Craveworthy Brands' concept Big Chicken was recently featured in Retail Insider by Craig Patterson.
Big Chicken, the fast casual chicken brand founded by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, has officially entered the Canadian market with the opening of its first location in Hamilton, Ontario. The debut marks a significant milestone for the brand as it begins what executives describe as a long term, nationwide growth strategy across Canada, anchored by a mix of arena based locations and future brick and mortar restaurants.
The Hamilton location opened inside the newly transformed TD Coliseum in late November, coinciding with the venue’s reopening following a $300 million redevelopment. The arena, which now seats approximately 18,000 guests, is positioned as a major entertainment hub for the Golden Horseshoe and is home to the National Lacrosse League’s Toronto Rock, along with a growing slate of concerts and large scale events.
For Big Chicken, the choice of Hamilton was both strategic and symbolic. “Canada’s been on our roadmap for some time,” said Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken, in an interview with Retail Insider. “We have a Canadian franchise disclosure document in place, we have already sold a Canadian franchise agreement, and we should have stores opening in the Greater Toronto Area next year.”
A Partnership Rooted in Live Entertainment
Big Chicken’s first Canadian location was made possible through its ongoing partnership with Oak View Group, the global live entertainment and venue management company that operates TD Coliseum. The relationship between the two organizations stretches back several years and includes Big Chicken locations in major arenas across the United States and the United Kingdom.
“We have a big partnership with Oak View Group across a lot of their arenas,” Halpern explained. “They called me about 18 months ago and asked whether Big Chicken would want to be part of the Hamilton project. The ability to come into the market through a venue like this and start teaching people about Big Chicken is pretty amazing.”
Oak View Group Hospitality Senior Vice President Chris Nelson described the addition of Big Chicken as a natural extension of the arena’s fan focused strategy. He said the brand aligns well with the energy of live events and the expectation of elevated food offerings in modern venues.
Since its founding in 2018, Big Chicken has built a strong presence in non traditional locations, including arenas, cruise ships, casinos, and even a U.S. military base. That strategy has allowed the brand to build awareness quickly while testing markets ahead of more permanent restaurant development.
Early Reception in Hamilton Shows Promise
While Halpern has yet to personally visit the Hamilton location since its opening, early feedback has been encouraging. “From what I’ve heard, people have been really, really positive on it,” he said. “Oak View Group does a great job figuring out how to marry our standard operating procedures with venue timing, because you have a very limited window to serve a lot of people.”
Big Chicken’s menu is designed for high throughput environments, and the brand consistently ranks among the top grossing food concepts in the arenas where it operates. According to Halpern, the Hamilton location is following that same trend, benefiting from strong event traffic and a customer base eager to try new offerings.
TD Coliseum guests have access to Big Chicken’s signature sandwiches, including The Original and Shaq’s Spicy Maple Crunch, along with sides such as Sweet Fire Fries. The menu is positioned to deliver bold flavors that resonate with both sports fans and concertgoers looking for something beyond standard arena fare.
A Flexible Real Estate Strategy for Canada
While the Hamilton opening is arena based, Big Chicken’s Canadian strategy is not limited to live entertainment venues. Halpern emphasized that the brand is deliberately flexible when it comes to real estate formats, a philosophy shaped by both the founder’s personality and the realities of modern food service.
“We have corporate restaurants, franchise restaurants, arenas, cruise ships,” Halpern said. “When you think about Shaquille O’Neal, he could show up anywhere. So whether it’s a brick and mortar location on a major intersection, an arena in Hamilton, or a casino in Niagara, if we can be there, we want to be there.”
That adaptability is expected to be a key advantage as Big Chicken evaluates opportunities across Canada, where consumer patterns, traffic flows, and real estate dynamics have shifted since the pandemic.
Targeting Major Canadian Markets
Looking ahead, Big Chicken has its sights set on major metropolitan markets across the country. Ontario is the immediate focus, supported by an existing franchise agreement and active discussions with additional operators. However, the brand is also exploring opportunities in Western Canada and beyond.
“At the end of the day, we want to be in all the major metros,” Halpern said. “We are looking for multi-unit operators who like to have their hands in the business day to day and who want to grow with an emerging brand.”
He noted that until a concept reaches roughly 100 to 150 units, it remains in a phase of refinement. Entering Canada, Big Chicken is intentionally pacing its growth to ensure operational consistency and strong local relevance.
Balancing Global Brand Standards With Local Taste
One of the recurring themes in Big Chicken’s expansion strategy is what Halpern refers to as “go global, be local.” While the brand is built around universal elements like fried chicken sandwiches and comfort food, the execution is tailored to regional preferences.
“Sauce profiles are a little bit different in Canada,” Halpern explained. “Sides you would expect to see on the menu can be a little different than in the United States. We really try to execute a global brand in a way where locals view it as their own.”
This approach has already taken tangible form in Hamilton, where Big Chicken introduced a Canada specific sandwich that does not exist anywhere else in the world. The sandwich features a hot maple honey profile developed collaboratively with Oak View Group’s corporate chef and Cisco Canada’s culinary team in Mississauga.
“That’s not just lip service,” Halpern said. “We are already doing it.”
Supply Chain and Operational Foundations
To support its Canadian rollout, Big Chicken has partnered with Cisco Canada to manage sourcing and supply chain logistics. Establishing a reliable, scalable supply chain was a prerequisite for entering the market, particularly given the brand’s ambitions for multi market expansion.
“We start with the supply chain first,” Halpern said. “If we can protect the supply chain and have good marketing insights, and we are talking to the Canadian consumer, we like our ability to put a good menu together.”
The brand’s leadership team has also invested significant time in understanding Canadian franchising regulations, consumer expectations, and real estate considerations. Halpern said Big Chicken plans to work closely with the Canadian Franchise Association and experienced legal and advisory partners as it expands.
Learning From International Experience
Big Chicken’s confidence in Canada is informed by its previous international expansion, most notably in the United Kingdom. The brand entered the U.K. through an arena location in Manchester, also in partnership with Oak View Group, demonstrating that its model can translate beyond the U.S.
“That showed us that we can execute internationally,” Halpern said. “Now we are opening brick and mortar stores next year in Canada and in Honduras, with other countries potentially following.”
Those experiences reinforced the importance of local execution while maintaining brand consistency, a balance Big Chicken believes is essential for long term success outside its home market.
Franchising Interest Builds Ahead of Broader Rollout
Interest from prospective Canadian franchisees is already emerging, even at this early stage. Halpern said he has spoken with groups in markets such as Edmonton, signaling appetite for the concept beyond Ontario.
“Our head of franchising would love nothing more than to vet Canadian franchisees,” he said. “We have done a lot of infrastructure work up front, and next year we are going to start bringing other brands in the Craveworthy portfolio into Canada as well.”
Craveworthy Brands, which became a managing partner and investor in Big Chicken earlier this year, oversees a portfolio that includes concepts ranging from pizza and Indian cuisine to cookies, cinnamon rolls, and casual dining restaurants. The company is exploring the possibility of a broader Canadian franchise disclosure document that could support multiple brands.
Navigating a Shifting Canadian Restaurant Landscape
Halpern acknowledged that Canada’s restaurant market is undergoing structural change, shaped by evolving work patterns, population shifts, and cautious development following the pandemic.
“There is big demand, but people are being careful because you are signing five or ten year leases,” he said. “Some sites that were great before COVID are not performing the same way today.”
As a result, Big Chicken is relying heavily on local operators to guide site selection.
“No one knows the market better than the person on the ground,” Halpern said. “As long as the logic is right and the data supports it, they know the market better than someone flying in for a few days.”
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