Big Chicken, the rapidly growing chicken concept founded by NBA basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal opened its first- ever Philadelphia location on June 22, 2023 at The Concourse at Comcast Center (1701 John F Kennedy Blvd). OVG Hospitality, the food and beverage division of global sports and entertainment company Oak View Group, will oversee operations at this new location. The team at Brûlée Catering, the local catering arm of OVG Hospitality, will manage day-to-day operations.
“Philadelphia’s Comcast Center Campus is a dynamic epicenter for gourmet-on-the-go and world- class fine dining. We are thrilled to bring BIG flavor, BIG food, and BIG fun to the City of Brotherly Love,” said Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken in a statement. “We’re grateful for our partnership with Oak View Group and Comcast for the opportunity to introduce Big Chicken to Philadelphia for the first time at such an iconic site.”
Big Chicken will be open for lunch & early dinner, Monday through Friday from 10am to 5pm. Diners can expect chicken sandwiches and more of Shaquille’s home-cooked childhood favorites. Menu offerings will include Big Chicken’s signature 5 oz. chicken sandwiches – including the “M.D.E.” (Shaq sauce, chicken breast and B&B pickles), “Uncle Jerome” (Nashville hot chicken, mayo and pickles), “SHAQ Attack” (pepper jack cheese, jalapeno slaw, spicy chipotle BBQ sauce) and the “Superman” (Swiss cheese, smashed avocado, ranch), popcorn chicken served with Shaq sauce, a selection of savory sides, and there’s even a Caesar salad on the menu for patrons looking to add in some greens. For those who want to end their meal on a sweet note, there is a selection of shakes, all made with all-natural southern vanilla ice cream produced by Scott Bros Dairy using hormone free milk from California.
”OVG Hospitality has a long-standing partnership with the Big Chicken team,” Ken Gaber, President of OVG Hospitality, said. “Their delicious chicken sandwiches are already available at several OVG-managed arenas across the nation, from Seattle and Palm Springs to Tempe and Austin and most recently Baltimore, so opening a Big Chicken in Philadelphia was a natural next step. We’re excited to introduce Philadelphians to Big Chicken and hope they come with a BIG appetite.”
Currently, Big Chicken has 18 open locations across the country – from Kansas City, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, Las Vegas and more – inclusive of six sports arenas, one airport terminal and three Carnival Cruise ships. Big Chicken at The Concourse at Comcast Center will be open Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm.
