Franchising

Big Chicken lands deal for Utah, Idaho

provided

May 9, 2022

Big Chicken, a fast casual chicken concept founded by Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, will open in Utah and Idaho, thanks to a deal with the Arizona-based duo and long-standing business partners, Steve Christensen and Reid Richards.

"As a BYU alumnus, I have strong roots in Utah and see its massive business potential as a rapidly-growing retail market," Christensen said in a company press release. "Idaho is also seeing major growth and development. Big Chicken is an innovative brand backed by a leadership team that matches the exciting energy building in both areas, so bringing it to both states was a natural point of expansion for us."

While formerly on opposing sides of the age-old rivalry between Brigham Young University and University of Utah, Christensen and Richards have since built a 13-year partnership owning and operating restaurants. Their portfolio includes ownership of 15 Five Guys locations in Western New York. They are also owners of Another Broken Egg Cafe in Gilbert, Arizona. Prior to joining forces, Christensen spent 25 years professionally in international business development across three continents while Richards amassed three decades of restaurant management experience with brands such as Taco Bell and Dunkin' Donuts. The duo also recently announced its agreement to open 12 Big Chicken locations in the Greater Phoenix area and has plans to expand into Ohio with the brand.

"When we first met Steve and Reid, it was clear that they shared our vision for Big Chicken and were positioned to grow the brand into exciting markets like Idaho and Utah," Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken, said in a company press release. "As more and more people migrate into both areas, we know the future of Big Chicken is bright, with strong leadership teams setting the tone for success."

Big Chicken has locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena, metro-New York's UBS Arena, Austin's Moody Center and on two Carnival Cruise ships. In addition to the Ohio deal, Big Chicken is expanding into nine other states and has over 150 locations in its development pipeline.