Gilbert, AZ

Shaq's Fried Chicken Restaurant Finally Set to Open

Greyson F

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Shaq is set to open his first chicken restaurant in town.Photo byJennifer BurkonUnsplash

Celebrities dipping their toes into the world of restaurants is nothing new. However, while many celebrities put their money into stand-alone restaurants, others have found success investing in casual and fast food locations, which makes it easier to spread around the country and to bring their style of food, and their brand, to the masses. That is exactly what’s taking place in metro Phoenix, as one of the greatest NBA legends of all time is set to finally open his first restaurant in the state. 

Last year, Shaq and his branding announced he would open his very first Big Chicken restaurant in metro Phoenix. In fact, a handful of locations were announced at this time, with several set for the Valley. However, the opening date was ominous and there wasn’t all that much detail offered up as to an exact opening date. Well, all of that has been cleared up, and now Big Chicken is officially opening in Gilbert next month. 

The opening of the restaurant was delayed by several months, with its original target date set for the third quarter of 2022. However, despite some of the setbacks, the restaurant will finally open in February, and it is currently hiring (so for anyone looking for a new job, with maybe the possibility of bumping into Shaq at some point in time, there are open positions). 

Now, there isn’t a specific day of the month established for when the restaurant will be open. However, with that said, Shaq, as well as his pals Snoop Dogg and Diplo, will be putting on Shaq’s Fun House at Talking Stick Resort just down the street in Scottsdale. Don’t be surprised if Big Chicken tries to piggyback off the NBA legend’s appearance in the region to bring him in for the opening (so, if you’re working, maybe you meet Snoop Dogg as well).

Big Chicken has a number of specialty fried chicken sandwiches. This includes the Big & Sloppy, which features mac and cheese, crispy fried onions, and roasted garlic BBQ aioli, the Uncle Jerome, which is a Nashville hot chicken sandwich, topped with lettuce, mayo, and pickles, and then the Big Aristotle, which features muenster cheese, crispy fried onions, and sweet & smokey Memphis style BBQ sauce. 

The new restaurant is located at 366 North Gilbert Road, inside the Heritage District. And for those interested in applying for an available position, you can do so directly through the Big Chicken website.

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# Shaq# fried chicken# chicken sandwich# restaurant# coming soon

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