Shaq's restaurant Big Chicken opens in metro Detroit next week: Where it's at

Big Diesel is bringing big flavor to Michigan with a new fast-casual restaurant, Big Chicken.

Four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O'Neal partnered in 2018 with Authentic Brands Group, a multibillion-dollar marketing company, and JRS hospitality to launch a chain of restaurants, focusing on modern takes of O'Neal's "home-cooked childhood favorites," like crispy chicken sandwiches and Cheez-it crusted mac and cheese.

Big Chicken opened their first Michigan location in Clio, north of Flint, in February and will open their first metro Detroit location on Tuesday. Big Chicken's doors will open in Hartland Township, in Livingston County, at 10490 Highland Rd.

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And more Big Chickens are coming. O'Neal's team inked a deal with Michigan-based franchising group, H & D Investments, in 2023, paving the way for 20 new storefronts across the state, including Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing, metro Detroit, Mount Pleasant and Saginaw.

The franchise, which describes itself as "emerging," but "owned by giants" is currently in the process of opening or operating more than 300 Big Chicken stores across the country, focusing on major metropolitan areas, like Detroit.

At the Hartland location opening Tuesday, the first 34 customers will receive a year of free Big Chicken food and drink, paying homage to O'Neal's jersey number, 34.

Breaking news reporter Liam Rappleye can be reached at LRappleye@freepress.com