Shaquille O’Neal-Owned Big Chicken Opens at Austin’s New, High-Profile Moody Center

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Fast Casual Chicken Concept Continues Arena Expansion, Bringing BIG Flavors

April 22, 2022 // Franchising.com // AUSTIN, Texas - Austin is about to satisfy the raging appetites of hyped concertgoers and fervent sports fans with the opening of Shaquille O’Neal-owned Big Chicken in Austin’s new home for premier events and entertainment - the Moody Center.

Situated on the University of Texas-Austin campus and within one of the nation’s most vibrant music scenes, the highly anticipated $388 million arena will open its doors to eager audiophiles at the end of April after nearly two years of construction. Featuring cutting-edge technology and top-of-the-line design elements, Moody Center will deliver a concert experience like no other with the world’s most legendary names in music. Along with sold-out 15,000-plus seat concerts, the arena will also be the proud home of the Texas Longhorns women’s and men’s basketball teams. As a part of this historic public-private development, which will be a top destination for decades to come, Big Chicken will open within the venue on April 19 in advance of the arena’s grand opening.

“The arena is set to host some of Austin’s biggest entertainment and sporting events, and we couldn’t be happier to be part of it. We are thrilled to be working with Oak View Group to offer Big Chicken to the stadium’s guests,” said Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken.

Marking the brand’s third location within one of America’s recently opened, premier sports and entertainment venues, the Moody Center’s Big Chicken joins locations at Seattle’s new Climate Pledge Arena and UBS Arena in New York. Offerings at the new Moody Center location include the Stubbs Longhorn (Chicken, Pulled Pork, Smoked Gouda, Stubbs BBQ Sauce), the M.D.E. Chicken (Shaq Sauce, chicken breast and B&B Pickles) and Uncle Jerome (Nashville hot chicken, mayo and pickles), along with chicken tenders, fries, sodas, ice cream sandwiches and a BIG Cookie, which is the circumference of an NBA basketball.

In addition to the Moody Center, UBS Arena, and Climate Pledge Arena, Big Chicken has locations open in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and two Carnival Cruise Ships. The most recent agreement was for a 50-unit deal across Texas with the talented, Texas-based owner/operator team of Fazil Malik, Frank Malik and Noordin Jhaver. The Maliks and Jhaver have known each other since their first roles in the convenience and restaurant industries, almost 30 years ago. Now, their first joint venture will be opening 50 Big Chicken locations in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin.

SOURCE Big Chicken

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