Known for his larger-than-life personality and his love for food, Shaquille O’Neal’s appetite for success has extended far beyond basketball. Whether it’s his iconic appearances in commercials for fast-food brands or his viral culinary moments, such as his infamous “Shaq-a-roni pizza,” food has always been a cornerstone of his brand. This passion for food eventually led to the creation of Big Chicken, a fast-casual chain that has rapidly become a powerhouse in the dining industry. Now, the chain has made another significant announcement.

In a recent Instagram post, the Big Chicken Restaurant announced its first high-profile ambassador: the Texas Tech Raiders guard, Chance McMillian. “From being one of our first fans at the grand opening to becoming our very first ambassador 🤝 It’s a BIG honor to welcome Chance McMillian to Team BOKBOK!” read the caption of the post.

Chance McMillian is not a random pick, but is in fact a perfect story for the Big Chicken brand. He stands at 6-foot-1 and has certainly proven himself to be nearly impossible to break in on the court. In the 2022–2023 season, whilst playing with Grand Canyon University, McMillian showed his dominance by averaging 10.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game, and now with the Texas Tech Raiders, he is showing just how outstanding he can be, averaging 13.7 points per game.

Coming to the restaurant chain now. Shaquille O’Neal, Authentic Brands Group and JRS Hospitality founded it in 2018. Comfort food classics like chicken sandwiches, mac and cheese, and milkshakes are all given a twist of Shaq’s persona on the menu. Interestingly, Shaq’s mother Lucille helped with the menu creation, and all the recipes are hers.

“We brought her down and she worked with the executive chefs on how the macaroni should taste, how the chicken should be battered and everybody was receptive to that,” said O’Neal in an interview.

Moreover, the recent meteoric rise of the fast-food chain to become a $31.6 million empire can be linked to O’Neal’s strategic business approach and a management team that understands scale and brand positioning. Since its founding, the fast-food chain has been available in 19 locations including, Arizona, California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, and Missouri, and is also available in selected Carnival Cruise ships.

The partnership between McMillian and Big Chicken is a strategic move designed to bridge the gap between sports and food enthusiasts. As the chain’s first ambassador, McMillian will play a key role in promoting Big Chicken’s offerings, leveraging his platform to reach a younger, sports-oriented audience. However while the restaurant chain has seen significant success, there was a time when they had to make some changes because of a global hit.

Big Chicken’s strategic change during pandemic

When COVID-19 disrupted the world in 2020, the restaurant industry bore a significant brunt of the economic fallout. With global losses exceeding $240 billion, eateries scrambled to adapt to strict health protocols. For Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken franchise, these challenges hit close to home.

However, with the increasing number of restrictions the famous fast food chain also had to adopt a new business model by investing in contactless ordering systems, streamlined delivery services, and robust hygiene protocols.

“When you look at Gen Z and when you at Gen X and Gen Alpha and Gen Alpha’s like teenagers, right? They spent their elementary school eating at home because it was the pandemic so they couldn’t go out so that’s the behavior they learn…Now that big deal is, it’s a big deal when we order this food but we’re totally comfortable eating it in the house,” said CEO Josh Halpern said in an interview with Craveworthy Brands.

Despite the hurdles, Big Chicken turned adversity into innovation, using the pandemic as an opportunity to strengthen its foundation. The strategies have indeed worked for them as earn an annual revenue of $14.3 million. In the end, we can say Shaq’s big personality, paired with a sharp business acumen, ensured that Big Chicken stayed relevant in unprecedented times. And now with McMillian on the reigns, it will only get better.