News

Shaq expanding Big Chicken to Cali

Provided by Big Chicken Facebook

September 11, 2019

Big Chicken — NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal's fast casual chicken restaurant —  is opening a second location by year's end at 252 South Brand in Glendale, California, according to a press release.

The brand, created by O'Neal and JRS Hospitality executives Matthew Silverman and Matthew Piekarski, launched last year in Las Vegas and has been featured on "The Today Show," "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," "Extra!" and "NBA on TNT."

"Big Chicken has been a dream of mine," O'Neal said in the release. "Seeing the guests' response to our food has been so rewarding. I can't wait to bring Big Chicken to Southern California and let more people experience the best chicken sandwich in the world."

The menu will feature Big Chicken's exclusive Naked Truth Premium Chicken, which is preservative free and humanely raised  with no hormones or antibiotics. Crispy and grilled options feature Shaq-sized flavor in signature sandwiches and salads, according to the release.

The opening of the Vegas location was chronicled through "Big Chicken Shaq," an eight-episode Facebook Watch series that followed O'Neal and his restaurant team. Throughout the series, fans had the opportunity to vote on menu items, final ingredients for certain dishes and the restaurant's logo.

Beginning in 2020, the restaurant will have a presence on two cruise ships, Carnival Radiance and Mardi Gras.