A chicken sandwich concept owned by NBA icon and TNT commentator Shaquille O’Neal will make its Dallas-Fort Worth debut next month.
Big Chicken is set to open in Fort Worth at 9755 N. Freeway in Fort Worth near Alliance Town Center on Sept. 3, 2024. It marks the first of several North Texas outposts of the fast-food restaurant that dabbles in a pantheon of fried chicken offerings and sides such as crinkle-cut fries and macaroni and cheese, along with shakes and sundaes.
The first 34 customers in line at the opening will receive free Big Chicken food and drinks for a year, according to a news release. The number 34 is an ode to the 7-foot-1 star’s jersey number.
O’Neal’s ties to North Texas are substantial, with the well-known figure being spotted regularly across D-FW.
A trust tied to him purchased a six-bedroom home in Rockwall County recently, and he is also looking to part with a Carrollton estate.
O’Neal will also once again host an electronic music festival in Fort Worth in November. He performs under the name “DJ Diesel.”
Businessmen Frank Malik, Fazil Malik and Noordin Jhaver are behind Big Chicken Fort Worth. The group has three locations in Houston already, along with 46 further locations in the works across Texas.
“Fort Worth holds a special significance for our team with several team members, including Shaquille, located nearby, and I know that they can’t wait to celebrate the BIG [sic] day together,” said Big Chicken CEO Josh Halpern in a statement.
