Shaquille O’Neal’s chicken restaurant is coming to central Houston. The NBA Hall of Famer and media personality announced that the next location of Big Chicken will open next year near the Heights.

Scheduled to open in early 2024, Big Chicken has claimed the former Corner Bakery space at 107 Yale Street. It joins an outpost in West Houston that opened in April and a second that’s scheduled to open later this year in Richmond.

Based in Las Vegas, Big Chicken serves fried chicken sandwiches with a range of toppings such as the Big & Sloppy (mac and cheese, fried onions), the Big Aristotle (fried onions, Muenster, Memphis-style barbecue sauce), and the Shaq Attack (pepper jack, jalapeño slaw, spicy chipotle barbecue sauce).

Big Chicken also serves fried chicken tenders, sliders, and milkshakes. Sides include Cheez-It-crusted mac and cheese, jalapeño slaw, and fries (both potato and sweet potato).

O’Neal — along with local franchisees Fazil Malik, Frank Malik, and Noordin Jhaver — plan to open 50 Big Chicken locations across Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas. The Maliks operate gas stations and convenience stores through their company Northwest Petroleum, while Jhaver brings experience as a Sonic franchisee via his company Drew Real Estate Holdings.

“Coming off our successful grand opening celebration in Houston this past month, we’re thrilled to be able to fill the growing demand for Big Chicken’s big food, big flavor, and big fun with our next location in the up-and-coming Greater Heights neighborhood,” Frank Malik said in a statement. “Big Chicken is the perfect brand for the booming area, and we are excited to share it with our community.”

O’Neal came to Houston for the first location’s grand opening in June. Thousands of people, including Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, joined O’Neal for the celebration.

“Frank, Fazil, and Noordin’s dedication to expanding our brand’s reach in Houston has made an invaluable impact on our franchise network,” Big Chicken CEO Josh Halpern said. “We are excited to grow in the big state of Texas and are happy to celebrate the signed lease in Washington Heights, and based on the successful opening on Westheimer Road, we know they will continue to make a big impact in Southeast Texas.”