Shaquille O’Neal-owned fast-food chain Big Chicken has announced an opening date of Monday, Aug. 5 for its new restaurant in southwest Lubbock.
The chain, which has been touted as one of “ America’s Hottest Startup Fast Casuals ” and named this year’s “Top Mover and Shaker” by Fast Causal , had confirmed last month it planned to open its location at 7411 Milwaukee Ave. in the coming weeks following some delays in the development phase, the A-J previously reported.
Local franchisee Coby Jones, a Lubbock native who began his career with a local restaurant group in 1989, has invited residents and chicken enthusiasts from far and wide to join in on the opening-day celebration and will be offering free food and drink for a year to the first 34 guests in line as a nod to O’Neal’s iconic jersey number, according to a news release.
On opening day, the first 34 customers will receive gift cards for free chicken for a year. The cards will be loaded with $10 every week for the year.
“As I ready to open my first location in the town I grew up in, I’ve been reflecting on all the hard work we’ve put in to get to this point. Nothing would have been possible without the guidance of the Big Chicken leadership team and other Texas-based groups who have paved the way in other cities throughout the state,” said Jones, who plans to develop a total of six Big Chicken locations from Lubbock to Oklahoma City. “I hope the city enjoys the food just as much as I do, especially the students at nearby Texas Tech University, my alma mater. The bold flavors and Shaquille-sized portions are the perfect fit for this rapidly growing city.”
Offerings at the Lubbock location will feature O’Neal’s home-cooked childhood favorites such as The Ultimate , a sandwich piled high with mac and cheese and crispy fried onions, and Uncle Jerome’s Nashville Hot, a Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich served with lettuce, mayo and pickles, along with crinkle-cut fries and ice cream milkshakes. Each menu item gives guests an inside look into the life and personality of the brand’s famous founder while giant orange chicken feet, glowing neon pink signage and an NBA Jam machine contribute to an animated atmosphere bursting with energy, officials said.
Prior to joining Big Chicken, Jones worked as a beverage manager for Buckhead Life Restaurant Group before moving over to the fine dining sector as a fine wine sales associate and state manager for Fosters Wine Estates. He opened his first Firehouse Subs location in 2012 in Lubbock, where he quickly became one of the top franchisees in the system and has since opened a total of 11 locations throughout the region.
“We first met with Coby at an early inflection point in Big Chicken’s growth journey, and I was immediately impressed with his desire to partner with us to make this concept as strong as possible,” said CEO Josh Halpern. “He’s been a fantastic partner to us so far, and we’re thankful to have him as an extension of Shaquille’s family business in Lubbock.”
The restaurant will hire between 60-80 people, and has hired at least 25 already. Interviews are ongoing, and potential employees can apply through the job postings on Indeed.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Shaq's Big Chicken confirms opening date for new Lubbock restaurant location, giveaways
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