Shaquille O’Neal to open Big Chicken in Lubbock

  • A new Big Chicken restaurant, co-founded by Shaquille O’Neal is planned for Lubbock.
    A new Big Chicken restaurant, co-founded by Shaquille O’Neal is planned for Lubbock.
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    DMS Henry Ramirez and Luis Perez placed second in boys doubles.
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    Dimmitt Health Science competed at the Top of Texas CTE Health Science Competition at Amarillo College East Campus. Maria Bernal and Melanie Esqueda placed 1st with their Health Career Display; Tania Hernandez, 1st place, Medical Terminology; Martin Rodriguez, 2nd place, Sports Medicine; Kaylie Furr, 3rd place, Health Career Photography; and Ana Penaran, 3rd place, Patient Care Technician and a $500 scholarship.
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    DMS Lissa Villegas placed first in girls singles.
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    DMS Joshua Seaton placed second in boys singles.
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    Nazareth senior Tell Bagley won the Texas Farm Bureau District 2 scholarship for Castro County. Growing up with an agricultural background, he said he plans to combine his passion for agriculture and STEM by studying agricultural engineering at Texas A&M University. Annually, the Texas Farm Bureau devotes a large amount of resources towards youth programs and awards more than $200,00 in scholarships in a variety of packages designed to meet different student needs.

Big Chicken, a fast-casual restaurant featuring the favorite foods of basketball player Shaquille O’Neal and his famous friends, is expected to make an entrance into Lubbock in the near future.

Big Chicken, created in part by O’Neal, plays upon some of his catchphrases, like “Can you dig it?” The first Big Chicken locations have been opening in several locations across North Texas, with a goal of more than 50 planned across the state.

The Lubbock Big Chicken will be located at 7411 Milwaukee Avenue, according to Big Chicken representatives.

The restaurant was founded in 2018 by a group of partners including O’Neal, according to the company website. The menu includes O’Neal’s favorite childhood food with a twist of today’s food trends. Some featured menu items include chicken tenders and sandwiches and Cheez-It crusted mac and cheese.

Details as to when the restaurant will be opening were not immediately available at this time.

The menu includes fried and grilled chicken and an array of sandwiches and sides. One of the most popular sandwiches is The M.D.E. – O’Neal’s nickname, Most Dominant Ever, which is a fried chicken sandwich with Shaq sauce and pickles. There is also a Nashville hot chicken sandwich called Uncle Jerome, named for O’Neal’s bodyguard.

For those who are super hungry, a Charles Barkley fried chicken sandwich loaded with mac and cheese, onion rings and roasted BBQ aioli might do the trick.

The menu ends with “monstrous- sized milkshakes,” as well as ice cream sandwiches, soft-serve ice cream cones, and the Big Cookie, which has the circumference of a basketball and is served on a pizza board.

Big Chicken already has locations in Dallas and Fort Worth, Austin, Seattle, Las Vegas, and several Carnival Cruise ships.

Specific details on the opening date of the Lubbock Big Chicken have not been released.