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After a 20-year NBA career that also saw him release platinum-selling music and star in box office smash movies, Shaquille O’Neal has turned his heroic attitude and larger-than-life bravado into his business portfolio. The basketball star’s extensive business holdings include Big Chicken, a fast-food chicken concept that showcases his love of bold flavors and big portions.
The brand has more than 350 properties under development across 19 states and two countries and is on four Carnival cruise ships. Big Chicken can also be found in stadiums, airports and stadiums.
Even though it has expanded, Big Chicken remains true to its family roots.
“It was my mother’s creation,” O’Neal said of the genesis of Big Chicken. “So we brought him [Lucille O’Neal] down, and he worked with the top chefs on how the macaroni should taste, how the chicken should be battered, and everyone was accepting of that.”
Lucille’s Mac N’ Cheese is now a popular menu item, along with Big Chicken sandwiches, chicken “Dunks,” ice cream and more.
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Leading a championship team
For O’Neal, the success of the Big Chicken brand isn’t just about making money; it’s about creating a competitive team that inspires the community and provides a memorable experience for everyone involved.
“When you’re raised a drill sergeant and you’re raised with discipline, you always go with the flow, and you always attack your dreams,” O’Neal said.
When launching Big Chicken, O’Neal took a different approach to marketing by building the brand publicly.
He leveraged the power of free promotion — and his already massive popularity — with The Big Chicken Shaq Show on Facebook Watch and across his social media accounts. On Instagram alone, O’Neal entertains an audience of over 35 million followers.
His philosophy is simple: You don’t need a big budget to get the word out. Using tools like free social media accounts and grassroots marketing efforts, he showed that any brand can get exposure without breaking the bank.
“It’s all you need,” he said, highlighting how important word-of-mouth marketing can be Restaurant Influencers hosted by Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media.
O’Neal’s strategy for communicating with his online audience reflects this holistic behavior. The businessman uses his platforms to entertain, inspire and inform people about his latest projects. “60% of what I wrote will make you laugh, 30% will encourage you and 10% will show where I am involved,” he said.
This balance reflects O’Neal’s great goal of bringing light to people’s lives through food and entertainment. “I want to laugh because when you laugh, it releases those endorphins in your face and helps relieve stress,” he said. “I hear that. I see that. I want to make people laugh.”
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Raising a Great Chicken
Having already enjoyed unimaginable success in his career, O’Neal understands the importance of dedication and teamwork. His message to potential partners is clear: By joining Big Chicken, you’re not just opening a successful restaurant. You join a winning team to create something truly special.
Although new to the retail scene, Big Chicken is owned by three industry stars, including O’Neal, Authentic Brands Group and JRS Hospitality.
“I’m not in this to be a trillionaire,” O’Neal said, stressing the importance of collaboration and growth. “I hope that people want to grow with us. They want to help us win titles because there is no other idea like it.”
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