The Columbus Dispatch
A chicken spot from basketball legend Shaq is coming to Columbus.
Shaquille O’Neal’s fast-casual chicken concept, Big Chicken, is expanding to Columbus and other parts of Ohio through a 36-unit development agreement announced this week.
Big Chicken already has a location in Miamisburg which opened last year, as well as locations in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, three Carnival Cruise ships and more.
The menu offers chicken sandwiches, such as the “big & sloppy” topped with mac & cheese, crispy fried onions and roasted garlic bbq aioli; the “Shaq attack” with pepper jack cheese, jalapeño slaw and spicy chipotle bbq sauce; and the “crispy chicken grilled cheese” with three kinds of cheese, chipotle bbq sauce and rustic Italian bread.
Sides include steak fries, sweet potato waffle fries, loaded “dirty fries,” mac and cheese and jalapeño slaw. And for desserts, the chain offers shakes and ice cream sandwiches.
With Shaq, Authentic Brands, a brand development, marketing and entertainment company, and JRS Hospitality, a Las Vegas events and catering company, are partners in Big Chicken.
Franchise owners Kurt and Ryan Webb, Trever Einerson and Steve Crandall are evaluating locations for their first restaurant, focusing on drive-thru or in-line build-outs in Greater Columbus.
