FORT WORTH, Texas — Big Chicken, the chicken-focused restaurant concept backed by basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, apparently settled on its first North Texas location – in Fort Worth.
Big Chicken signed a lease for a space between Outback Steakhouse and Revfit in the Victory Shops at Heritage Trace at the northwest corner of I-35W and Heritage Trace Parkway in the Alliance area.
The location is expected to open in the spring of 2024, according to the landlord.
Big Chicken was founded in 2018 by O’Neal and his partners, Las Vegas-based JRS Hospitality and Authentic Brands Group, with a menu inspired by O’Neal’s childhood favorites, according to its website.
The menu includes fried chicken sandwiches. Chicken tenders, Cheez-It-crusted mac n’ cheese, shakes, popcorn chicken, and more. Among their distinctive sandwiches are a crispy chicken grilled cheese with chicken, three cheeses and chipotle barbecue sauce on Italian bread.
There are three Big Chicken locations in Texas – in Austin, Houston and Richmond, with another slated to open in Lubbock in 2024, according to their website, but the Fort Worth location is the first one planned in North Texas. O’Neal himself bought a home in North Texas in 2022.
WFAA reached out to representatives of Big Chicken for comment. We’ll update this post as additional information becomes available.
