HARTLAND TWP. — On Tuesday, Aug. 13, a new Big Chicken fast-casual restaurant will open its second Michigan location in Hartland Township. There will be free food, discounts and the possibility of an NBA Hall of Famer stopping by. The restaurant is located at 10490 Highland Road, south of Highland Road, just east of U.S. Highway 23.
The first 34 fans in line starting Tuesday will receive free Big Chicken food and drinks for a year, capped at $10 per week. According to the restaurant owner, guests can even start lining up the night before. The official opening with Hartland Township officials will take place Tuesday at 1 p.m.
The business is owned by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, who often shows up on the opening day of a new restaurant, although there are no guarantees. Big Chicken is known for its hearty chicken sandwiches, ice cream shakes and O’Neal’s childhood favorites like Cheez-It mac and cheese crusted macaroni.
As part of a 20-unit development agreement to open locations in Metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, Saginaw and Mount Pleasant, H&D Group Investments opened Michigan’s first Big Chicken restaurant in Clio in February, with a third location slated to open in Livonia later this year.
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According to Joselyn Burch, general manager of H&D Group Investments, the Clio location has quickly become a local favorite, but there is hope that the Hartland location will become even more attractive.
“We really liked the proximity to US-23 and the location right on Highland Road,” said Burch. “It’s very visible.”
All menu items, including the Original Big Chicken Sandwich, Uncle Jerome’s Nashville Hot (Nashville hot chicken, lettuce, mayo and pickles) and the Ultimate (mac & cheese, crispy fried onions and roasted garlic BBQ aioli) are endorsed by O’Neal himself and his mother, Lucille. O’Neal grew up in Louisiana and the food definitely has a “southern” twist, with a unique breading for many of the chicken dishes, special fry seasoning for the crispy, wavy-cut fries and more.
Burch said the Hartland Big Chicken location has 28 employees, split about evenly between sales staff and kitchen staff. They will be responsible for preparing the dishes using fresh ingredients. Big Chicken items such as shirts and hats will also be available for sale.
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The availability of labor is one reason Hartland was chosen as the new location, Burch said, citing the community’s growing population. The restaurant has already committed to financially supporting the Hartland High School football program and other area sports teams.
“We want Big Chicken to be a gathering place for Hartland residents,” Burch said. “I think (customers) will want to come back after their first visit.”
Big Chicken has more than 40 locations in traditional and non-traditional restaurant settings and has sold over 350 locations.
The restaurant is still looking for employees for the back-of-house and front-of-house team. Interested applicants can apply using the following link: https://www.bigchicken.com/hartland-mi-careers.
— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the editor at [email protected].
