy – When you’re in the mood for something with a little heat. Cavatappi pasta soaked in creamy IPA cheese sauce topped with bacon lardons and crispy popcorn chicken slathered in Nashville hot sauce.
Inferno Indulgence Flaming Fried Chicken Sandwich
● Hot Chick Flatbread – This hot chick(en) is the total package. Spicy from the start with smoked Nashville chicken, we sprinkle on some mozzarella, smoked cheddar, pickled fresno chilies and green onions. Topped off with Nashville hot sauce and ranch dressing, we dare you to try and say no.
● Heavenly Heatwave Hot Chicken Salad – If you’re looking for something light and casual but can’t resist the temptation of something hot and spicy. Our perfectly crisp chicken breast covered in Nashville hot sauce spread on a bed of romaine, iceberg, red leaf. Topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, black beans, roasted corn, jicama, crispy buttermilk onion strings, ranch dressing.
● Hot Box – If we’re being blunt, things in here are pretty tightly packed. With your choice of 2-4 Nashville hot chicken tenders served with Texas toast, coleslaw and spicy pickles things might get a little hazy. But don’t worry, if things get too intense there’s some cool down sauce on the side.
Heavenly Heatwave Hot Chicken Salad
Place Your Order
Guests can order directly from the Bottleneck Rewards app (App Store or Google Play) and earn $20 when they spend $200 across any Bottleneck restaurant. Guests can also place their delivery orders directly online here by selecting their preferred location, or on Uber Eats and Door Dash.
Rebel’s Hot Chicken launched on Tuesday, November 30th, 2021 out of Old Town Pour House in Chicago, and out of City Works in Wheeling and Schaumburg on January 26th and February 2, 2022, respectively. Rebel’s rolled nationwide on April 27th, 2022.
Nacho Average Appetizer
“We’re looking forward to being a new favorite for fans looking for an exceptional way to enjoy Nashville hot chicken and we’re especially happy to introduce Rebel’s using the virtual restaurant format,” says Bottleneck Management Chief Operating Officer Mark Gray. “The COVID-19 pandemic was an enlightening and challenging experience for everyone in the hospitality industry, but one silver lining that came from it was the abundant opportunities we had to learn from our guests. The continued success of our very first virtual restaurant, Secret Sauce, reminds us that diners continue to search for and appreciate new options for approachable, affordable and really delicious food that they can enjoy in the comfort of their homes.”
Rebel’s can be found on Instagram and Facebook, so follow there for more info and share your opinion about virtual brands and ghost kitchens. You can also view more industry topics, recipes, tips & tricks, and food & beverage trends on our blog.
Hot Box
The Difference between a Ghost Kitchen and a Virtual Restaurant
The restaurant landscape has changed quite a bit in recent years, especially so with the Covid-19 pandemic. Faced with what seems like a demand for restaurants to adjust their business models, we knew it was the perfect time to take a chance on a new idea that meets the needs of guests today.
A Ghost Kitchen is a professional cooking facility that exists for chefs and restaurant operators to launch a delivery-only virtual brand. Think of ghost kitchens as co-working spaces for food or a restaurant without a storefront.
Ghost kitchens provide restaurant operators with the necessary equipment and space to prepare their meals at a much lower cost than opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant location. To reach customers from their ghost kitchen location, virtual brands will partner with companies like Grubhub to reach hungry diners and market their virtual brands.
A virtual restaurant is a delivery-only restaurant concept that operates within a brick-and-mortar restaurant and can offer an additional revenue stream to the primary restaurant’s business model without increasing overhead costs such as staff and rent.
Unlike a ghost kitchen, virtual restaurants operate in tandem with the brick and mortar restaurants. They have their own established brick-and-mortar locations and use their existing kitchens to create additional delivery-exclusive menus through their virtual restaurant concepts.
Source: Grubhub