Fort Worth chicken lovers are going to be spoiled for choice. The juicy tenders landscape of Texas is about to be invaded by a ‘big’ competitor. Big Chicken Shaq has set the opening date for its newest location in North Texas after becoming one of the popular sandwich go-tos in Austin, Houston, and Richmond. Fort Worth can dine Shaq-style from September 3. It was long overdue considering the namesake, Shaquille O’Neal’s longstanding ties to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Big Chicken signed a lease for a space at Heritage Trace at the northwest corner of I-35W and Heritage Trace Parkway. The spot is between the area’s Outback Steakhouse and a Revfit in the Victory Shops, minutes away from the nearest Chick-Fil-A.

Texans have got their golden clucker fix from chains like Chick-Fil-A and Church’s Chicken for years among the many local restaurants. Shaquille O’Neal took a huge gamble opening his fast casual dining concept in the crowded chicken biz in 2018. But it’s grown with great results.

O’Neal is thriving in a business with experienced competitors. Like Chick-Fil-A has a global revenue over $21 billion. It’s one of the toughest franchise programs to get into and opening one Chick-Fil-A store can cost upwards of $518,000.

But Shaq has learned and turned his experience as a franchisee for Papa John’s, Krispy Kreme, and 24 Hour Fitness, into the Big Chicken success story. With his CEO Josh Halpern at the helm, Big Chicken has become a franchise program that’s not easy to get into either. One Big Chicken store is a $1 million investment and its menu and services are still expanding.

The current franchises collectively earn about $14 million in revenue, which might look like pocket change relative to $21 billion. Yet for a developing chain business, it looks unstoppable, especially in its popularity.

O’Neal and his business partners turned Big Chicken into a franchise business in 2021. He’s gone from having over 300 locations nationwide in development in 2023 to a spree of multiple openings in 2024. O’Neal’s nostalgia-based menu developed from his mom’s recipes are a huge hit, especially in Texas.

Texas reciprocates Shaq’s love

The other locations have seen a huge daily footfall since opening, and it’s for the food alone. This new store will be up and running by the time Shaq hosts the Bass All-Stars festival at Panther Island in Fort Worth in November. O’Neal’s EDM festival and Big Chicken have one thing in common – they both celebrate the food and music O’Neal grew up on.

Shaq spends most of his downtime in Dallas where his mom is while his younger children live with his ex-wife, Shaunie in Houston. He’s got a big presence in the local chapter of the Boys and Girls Club too. The Cowboys diehard also went on a spree of buying properties in Carrolton.

Lubbock is getting its first store soon too. By all reports, it appears that Big Chicken was on the hunt for a location in Fort Worth for a while before narrowing down the Heritage Trace area.

And who knows, if they’re as lucky as Houston, Shaq might drop by the opening. One thing the first 34 (the Big Diesel angel number) customers are guaranteed are a year’s worth of free Big Chicken.