When Shaquille O'Neal Wanted to Start a Restaurant, This Is Who He Approached Perry Rogers, founder of management firm PRP and JRS Hospitality, had what it took to build his big client's Big Chicken restaurant concept.
By Shawn P. Walchef Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Perry Rogers leveraged his unique background in sports and entertainment management to create Big Chicken with Shaquille O'Neal.
- Big Chicken reflects the O’Neal family legacy alongside providing authentic hospitality and great food.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Perry Rogers, CEO and founder of sports management and corporate consulting company PRP, has managed both superstar athletes and Hollywood stars. He also built a successful restaurant company, JRS Hospitality, with many hot spots on the Las Vegas Strip.
Those experiences prepared him to partner with his client Shaquille O'Neal to create a truly larger-than-life restaurant brand. Big Chicken is a testament to collaboration, vision and fun.
Building a legacy for Shaquille O'Neal
The story of Big Chicken began with a question. "Shaquille came to me in 2017 and said, 'You've built this big restaurant company. What have you built for me?'" Perry Rogers told Shawn Walchef, host of Restaurant Influencers, at the 2024 Big Chicken franchisee conference in Las Vegas.
O'Neal wasn't just looking for an investment—he wanted a legacy. Rogers and his team got to work, creating a concept that really reflected O'Neal's personality.
"We thought about what fits Shaquille, what reflects his values, his persona and came up with Big Chicken," Rogers says.
The first launch was in Las Vegas in 2018. They spent two years refining the concept before expanding further. Despite his extensive experience, Rogers admits the early days of Big Chicken were a learning curve.
"Our [other] restaurants were all full-service, big-volume operations. This was different," he explains. Fast-casual dining was a whole new ballgame.
Even with meticulous planning, the first location was full of unexpected challenges. "We got a lot of things wrong — too much space, too many seats, even the design," Rogers says. But those hurdles became opportunities for growth. "If you look at life as a continuous improvement journey, it's not a big risk to fail."
Related: He Discovered His Favorite Sandwich Shop in College. Now He Runs It – and Has 155 Locations.
Embracing new media
Rogers and his team knew from the start that Big Chicken was more than just a restaurant. It was a stage meant for storytelling.
Inspired by O'Neal's fearless approach to business and branding, they launched a Facebook Watch series called Building in Public. Fans could watch the behind-the-scenes process of building Big Chicken in real-time.
"Shaquille is all about being authentic and transparent," Rogers says. "When you're willing to show the ups and downs, it builds trust with your audience. People can see that you're not afraid to fail, and that creates a strong connection with your customers."
Spreading your brand on every valuable media platform is a full-time job. The Big Chicken team had to learn the nuances of a fast-casual concept, including its size, space, theme and product mix. However, they remained committed to constant improvement and iteration.
Building in public taught them about themselves and the brand, as well as how to use social media effectively. By the time they were ready to scale, they felt confident that they had a product customers truly loved.
For Rogers, collaboration is key to Big Chicken's success. He credits O'Neal's bold vision and authenticity as the core of their identity. "Shaquille looks at life like, 'If my intentions are right, I don't need to worry,'" Rogers said. Eventually, things did fall into place, but they needed help.
Hiring Josh Halpern as CEO was a big turning point. "We needed someone who knew what they were doing," Rogers says. Halpern's expertise allowed Big Chicken to scale responsibly, ensuring the brand stayed true to its mission while expanding the business.
Big Chicken has grown significantly since its first location, with domestic and international expansions on the horizon. "We just opened our first outlet in the UK, in Manchester, and we're building in Honduras in 2025," Rogers says.
At the heart of Big Chicken's success is its focus on hospitality. "The stores that do well are the ones where the owners are greeting the customers," Rogers says. "If the customers don't feel that Shaquille love, there's a disconnect."
For Rogers, the restaurant industry is about more than business — it's a calling. "If you don't want the ball of hosting people, don't get in this industry," he says. But for those who love creating joy through food and hospitality, the rewards are unmatched.
As Big Chicken continues to grow, Rogers remains focused on honoring O'Neal's vision and crafting that legacy. "My job is to build the business that Shaquille wants to have," he says. With each new restaurant, they're not just serving meals — they're creating moments of connection and community.
Related: This Chef Went From Dreaming of Michelin Stars to Building an Audience as a YouTube Star
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