When Will Shaquille O’Neal’s ‘Big Chicken’ Restaurant Open in Baton Rouge, Louisiana?

BATON ROUGE, La. (KPEL News) - The time is almost near for one of the hottest chicken joints to make its debut in Louisiana!

"Big Chicken," a fast-growing chain of restaurants that is sweeping the U.S., is headed up by former LSU and NBA great Shaquille O'Neal. In April, we reported that Shaq was bringing his popular eatery to Baton Rouge, where his basketball career first took off! .

Shaq was a force at LSU under Head Basketball Coach Dale Brown. Over his 90-game college career, he averaged 21.6 points per game and 13.5 rebounds per game, according to sports-reference.com. Shaq has also been a force in the business world. According to vettedbiz.com, he owns a total of 50 brands. One of those brands is "Big Chicken," which gains high praise from the website:

Big Chicken has the potential to be his most successful business to date. Chicken Sandwich restaurants have been a cultural awakening and Shaq has the fast casual experience and celebrity endorsement power to make it a major brand. JRS Hospitality and ABG will also be major players to help ensure its success.

Started in 2018, "Big Chicken" recently opened its first Texas location in Houston as part of its quick expansion across the country with locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Nevada, Tennessee and Washington.

What is on the Menu at 'Big Chicken?'

The menu at "Big Chicken" features several chicken sandwiches such as the "Big & Sloppy" (featuring mac n' cheese), the "Big Aristotle" (featuring bacon), and the Crispy Chicken Grilled Cheese. There's also chicken tenders, sliders, salads, and other sides to choose.

When Will Shaquille O'Neal's 'Big Chicken' Restaurant Open in Baton Rouge, Louisiana?

Some exciting news was recently shared by Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge, which is soon going to be Queen Baton Rouge Casino and will house the new "Big Chicken" location in downtown Baton Rouge. Renovations are taking place and guess what...the "Big Chicken" sign is up!

While renovations are moving forward, no set opening date has been announced. Keep in mind, not only is the restaurant itself opening but they are dependent on the rebranding of the casino to finish and the casino itself to reopen as well, which is expected to be later this summer according to WBRZ.