Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Shaquille O'Neal Used an Unconventional Strategy to Start His Chicken Restaurant — Here's Why It Worked The NBA Hall of Famer leveraged his 35 million Instagram followers to build buzz around Big Chicken before it even launched.

By Shawn P. Walchef Edited by Jessica Thomas

Key Takeaways

  • NBA icon Shaquille O'Neal channels his winning spirit into the entrepreneurial field with his extensive portfolio of business ventures, including his brand Big Chicken.
  • Using O'Neal's mother's recipes, Big Chicken stays true to its family roots.
  • O'Neal leverages his massive social media presence for cost-effective marketing, balancing humor with inspiration and business on his platforms.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

After a prolific 20-year NBA career that also saw him release platinum-selling music and star in box office smash movies, Shaquille O'Neal has turned his championship mentality and larger-than-life persona to his entrepreneurial portfolio. The basketball star's extensive business holdings include Big Chicken, a fast-casual chicken concept that reflects his love for bold flavors and big portions.

The brand has more than 350 locations in development across 19 states and two countries and is even on four Carnival cruise ships. Big Chicken can also be found in arenas, airports and stadium venues.

Even as it has expanded, Big Chicken remains true to its family roots.

"It was my mother's creation," O'Neal says of the genesis of Big Chicken. "So, we brought her [Lucille O'Neal] down, and she worked with the executive chefs on how the macaroni should taste, how the chicken should be battered, and everybody was receptive to that."

Lucille's Mac N' Cheese is now a popular menu item, along with the namesake Big Chicken sandwiches, chicken "Dunks," ice cream and more.

Related: This Chicago Native Wants to Build the In-N-Out of Tacos

Leading a champion team

For O'Neal, the Big Chicken brand's success isn't just about making money; it's about creating a championship team that fosters community and provides memorable experiences for everyone involved.

"When you're raised by a drill sergeant and raised by discipline, you always go with the flow, and you always attack your dreams," O'Neal says.

When launching Big Chicken, O'Neal took a unique approach to marketing by building the brand in public.

He leveraged the power of free promotion — and his already massive popularity — through the Big Chicken Shaq Show on Facebook Watch and across his social media accounts. On Instagram alone, O'Neal entertains an audience of more than 35 million followers.

His philosophy is simple: You don't need a massive budget to get the word out. Using tools like free social media accounts and grassroots marketing efforts, he showed how any brand can gain visibility without breaking the bank.

"All it takes is once," he says, highlighting how valuable word-of-mouth marketing can be to Restaurant Influencers host Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media.

O'Neal's strategy for connecting with his online audience mirrors this overall ethos. The entrepreneur uses his platforms to entertain, inspire and inform people about his latest ventures. "Sixty percent of my posts are to make you laugh, 30% to inspire you and 10% to show what I'm involved in," he says.

This balance reflects O'Neal's larger mission of bringing light into people's lives through food or entertainment. "I want to laugh because when you laugh, it releases those endorphins in the face and helps you relieve stress," he says. "I understand that. I realize that. I want to make people laugh."

Related: The 'Billionaire Chef' Wants To Bring West African Cuisine to the World — Here's How

Growing Big Chicken

Having already enjoyed an unimaginable amount of success in his career, O'Neal understands the importance of selflessness and teamwork. His message to potential partners is clear: By joining Big Chicken, you're not just opening a successful restaurant. You're joining a winning team to create something truly special.

Though it's relatively new to the franchising space, Big Chicken is owned by a trio of industry titans, including O'Neal, Authentic Brands Group and JRS Hospitality.

"I'm not in this to become a trillionaire," O'Neal says, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and growth. "I hope the people want to grow with us. They want to help us win championships because there's no other concept like this."

Related: This Legendary California Fish Market Sold $30 Million in One Year Thanks to Viral Videos – Then Caught Amazon's Attention

About Restaurant Influencers

Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point-of-sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.

Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast.

Restaurant Influencers is also supported by Walmart Business. Learn more about how you can conveniently access everything you need for your business from Walmart Business. It's the Walmart you love, now for your business.

Shawn P. Walchef

Founder of Cali BBQ Media

“Be the show, not the commercial.”

Cali BBQ Media Founder Shawn Walchef helps brands and leaders leverage the new Business Creator Economy with strategic Smartphone Storytelling and Digital Hospitality.

His Cali BBQ restaurant company has generated more than $35 million since opening in 2008. They operate numerous locations in San Diego and beyond.

Shawn’s weekly video series Restaurant Influencers (published by Entrepreneur Media and produced by Cali BBQ Media) has been seen by over 25 million people.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

More from Restaurant Influencers

How This CEO Breathed Life Into a 75-Year-Old California Ice Cream Brand Without Losing Its Nostalgic Identity

This CEO Was Tasked With Helping an Iconic Hawaiian Brand Regain Its Footing. Here's How He Used Storytelling to Do It.

Shaquille O'Neal Used an Unconventional Strategy to Start His Chicken Restaurant — Here's Why It Worked

This Chicago Native Wants to Build the In-N-Out of Tacos

Editor's Pick

Business News

'Not Yet Fully Autonomous': Tesla's Optimus Robots Stole the Show — But Were They Actually Controlled By Humans?

Musk said the $20,000 to $30,000 robot could perform household tasks like mowing lawns and putting away groceries.

Starting a Business

She Started a Business With $300 After Getting Laid Off. It Made $300,000 in Year 1 and Grew to Over $50 Million — Here's How.

Bobbie Racette wanted to revamp the virtual assistance space — and provide job opportunities for underrepresented communities at the same time.

Grow Your Franchise

4 Ways to Deliver an Authentic Franchise Brand Experience in a Brick & Mortar Space

Here are several scalable best practices for bringing your brand to life in a messy, imperfect world.

Business News

Whole Foods Was Accused of 'Shrinkflation' After Changing Its Berry Chantilly Cake Slices. Here's Why the Company Reversed Course.

After changing the recipe and size of its beloved cake slices, social media users were outraged. Now, Whole Foods is bringing the original back to cases this week.

Thought Leaders

The Human Side of Wealth — 5 Insights I Learned from Ron Diamond

Ahead of Entrepreneur's workshop with Ron Diamond, learn how he balances legacy with humility, learns from failure, and builds trust-based relationships to redefine wealth through purpose-driven Family Offices.