Career 53% free-throw shooter opens Big Chicken shack in Mukilteo

MUKILTEO — This chicken shack is Shaq’s.

When 7-foot-1 Shaquille O’Neal and crispy chicken cross paths, it’s a big deal.

O’Neal, a slam-dunk NBA Hall of Famer, wasn’t at Thursday’s grand opening of his new Big Chicken restaurant in Mukilteo attended by city officials and a few dozen hungry, curious citizens. “Bok Bok” was the squawk as the ribbon was cut at 11700 Mukilteo Speedway in the QFC plaza.

Follow the dinosaur-sized chicken feet on the floor to the order counter. “Big Flavor. Big food. Big fun” is the motto at the home of The Ultimate, $9.99, topped with mac and cheese, and Dirty Fries, $8.29, with bacon, cheese and banana peppers.

“I got the Uncle Jerome. It was so good, not too hot where it kills you,” said Elena Dunn, of Mukilteo, the first to order Thursday. “It was so big. I’ll be back next week. I was thinking maybe tomorrow, too.”

The orange-themed fast-foot restaurant has seating for 50 and a mobile pickup window.

Instead of super-sized, items are Shaq-sized.

A 32-ounce Pepsi is $3.99. The signature chocolate chip cookie is $12.99.

“It’s the circumference of a basketball,” said restaurant co-owner David Jones, of Edmonds.

O’Neal, the former No. 1 overall draft pick by the Orlando Magic, will stop by someday, he said, with two-hours notice on social media.

“He came to one grand opening and 3,000 people showed up and they had to close, so he’s not doing that anymore,” Jones said. “I will know 48 hours ahead and the public will know two hours ahead, and that way we won’t get 3,000 people.”

Don’t be too sure.

This is the second Big Chicken for Jones and his wife, Lorri. The first opened in Renton last December. A third is planned in Shoreline next year. The couple also have four Subways and eight Blazing Onion Burgers. They don’t own the Big Chicken stands at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

O’Neal, 51, founded Big Chicken in Las Vegas in 2018, enticing fans with a Facebook reality series. Locations are now in over a dozen states, stadiums and Kansas City International Airport, as well as three Carnival Cruise ships.

Los Angeles Lakers fans Tom Ceurvorst and his children, Sam and Elle, wore basketball jerseys to the Mukilteo opening.

“I had to break this thing out of the closet and put it on to support Shaq,” said Ceurvorst, wearing a throwback Orlando Magic jersey.

“I like that he broke the backboard two times,” said Sam, 10.

“He did? Cool,” said Elle, who gave her age as “8, seriously like almost 9.”

Food is served on metal trays. A sign encourages sauciness. Tables have rolls of paper towels instead of napkins, so you can make a big mess.

Feeling healthy?

Cobb Salad, $12.39, has crispy chicken, bacon, tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled egg, blue cheese and ranch dressing.

The Mukilteo YMCA is a mile away. You might need to make more trips there.

Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @reporterbrown.