Mia Patel
Shaquille O'Neal is a former NBA star and athlete-turned-restaurateur. He opened his first Big Chicken restaurant in Las Vegas in 2018, which was documented in his Facebook series, Big Chicken Shaq. In January 2023, O'Neal announced the opening of a second Big Chicken location in the southwest valley of Las Vegas, bringing his famous fried chicken sandwiches, mac and cheese, and milkshakes to a new neighbourhood. With a growing restaurant empire, O'Neal is also a part-owner of the fast-casual franchise, which currently spans 10 states and Carnival Cruise ships, with over 150 stores in development. So, when will Shaq's chicken restaurant in Las Vegas open?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Restaurant | Big Chicken |
| Location | 9595 West Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas |
| Date of Opening | 12 January 2023 |
| Type of Food | Fried chicken sandwiches, mac and cheese, milkshakes, dirty fries, sweets, etc. |
| Owners | Shaquille O'Neal and two others |
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What You'll Learn
- Shaquille O'Neal's second Big Chicken restaurant in Las Vegas opens in January 2023
- The first Big Chicken restaurant opened in Las Vegas in 2018
- Shaquille O'Neal is a former NBA star and restaurateur
- The menu includes sandwiches like the Shaq Attack with pepper jack cheese and jalapeno slaw
- O'Neal also opened an upscale Southern restaurant in LA in 2019
Shaquille O'Neal's second Big Chicken restaurant in Las Vegas opens in January 2023
Shaquille O'Neal is set to open his second Las Vegas Big Chicken restaurant in January 2023. The NBA legend is one of three owners of the fast-food franchise, which already has locations in 10 states and on three Carnival Cruise ships. The new restaurant, located at 9595 West Tropicana Avenue in Spring Valley, will officially open its doors on January 12.
Big Chicken offers a variety of fried chicken sandwiches with names that hold special meanings for O'Neal, such as the Shaq Attack, featuring pepper jack cheese, jalapeno slaw, and spicy chipotle barbecue sauce, and the Uncle Jerome, made with Nashville hot chicken. In addition to sandwiches, the restaurant will serve sides like dirty fries loaded with bacon, cheese sauce, and banana peppers, as well as sweets such as cookies and banana pudding ice cream sandwiches.
The opening of the second Las Vegas location comes almost five years after the debut of the first Big Chicken in the city. O'Neal launched the original restaurant in October 2018, documenting its progress with a Facebook video series called "Big Chicken Shaq." The first location, found on Paradise Road near the Hard Rock Hotel, offered crispy chicken sandwiches served on brioche buns, as well as grilled options, sliders, chicken strips, and a range of sides and desserts.
With the success of the initial Big Chicken in Las Vegas and its expansion across the country, O'Neal is now bringing his beloved chicken sandwiches to the southwest valley with this new location. The second Big Chicken restaurant will occupy the site of the former Bok Bok Chicken and is expected to be a popular destination for fans of the basketball star and fried chicken enthusiasts alike.
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The first Big Chicken restaurant opened in Las Vegas in 2018
The first Big Chicken restaurant opened in Las Vegas in October 2018. The opening was documented by Shaquille O'Neal in a Facebook video series called "Big Chicken Shaq". The series followed the progress of the restaurant's development, from its previous iteration as the Origin India restaurant to its new life as a casual fried chicken sandwich joint. The restaurant is located at 4480 Paradise Road, near the Virgin Hotel and the Hard Rock Hotel.
Shaquille O'Neal, or Shaq, is a retired NBA player and one of three owners of the Big Chicken franchise. The other owners are Matthew Silverman and Matthew Piekarski. The fast-food chain has since expanded to nine other states and can be found on three Carnival Cruise ships.
Big Chicken offers a range of fried chicken sandwiches with names that hold special meanings for O'Neal. For example, the "Shaq Attack" sandwich features pepper jack cheese, jalapeno slaw, and spicy chipotle barbecue sauce. The "Uncle Jerome" sandwich is made with Nashville hot chicken. Aside from sandwiches, the menu also includes sides like dirty fries (bacon, cheese sauce, and banana peppers) and sweets such as cookies and banana pudding ice cream sandwiches.
The opening of the first Big Chicken restaurant in Las Vegas was a star-studded event, with guests including UFC President Dana White and retired mixed martial artist Forrest Griffin. Shaq greeted guests and posed for photos during the grand opening celebration.
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Shaquille O'Neal is a former NBA star and restaurateur
Shaquille O'Neal is a retired NBA player and a restaurateur. After retiring from basketball, he has gone on to establish himself in the food and beverage industry, opening several restaurants and becoming a franchisee for popular brands.
