The Expansion Play

Big Chicken, the fast-casual chicken-sandwich concept co-backed by Craveworthy Brands and founded by Shaquille O'Neal, will open its second permanent Massachusetts location in Beverly on August 22, deepening the brand's regional franchise presence less than eight months after its Wrentham outlet debuted. The Beverly unit at 55 Dodge Street is operated by local franchise group JBMM Hospitality, whose principals — Barry Lattuca, James O'Hanlon, Michael Scibelli, and Martin LaChance — have been the brand's exclusive Massachusetts development partners since 2025.

How JBMM Got Here

JBMM's path into the Massachusetts market was unconventional by franchise standards. The group piloted the concept through a mobile "Dunk Truck" pop-up at Wrentham Premium Outlets in 2025, using the format to test consumer demand before committing to a brick-and-mortar lease. That pop-up converted into a permanent Wrentham storefront in January 2026, a compressed timeline that signals above-average unit economics at the outlet location. Beverly — situated on Boston's North Shore — represents the group's first traditional trade-area expansion beyond the outlet center environment, a meaningful step toward proving the brand's viability across distinct Massachusetts retail contexts.

"Massachusetts has welcomed Big Chicken in a big way since the very first day we rolled in with the Dunk Truck," said Lattuca. "We're looking forward to introducing even more of the community to the flavor and fun that make Big Chicken special."

Brand Footprint and Menu Strategy

The Beverly opening arrives as Big Chicken surpasses 40 open locations across North America, with additional units in development in arenas, airports, cruise ships, and conventional storefronts. The channel mix is notable: non-traditional venues generate captive-audience volume that helps franchisees and the parent brand sustain awareness without traditional marketing spend, a model that has been adopted by several fast-casual chains seeking to reduce customer-acquisition costs. For JBMM, the conventional Beverly storefront will need to stand on its own traffic and repeat-visit metrics.

On the menu side, Big Chicken is rolling out a rotating limited-time dipping-sauce program it calls "Big Dip Energy," with a new sauce dropping each month; the Beverly launch will feature a Root Beer BBQ variety. The LTO cadence is designed to drive return visits — a key unit-economics lever for chicken-sandwich concepts competing in a crowded fast-casual segment that includes Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane's, and a growing number of regional operators. For more on fast-casual franchise growth trends, see our coverage of emerging franchise models and the chicken segment's competitive dynamics.

Gregg Majewski, Chief Executive Officer of Big Chicken, pointed to Beverly's consumer profile as a deliberate site-selection choice. "Beverly has all the ingredients we look for in a Big Chicken community — great energy, a strong local identity and people who appreciate seriously good food," Majewski said. "With the JBMM team leading the way, we're excited to plant our flag on the North Shore and continue growing our Massachusetts footprint."

The Beverly unit will operate Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.