The Rise and Fall of App Store Dominance: Sora vs. Dave’s Hot Chicken

Since its debut on September 30, OpenAI’s Sora app has held a dominant position in the iOS App Store charts. This success can be attributed to its user – friendly AI video generation capabilities and an initially lenient approach to copyright laws. However, on Friday, its reign came to an end, replaced by an unexpected competitor: Dave’s Hot Chicken.

Indeed, it was not the typical tech heavyweights such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Threads that dethroned Sora. Instead, Dave’s Hot Chicken now rules the App Store. Its slack – beaked, bug – eyed mascot icon seems to convey appropriate astonishment at this remarkable ascent. The question then arises: how did Dave’s Hot Chicken manage to break the grip of OpenAI’s Sora, which had a TikTok – like popularity? The answer lies in something that people cherish even more than large language models: free food.

Adam Blacker, the PR director of the app analytics firm Apptopia, explains, “They’re running a promotion for free sliders in celebration of Drake’s birthday. Free food always drives downloads.”

If one is curious about Drake’s connection to this scenario, it’s worth noting that he invested in the fast – casual restaurant chain in 2021. Presumably, he reaped significant profits when the company sold a majority stake to the private equity firm Roark Capital for a reported $1 billion. For the third consecutive year, the company offered one free slider to anyone who downloaded the app to honor Drake’s birthday. (The rapper, who is also a Raptors fan, turned 39 on Thursday, the day of the giveaway.)

Leon Davoyan, Dave’s Hot Chicken chief technology officer, states, “We’re celebrating a popular and relevant celebrity, while also putting food on people’s tables.”

The impact was substantial. Davoyan reveals that on a typical week, Dave’s experiences between 20,000 and 25,000 new sign – ups to its loyalty database. On Thursday alone, the promotion led to 343,531 new accounts, representing a more than 10 – percent increase in the brand’s overall membership in a single day, according to the CTO.

This was sufficient to displace Sora from the top spot for the first time since October 3. For an app that is still invite – only, Sora had an impressive run. In the first 23 days after its launch, Sora amassed 3.2 million iOS downloads in the US, as reported by app analytics company Sensor Tower. This growth rate outpaces even ChatGPT, which, despite its own viral success, recorded 2.3 million US downloads in the same period. (Sora is not yet available in the Google Play Store, but its arrival is imminent.) OpenAI declined to comment.

While Sora is likely to regain the top position once the Drake promotion subsides, Dave’s Hot Chicken stands to continue reaping the benefits of its giveaway. According to Sensor Tower, last year, in the four weeks following the same marketing initiative, the app’s downloads were more than 50 percent higher than the month preceding it. Evidently, these free sandwiches are a worthy investment for long – term gains.

Dave’s is far from the first or only quick – service chain to achieve success through freebies. Data compiled by app analytics company Appfigures shows that Burger King, Dunkin’, Dairy Queen, and McDonald’s have all ranked first or second in the US iOS App Store during promotional periods in recent years. The boost usually lasts a day or two and can drive a substantial number of installs. Randy Nelson, Appfigures’ head of insights, notes that Dunkin’s April Fools Day promotion this year, which offered a million free coffees, resulted in a 545 – percent day – over – day increase. Nelson doesn’t anticipate Dave’s to reach those exact heights, but every bit of growth contributes.

Davoyan emphasizes, “The Dave’s app is crucial for our long – term success for two reasons. Our core demographic is young and highly digital – oriented. Additionally, digital sales in the restaurant industry are on the rise. Investing in digital is a logical step, as it aligns with the industry’s overall direction.”

Establishing a direct relationship with customers enables restaurant chains like Dave’s to reduce their reliance on third – party platforms such as DoorDash and Uber, although Davoyan claims to be indifferent about the app through which customers order their hot chicken. It also provides Dave’s with more control over what can be a complex ordering process.

Davoyan elaborates, “We have seven spice levels. The app enables customers to customize their orders to the same extent as in – store. A custom front – end, a tailored interface, and a strong focus on UI and UX are essential to transform this complexity into an advantage rather than a source of frustration.”

The Dave’s app continues to evolve, albeit perhaps not at the same pace as the world’s most valuable startup. Its ambitions are more modest, such as introducing a convenient re – ordering system similar to that of the Starbucks app. This may not be sufficient to maintain its App Store dominance. However, another Drake birthday is just a year away.