O'Neal opened his first restaurant, Big Chicken, in Las Vegas in October 2018. The fast-food franchise, located on Paradise Road, serves fried chicken sandwiches, sides, and desserts. O'Neal documented the journey of opening his first restaurant in an eight-part Facebook Watch series called "Big Chicken Shaq." The series followed O'Neal and his team as they transformed a former Indian restaurant into a casual sandwich shop.
In January 2023, O'Neal opened a second location of Big Chicken in Las Vegas. This new store, located at 9595 West Tropicana Avenue in Spring Valley, serves a similar menu to the original Big Chicken, including sandwiches, mac and cheese, and milkshakes. With two successful locations in Las Vegas, O'Neal has expanded the Big Chicken brand across the United States, with additional restaurants in LA, Dayton, Ohio, Seattle, New York, and Austin.
In addition to his own restaurant ventures, O'Neal has also become a franchisee for Krispy Kreme and is an investor and board member of nine Papa John's locations. Prior to these ventures, he owned franchises for Five Guys, 24 Hour Fitness, and Auntie Anne's.
Shaquille O'Neal's transition from NBA star to restaurateur has been a successful one, with his restaurants receiving widespread attention and his business ventures expanding across the country.
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The menu includes sandwiches like the Shaq Attack with pepper jack cheese and jalapeno slaw
Shaquille O'Neal is set to open a second location for his chicken restaurant, Big Chicken, in Las Vegas—specifically, in the southwest valley. The opening was slated for the week of January 5, 2023.
The menu includes sandwiches like the Shaq Attack, a flavour explosion featuring pepper jack cheese, jalapeno slaw, and spicy chipotle barbecue sauce. The Shaq Attack is not the only sandwich on offer; customers can also try the Big and Sloppy, a hearty combination of mac and cheese, crispy fried onions, and roasted garlic barbecue aioli. If you're feeling extra hungry, why not go for the Uncle Jerome, a Nashville hot chicken sandwich?
The original Big Chicken opened its doors in Las Vegas in October 2018, showcasing O'Neal's fried chicken sandwiches, mac and cheese, and milkshakes. The restaurant took over the space previously occupied by Origin India, located near the Virgin Hotel. O'Neal co-owns the fast-casual franchise, which currently boasts locations in 10 states and has even found a home on Carnival Cruise ships. With over 150 stores in development across the nation, Big Chicken is poised for major growth.
O'Neal's passion for food extends beyond Big Chicken. In 2019, he opened Shaquille's, an upscale restaurant in Los Angeles serving Southern cuisine. While Big Chicken offers fried chicken sandwiches, Shaquille's takes a different approach, serving fried chicken on the bone. Despite his love for food, O'Neal shared in a 2022 interview that he primarily follows a vegan diet for health reasons.
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O'Neal also opened an upscale Southern restaurant in LA in 2019
Shaquille O’Neal, or Shaq, opened his second Las Vegas Big Chicken restaurant on 12 January 2023. The former NBA star first launched the fast-food franchise in Las Vegas in October 2018, with locations in nine other states following soon after.
ONeal also opened an upscale Southern restaurant in LA in 2019, named Shaquille’s. Located across from the Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena), the restaurant serves up the same fried chicken as Big Chicken, but on the bone. The menu also features other Southern cuisine classics.
Shaquille’s is not O’Neal’s first foray into the restaurant business outside of Las Vegas. In addition to his Big Chicken locations, he has expanded his food and beverage empire to include franchises of Krispy Kreme and Papa John’s. O’Neal was also previously a franchisee of Five Guys, 24 Hour Fitness, and Auntie Anne’s.
In an interview with Urban Eats & Treats in May 2022, O’Neal revealed that he mostly follows a vegan diet for health reasons. However, he admitted that he occasionally cheats and indulges in fried chicken and other comfort foods.
With his successful career in the NBA and his growing portfolio of business ventures, O’Neal is defying the odds and avoiding the financial struggles that many professional athletes face after retirement.
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Frequently asked questions
Shaquille O'Neal's second Las Vegas chicken restaurant, Big Chicken, opened on 6 January 2023.
The new Big Chicken is located at 9595 W. Tropicana Ave. in Spring Valley.
Big Chicken serves fried chicken sandwiches, including the Shaq Attack with pepper jack cheese, jalapeno slaw, and spicy chipotle barbecue sauce, as well as sides like mac and cheese and milkshakes.
