ST. LOUIS – A chicken restaurant chain owned by former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal will soon be a “hit” in St. Louis, specifically at the ballpark.

“Big Chicken” will open its newest location at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 30 for the St. Louis Cardinals’ home opener.

Founded in 2018, Big Chicken fuses Shaq’s home-cooked childhood favorites with several trending flavors. Customers can order crispy chicken sandwiches and tenders, along with Cheez-It crusted mac n’ cheese and hand-crafted ice cream shakes.

At Busch Stadium, fans have the option for a unique St. Louis-crafted menu item. Fans can order a sandwich named the “314” after the St. Louis area code. The sandwich consist of the brand’s Nashville Hot Crispy Chicken with Shaq Sauce, and it’s served on a Cardinal Red Maple Bacon doughnut. 

“Big Chicken is quickly becoming a household name, and for all the right reasons – especially their commitment to chef-driven quality,” said Daniel Fetcho, vice president of operations for Delaware North Sportservice, concessionaire of the St. Louis Cardinals. “We’re grateful to grow our relationship with the Big Chicken team to include Busch Stadium, as we know it’ll be a big hit with Cardinals fans.”

Additional offerings at the stadium include the M.D.E. (Shaq Sauce, chicken breast and B&B Pickles) and the Uncle Jerome (Nashville Hot Chicken, lettuce, mayo and pickles), along with fries and a cookie the circumference of an NBA basketball.

Busch Stadium will have two Big Chicken concession stands. They will be located in section 135, along the first base line of the main concourse, and in section 358, on the third base side of the terrace level.

“The first day I met Shaquille O’Neal was when I was still at Anheuser-Busch and we ended up together at Busch Stadium for a game. Now, through our partnership with Delaware North, we will bring our BIG fun, BIG flavor and BIG food to Cardinals Nation”,” said Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken. “We’re proud to partner with St. Louis’s iconic doughnut shop, Vincent Van Doughnut, to offer a specially crafted chicken sandwich unlike any other on our menu. Let’s go BIG, Cardinals!”

This will be the second Big Chicken location in Missouri. The franchise recently opened up a restaurant at the Kansas City International Airport.

FOX 2 first told viewers last month that Big Chicken was planning to open in St. Louis. It’s part of the Las Vegas-based chain’s plan to expand in 15 U.S. markets.

Busch Stadium adds another well-known food brand to the stadium this season, with a Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers location planned for the ballpark.