Big Chicken — the fried fowl fast-food franchise of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal — will open a location this fall in Arlington Heights, officials announced.
The chicken Shaq — ahem, shack — is proposed to replace an existing Arby’s with drive-through at 100 W. Rand Road in the Arlington Plaza shopping center.
It follows the opening of the first Illinois Big Chicken location last year at 9437 W. Higgins Road in Rosemont.
“Ever since we opened our first Big Chicken restaurant nearly a year ago, the reception from the Rosemont community has been incredible. Now, we’re ready to expand into Arlington Heights,” Kaushik Patel, part of the Schaumburg-based franchisee ownership group, said in a written announcement. “The restaurant will be in the perfect position to attract a variety of guests from daily commuters to families making the trip to and from the multitude of elementary and high schools in the area.”
The Arlington Heights store will join more than 40 national locations, including concession stands at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview and Wintrust Arena in Chicago’s South Loop.
Inspired by his family’s recipes growing up, O’Neal founded the fast-food chain in 2018 and has become its largest shareholder and board chairman. Franchising started three years ago.
Plans for a previously-announced Big Chicken at 1245 N. Roselle Road in Schaumburg are scrapped, but the Schaumburg-based franchisees are eyeing other locations there and elsewhere in hopes of opening a total of six in the suburbs, said Sam Stanovich, Big Chicken’s senior vice president of franchise leadership.
“We lost the actual site in Schaumburg, but we’re still actively looking for a site in Schaumburg. What ended up happening was somebody came in and bid more for the space than we could afford,” Stanovich said. “But we’re still actively looking because Schaumburg is where they live.”
Matt Frank, Schaumburg’s director of economic development, said the village recently received a permit for New Freezeland Indian Vegetarian Restaurant, which is planning to open in the 1,800-square-foot Roselle Road strip mall space. An opening date hasn’t been announced.
Stanovich said building renovations for the Big Chicken in Arlington Heights would be relatively simple, since the property previously housed a fast-food restaurant. The Arby’s franchisee is believed to be closing that location and not relocating somewhere else, Stanovich said.
Michael Mertes, Arlington Heights’ business development manager, said village hall hasn’t yet received a business license application from Big Chicken, but he is aware of the franchise’s announced plans. Special use zoning approvals are required for any new restaurant in town.
Stanovich did not provide an exact opening date due to the time needed for buildout and permitting, but the official company announcement said early fall.