Shaquille O’Neal launches the “Charles Barkley” Sandwich and 56 Big Chicken branches around Texas
Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley
© Bob Donnan - USA TODAY Sports
Shaquille O'Neal continues to be a persistent and innovative businessman. He's one of the handful of NBA Hall-of-Famers who continues to profit a large amount of money each year despite being retired for a very long time. His choice to invest in the fast food industry after his basketball career continues to be one of his brightest life decisions.
We all know about The Diesel's long list of business ventures, but we don't see how he continues to advertise and innovate his business. Aside from expanding his growing fast food joint called Big Chicken in Texas, it's about to be promoted in the most Shaq way possible.
The Charles Barkley special
O'Neal is innovating Big Chicken's menu by adding the Charles Barkley sandwich among the meal choices. The Charles Barkley sandwich is a fried chicken sandwich mixed with mac and cheese, crispy fried onions, and roasted garlic barbecue aioli.
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According to O'Neal's partner and Big Chicken CEO Josh Halpern, the Charles Barkley sandwich is "as big as over-the-top as Chuck is."
Big Chicken is expected to open up 56 branches around Texas, specifically in Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. The establishment first opened in 2018 in Las Vegas, and thanks to O'Neal's active marketing and financial support, the fast food restaurant has been profiting and growing since. It can also be located in 10 states, specifically Nevada, California, New York, Washington, Carnival Cruise Line, Ohio, Illinois, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington.
Shaq added his twist too.
Aside from naming a sandwich after his sparring partner on "Inside the NBA", O'Neal didn't hesitate to add his name to the Big Chicken's menu as well.
"The Most Dominant Ever" (MDE) Shaq special sandwich is a fried chicken sandwich, but this one comes with a special Shaq sauce. Aside from the MDE meal, another Shaq-themed sandwich on the menu is called "Shaq attack," but this one is made with pepper jack cheese, jalapeño slaw, spicy chipotle, and barbecue sauce.
O'Neal's fast food joint also offers popcorn chicken, tenders, sliders, salads, and desserts (like milkshakes, ice cream sandwiches, cookies, and ice cream). Luckily for Shaq, his partners, namely the Authentic Brand Group (ABC) and JRS Hospitality are working with him to bring Big Chicken to great heights.
Big Chicken hasn't cracked the "Largest chicken chains in the US" list yet, but if the group continues to go at the pace they're going, they might just dominate the fast food industry in the future the way O'Neal did in the NBA.
