Shaq is bringing Big Chicken to San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — Shaquille O’Neal’s fast-casual restaurant chain is coming to San Antonio.

Big Chicken announced this week the company has plans to open 50 stores across the four major metropolitan cities in Texas that includes the Alamo City, Houston, Dallas and Austin.

Big Chicken’s menu includes the staple crispy chicken sandwiches with the M.D.E. covered in Shaq sauce with pickles, the Shaq Attack with pepper jack cheese, jalapeño slaw, spicy chipotle bbq sauce, the Charles Barkley with mac & cheese, crispy fried onions, roasted garlic bbq aioli and more. Other offerings include sliders, popcorn chicken, chicken tenders with sides that include Dirty Fries covered in cheese sauce, bacon, banana peppers, chipotle bbq, and Lucille’s Mac ‘n’ Cheese with a Cheez-It crust.

“Big Chicken is exactly the kind of brand that succeeds in Texas: pioneering and bold, yet rooted in delicious tradition. Our restaurant industry’s rich diversity is our greatest strength, and we’re absolutely thrilled that Shaquille O’Neal and the Big Chicken team are joining us,” President and CEO of Texas Restaurant Association Emily Williams Knight said. “Welcome back home to Texas, Shaq.”

The expansion into Texas will be facilitated by a franchise group including Fazil Malik, Frank Mali and Noordin Jhaver.

Fazil and Frank operate a number of businesses including gas stations, convenience stores, and retail construction through Northwest Petroleum (NWP), and Skylark Construction. Jhaver is the CEO of Dew Real Estate Holdings L.L.C. and the owner-operator of more than 50 Sonic restaurants with an additional 45 in development.

“Big Chicken wouldn’t be growing like it is without the team behind it,” says O’Neal. “My team has done a fantastic job making sure we’re growing in the right way, with the right people. Now, we’re going even BIGGER in Texas and I’m excited to be teammates with Fazil, Frank and Noordin.”