Oops. Shaq's Big Chicken is coming to Hartland, not Highland

Jennifer Eberbach, Livingston Daily
Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken is coming soon to Hartland Township.
Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken is coming soon to Hartland Township.

HARTLAND TWP. — Southeast Michiganders are excited to try Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken, but restaurant officials have announced a location snafu.

Instead of coming to Highland Township, as announced in December, the eatery will open at 10500 Highland Road in Hartland Township.

An original announcement used the 1050 Highland Road address, but marked jurisdiction as Hartland Township. The company supplied Hometown Life with an amended statement when contacted for clarification, incorrectly confirming Highland Township.

Peyton Harvey, a spokesperson for Big Chicken with All Points PR, confirmed Monday to The Daily and Hometown Life there's only one location opening soon in the local area — in Hartland Township.

"We apologize for any confusion as it relates to the location of our Big Chicken restaurant," Harvey wrote Tuesday in an email. "We’re super excited to be opening this summer at 10500 Highland Road in Hartland, next to Dairy Queen and near the Hartland Plaza Shopping Center."

The two sites given are about seven miles apart.

Big Chicken sells crispy chicken sandwiches and tenders, and new takes on Shaquille O'Neal's favorite foods from childhood, including "Lucille's Mac n' Cheese."
Big Chicken sells crispy chicken sandwiches and tenders, and new takes on Shaquille O'Neal's favorite foods from childhood, including "Lucille's Mac n' Cheese."

Hartland Township Planning Director Troy Langer told The Daily on Monday that Big Chicken is leasing and renovating the storefront near Dairy Queen.

O'Neal often makes surprise visits to Big Chicken locations, Harvey previously told Hometown Life. There is no word on whether he plans to visit Hartland Township.

The location will be the second to open in Michigan, behind an outlet in Clio, Hometown Life reported. It will be followed by more than a dozen franchises as part of an agreement with H&D Group Investments.

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Big Chicken was founded in 2018 by O'Neal, JRA Hospitality and Authentic Brands Group. The fast casual chain sells crispy chicken sandwiches and tenders, and new takes on the NBA legend's favorite foods from childhood, including "Lucille's Mac n' Cheese," which adds a Cheez-It crust to his mom's recipe.

The Daily and Hometown Life are both owned by Gannett in the USA Today Network.

— Hometown Life reporter Susan Bromley contributed to this article. Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Oops. Shaq's Big Chicken is coming to Hartland, not Highland

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