Fast Casual Names Shaquille O’Neal Owned Big Chicken as Brand of the Year

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LAS VEGAS and CHICAGO – Big Chicken, the rapidly-growing fast-casual concept that brings together BIG Fun and BIG Flavor, announced today that it has taken top honors in the 2024 Fast Casual “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” list. Proclaimed “Brand of the Year” this week at the Fast Casual “Top 100 Movers & Shakers” awards gala in Chicago, Big Chicken has clearly distinguished itself within the crowded fast-casual restaurant segment.

Less than three years into its franchise growth initiative, the celebrated brand, founded and led by legendary basketball hall of famer and iconic entertainer Shaquille O’Neal, has built its development pipeline to more than 350 locations. Plus, there are more than 30 locations open in traditional and non-traditional restaurant settings and over a dozen Big Chicken locations are planned to open throughout the balance of this year. In recent months, the brand began its global expansion with the recent opening in Manchester, England, and Big Chicken has inked a multi-national franchise agreement for Central America. Expansion plans also include franchise development throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East and beyond.

“This is one of the biggest honors there is for an emerging brand and a daily reminder of our brand’s potential. It showcases the monumental year we had in 2023, expanding from 10 to 28 restaurants with an incredibly dedicated Big Chicken team and a talented group of franchisees and suppliers,” said Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken, who was named during the gala to the ‘Top 25 Fast Casual Executives’ list for a third straight year. “As my dear friend Jimmy Frischling (from Branded Hospitality Ventures) says, ‘it takes a village,’ and the fast-casual industry — the people up on that stage and in the room with us at that ceremony — that’s our village. I can think of countless early mornings and late-night conversations where we’ve pushed each other to be better in the name of the fast-casual industry. It’s truly a blessing and we couldn’t have done it without their support.”

In 2023, Big Chicken and Halpern best exemplified the three key attributes judges were most attuned to in their assessments of more than 240 fast-casual concepts: innovation, nimbleness, and creativity. Both the brand and its CEO ranked alongside the industry’s most influential concepts and executives shaping the future of fast-casual restaurants. For nearly 20 years, Fast Casual has provided its annual “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” ranking in acknowledgment of the nation’s most innovative, creative and successful restaurant brands and leaders. To earn a place on the prestigious list, thousands of submissions are reviewed by a panel of judges who select 75 brands and 25 executives for recognition. 

Big Chicken fuses O’Neal’s home-cooked childhood favorites with today’s trending flavors. Offerings at the brand’s traditional locations nationwide location include The Original Big Chicken sandwich, Uncle Jerome’s Nashville Hot (Nashville Hot Chicken, lettuce, mayo and pickles), and The Ultimate (mac & cheese, crispy fried onions and roasted garlic BBQ aioli), along with the crispy crinkle cut fries and delicious ice cream milkshakes.

To learn more about Big Flavor. Big Food. Big Fun, visit www.bigchicken.com.

To view the “Top 100 Movers & Shakers” list in its entirety, visit www.fastcasual.com.

About Big Chicken

Founded in 2018, Big Chicken is backed by a dream team of partners; JRS Hospitality, an accomplished Las Vegas-based ownership group; Authentic Brands Group, a multi-national, multi-billion-dollar brand development, marketing and entertainment company; and Hall of Fame basketball star Shaquille O’Neal. Big Chicken fuses O’Neal’s home-cooked childhood favorites with today’s trending flavors. From crispy chicken sandwiches and tenders to Cheez-It® crusted mac n’ cheese and hand-crafted ice cream shakes, each menu item tells a story all while offering guests an inside look into the life and personality of Shaquille O’Neal. With more than 30 traditional and non-traditional locations currently open and 350-plus restaurants in its development pipeline, Big Chicken is growing domestically and internationally through franchising.

To learn more about Big Chicken, visit www.bigchicken.com

About Shaquille O’Neal 

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the world’s most successful athlete-turned-businessman, whose accomplishments both on and off the court have translated into a highly sought-after consumer brand. As an entrepreneur, sports analyst, DJ, restaurateur, and brand ambassador, Shaquille O’Neal’s signature “Business of Fun” mantra resonates throughout each of his countless endeavors.

The 15-time NBA All-Star’s unprecedented athletic career spanned nearly two decades and earned him countless awards and honors, including NBA Most Valuable Player, NBA Rookie of the Year, four NBA Championships and a First Ballot NBA Hall of Famer.  Currently, O’Neal is an analyst on TNT’s Emmy Award-winning “Inside the NBA.”

O’Neal, who has a PhD in Leadership and Education, established The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation which provides resources for underserved youth. He also gives back through a number of annual philanthropic programs including Shaq to School, Shaqsgiving, and Shaq a Claus.

The launch of his Las Vegas eatery Big Chicken has further elevated Shaquille’s status as he has positioned himself as a successful restaurateur. The brand currently has more than 350 locations in development worldwide and 30-plus locations open in traditional and non-traditional restaurant settings.

Follow Shaquille O’Neal on TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Authentic Brands Group

Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, which owns a portfolio of more than 40 iconic and world-renowned Lifestyle, Entertainment and Media brands. Headquartered in New York City, with offices around the world, Authentic connects strong brands with best-in-class partners and a global network of operators, distributors and retailers to build long-term value in the marketplace. Its brands have an expansive retail footprint, including more than 9,100-plus freestanding stores and shop-in-shops in more than 150 countries and generate approximately $24 billion in global annual retail sales..

Authentic is committed to transforming brands by delivering powerful storytelling, compelling content, innovative business models and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media. Authentic’s brand portfolio includes Marilyn Monroe®, Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O’Neal®, David Beckham®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Sports Illustrated®, Reebok®, Eddie Bauer®, Spyder®, Volcom®, Airwalk®, Nautica®, Izod®, Brooks Brothers®, Barneys New York®, Judith Leiber®, Ted Baker®, Hervé Léger®, Frye®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Aéropostale®, Forever 21®, Nine West®, Jones New York®, Tretorn®, Prince®, Van Heusen®, Arrow®, Hickey Freeman®, Hart Schaffner Marx® and Thomasville®.

For more information, visit www.authentic.com.

Follow Authentic on LinkedIn, Instagram,  and Twitter.

 

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