Franchising

Blazing Onion founders sign franchising deal with Big Chicken

Provided

August 23, 2022

Big Chicken, founded by basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, is breaking ground in Renton, Washington, with its first signed lease in a multi-unit deal with David and Lorri Jones, the founders of Blazing Onion Handcrafted Burgers, who also own eight Subways.

"The Seattle market is vibrant and full of diverse cities with growing foodie cultures, and Big Chicken has the boldness and quality to match that energy," David Jones said in a company press release. "The passion their team has for the brand radiates through the food's creativity and flavor, and we knew it was something the Seattle market needed a taste of. We saw the demand for Big Chicken in Climate Pledge Arena and are now excited to have a Brick and Mortar Presence. It's an amazing start to our journey to make the brand a staple in Greater Seattle."

Big Chicken CEO Josh Halpern said the Jones' have the background and drive to establish Big Chicken's presence in such an artistic, bustling city.

"They know exactly what foodies in Seattle need and have the capability to go above and beyond to exceed those demands," he said in the release. "This is the start of a long tenure for Big Chicken in the Pacific Northwest and with David and Lorri in the driver's seat, Seattle is about to get a BIG bite of something special."

Since the announcement of Big Chicken's franchising initiative just under one year ago, the brand has over 150 locations in its development pipeline.