The Move
Big Chicken, the fast-casual chicken concept co-founded by Shaquille O'Neal and backed by Craveworthy Brands, Authentic Brands Group, and JRS Hospitality, opened its first standalone Maryland location on August 8, 2026 at Waugh Chapel Towne Centre in Gambrills — a suburban retail hub positioned between Baltimore and the broader DMV market. The brand had previously operated inside Baltimore's CFG Bank Arena, using the venue footprint as a market test before committing to a street-level unit.
That sequencing matters for operators and franchisors watching the brand's playbook. Arena and airport placements have become a legitimate pre-launch intelligence tool for fast-casual concepts — they stress-test menu velocity, staff throughput, and brand awareness in a captive environment before a franchisee takes on the fixed-cost exposure of a traditional storefront. Big Chicken now has more than 40 locations open across North America, with additional units in development through arenas, airports, cruise ships, and standalone restaurants.
The Franchisee Profile
Leading the Gambrills unit is Pratik Patel, a multi-unit operator with more than 15 years of hospitality experience and an existing QSR portfolio spanning Howard and Anne Arundel counties. His profile reflects what sophisticated franchise development teams increasingly prioritize: proven local operators with existing infrastructure, community relationships, and the capital structure to scale. "Gambrills is a special place, and it's the right fit to bring something new that matches its energy," Patel said.
For brands targeting suburban corridor expansion, Patel's background is the template. Multi-unit QSR operators with geographic density — who already manage supply chain, labor pipelines, and local marketing — reduce franchisors' execution risk considerably compared to first-time licensees. Operators evaluating their own franchise growth strategies should note how Big Chicken CEO Josh Halpern framed the Gambrills decision: "The right place, the right partner and a whole lot of BIG flavor." Partner quality, not just market opportunity, is driving site selection.
Menu and LTO Intelligence
The Gambrills opening coincides with a systemwide menu initiative the brand is calling "Big Dip Energy" — a rotating lineup of limited-time dipping sauces dropping monthly, with Root Beer BBQ as the launch flavor. LTO-driven dip programs have gained traction across the chicken segment as a low-cost way to drive repeat visits and social content without retooling the core menu. For operators and suppliers in the sauce and condiment category, Big Chicken's monthly cadence signals ongoing procurement cycles worth tracking.
The core menu — stacked sandwiches, crispy tenders, hand-spun milkshakes, and the brand's Shaq Snacks platform — is built around comfort-food familiarity with bold topping layers. That positioning continues to perform well in suburban markets where family-dining frequency and value perception carry more weight than urban novelty.
For franchise operators assessing emerging chicken concepts, Big Chicken's DMV foothold is worth benchmarking. The brand is executing a venue-to-storefront pipeline that converts brand awareness built in high-traffic entertainment venues into durable neighborhood traffic — a model with direct implications for franchise growth strategy and fast-casual market positioning. Operators in adjacent Mid-Atlantic markets should expect additional site announcements as the Gambrills unit establishes proof of concept for the region.
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.
