Franchising

Big Chicken expanding through LA County

Provided

January 31, 2022

Big Chicken, founded by Shaquille O'Neal, has signed a franchise agreement with chiropractor Pat Khaziran and his business partner and Southern California restaurateur, Andy Gitipityapon, according to a company press release.

The duo is opening a store in northern L.A. County's Valencia neighborhood, which is adjacent to Santa Clarita. Following the Valencia opening, they plan to expand with more locations in Southern California. The Valencia restaurant will mark the brand's second location in the region along Interstate 5, continuing the fandom the brand established with its restaurant in Glendale, about 30 miles to the south.

"Dr. Pat and I both instantly fell in love with Big Chicken when we tried it for the first time," said Gitipityapon, who was born and raised locally in the area and pursued his passion in both the restaurant and finance industries. "The food is fresh and bursting with flavor, and the team supporting the brand is incredibly strong. So, once we learned more about the franchise opportunity, we were sold. It's sure to continue to impress in SoCal. We can't wait to open our first location in the first half of 2022."

Gitipityapon's aforementioned professional skills combined with Khaziran's make the tandem a formidable franchise ownership team, Big Chicken CEO Josh Halpern said in the release. In addition to Gitipityapon's talents, Khaziran owns and operates Sports Rehab LA , a sports injury recovery and prevention center for elite athletes, athletic trainers and professional trainers. With locations in Encino, Glendale and Beverly Hills, he has treated hundreds of professional athletes in the NBA, NFL, MLB, Champions, Pro Bowlers, All-Stars and future Hall of Famers.

"Andy and Dr. Pat are amazing operators that will channel the Big Chicken vibe beautifully throughout L.A. County. It's exciting to have them aboard and building upon what we've started with our location in nearby Glendale," Halpern said. "Big Chicken is quickly expanding in key metropolitan markets across the United States, and we have no doubt Andy and Dr. Pat's abilities will amplify the brand's presence in the Los Angeles market."

Aside from the Glendale location, Big Chicken has restaurants open in Las Vegas, on the Carnival Cruise ship Mardi Gras, in Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena and at New York's UBS Arena.