Maryland Market Entry
Big Chicken, the fast-casual chicken concept co-founded by basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal and backed by Craveworthy Brands, opens its first standalone Maryland location on August 8 at Waugh Chapel Towne Centre in Gambrills — a suburban Baltimore market the brand sees as a launchpad into the broader DMV corridor. The unit at 1407 South Main Chapel Way follows an existing presence at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, giving the chain its first traditional storefront in the state.
Franchisee Pratik Patel, a multi-unit operator with more than 15 years of hospitality experience and an existing portfolio of quick-service locations across Howard and Anne Arundel counties, is leading the opening. That local footprint matters for a brand still building suburban density: Patel's existing operator relationships and community ties give the concept a faster on-ramp than a cold-start franchisee would.
Menu and Format
The Gambrills unit will serve the brand's core lineup of stacked chicken sandwiches — including The Shaq Attack and The Ultimate, loaded with mac and cheese and crispy onion rings — plus tenders, signature sides, hand-spun milkshakes and Shaq Snacks (crispy tenders on garlic toast). The opening also coincides with the rollout of "Big Dip Energy," a rotating monthly limited-time sauce program; the inaugural drop is a Root Beer BBQ dip. That kind of limited-time-offer cadence is a proven traffic driver in the fast-casual segment, where repeat visits hinge on menu news.
For the grand opening, the first 100 guests in line receive three free tenders and four signature dipping sauces — a reference to O'Neal's No. 34 jersey number. After the initial 100, the same offer runs at $5.00 through the afternoon alongside in-store giveaways.
Growth Trajectory
Big Chicken now counts more than 40 locations open across North America, with dozens more in development. The brand's footprint spans arenas, airports, cruise ships and traditional storefronts — a non-traditional channel mix that has helped it build awareness before committing to the capital costs of standalone units. CEO Josh Halpern framed the Gambrills opening as a deliberate move: "Bringing Big Chicken into Gambrills with a partner like Pratik, who brings deep local experience and knows how to run a great restaurant, is how we grow."
For convenience and foodservice operators watching the fast-casual chicken segment, Big Chicken's suburban storefront push reflects a broader trend: celebrity-backed QSR concepts graduating from venue-based pilots into street-trade locations as they prove unit economics. The chicken sandwich category remains one of the most contested in foodservice, with operators across all channels — from c-stores to fast casual — competing for the same lunch and late-night daypart. Big Chicken's differentiation leans on portion size, sauce variety and the O'Neal brand identity rather than price. The Gambrills location will be open Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday through Saturday until 11 p.m.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
