Big Chicken lands at Elev8 Fun in Florida expansion push

Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken is partnering with Florida family entertainment center Elev8 Fun to open inside a new Doral location this fall, with more sites planned across the state. The move extends Big Chicken's non-traditional growth strategy into indoor adventure parks and gives Elev8 a new food anchor as it expands.

Why it matters: - Big Chicken is moving deeper into non-traditional venues beyond arenas, airports and cruise ships. - Elev8 Fun is adding a nationally known food brand to help drive visits at its indoor adventure parks. - The partnership could make food a bigger part of the experience as Elev8 expands across Florida.

What happened: - Big Chicken and Elev8 Fun formed a partnership to bring Big Chicken to Elev8 locations across Florida. - The first debut is set for Elev8 Fun's new Doral, Florida, adventure park, expected to open in late July, with the Big Chicken launch coming this fall. - Elev8 Fun plans to add Big Chicken to its Tampa location and to future Florida sites as the chain grows.

The details: - Big Chicken is a fast casual chicken brand founded by Shaquille O'Neal. - Elev8 Fun builds large indoor adventure parks with go-karts, arcades, cosmic bowling, laser tag and other attractions. - Elev8's property arm, E8 Properties, focuses on turning large-scale spaces into entertainment destinations. - The agreement is Big Chicken's first partnership with an entertainment center of this kind. - Big Chicken's menu includes The Shaq Attack and The Ultimate chicken sandwiches, crispy tenders, signature sides, hand-spun milkshakes and Shaq Snacks. - Big Chicken has more than 40 locations open and dozens more in development across North America and beyond. - Elev8 Fun's Florida footprint also includes expansion plans tied to its existing and future locations across the state. - Big Chicken's growth strategy already includes traditional and non-traditional venues. - More information is available at Big Chicken and Elev8 Fun.

Between the lines: - The partnership pairs a celebrity-backed food brand with a family entertainment operator that needs traffic, dwell time and differentiated offerings. - Big Chicken gains access to a venue format that can place the brand in front of families and large groups on a repeat basis. - Elev8 Fun can use a recognizable restaurant partner to make its parks feel more like all-day destinations. - The deal also signals that Big Chicken is still looking for growth in places where customers do not need to visit a standalone restaurant.

What's next: - Elev8 Fun's Doral park is expected to open in late July, with Big Chicken following in the fall. - Big Chicken and Elev8 Fun plan to extend the concept to Tampa and additional Florida locations. - Both brands are expected to keep expanding as their footprints grow in the state.