I was excited to try Big Chicken now that it's open in Gambrills. The restaurant is clean, but the overall atmosphere is pretty plain. There are a few Shaq quotes on the walls and a TV playing videos of him, but it was muted, so the vibe came across as kind of corny and underwhelming. It just didn't have the larger than life feel I expected from a brand built around Shaq.
The ordering setup could be a little more intuitive. There are signs above the counter for Order and Pickup, but because the entrance is on the left side of the building and the Order sign is all the way on the far right, it isn't immediately obvious where you're supposed to go. The arrows on the floor that point you toward the ordering line are on the other side of the divider separating the dining area from the register, so you don't even see them until you've already walked farther into the restaurant. At first, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to walk straight ahead or cut through the dining area. It's not a huge deal, but a clearer path from the entrance would make things less confusing.
Parking is about what you'd expect at Waugh Chapel. If you can grab a curbside spot, great. Otherwise, it's the luck of the draw.
The service was good, and my food came out pretty quickly. Even with a steady stream of customers, the kitchen seemed to be keeping up just fine, which is a good sign for a new restaurant.
I ordered the Big Cali sandwich with fries for $13.99, and honestly, I don't think it was worth the price. The sandwich looked great. I'd give it a solid 7 out of 10 just based on appearance. Unfortunately, the chicken itself was disappointing. It had very little seasoning, and the breast had that dreaded woody texture. It was rubbery, firm, and stringy in places. I know that can happen with chicken, but it's hard to overlook when chicken is the entire focus of the restaurant.
I hate to say it, but I thought the chicken had even less flavor than Raising Cane's, which surprised me. The fries, on the other hand, were actually one of the highlights of the meal. They looked pretty plain, but they were cooked perfectly and seasoned really well.
One thing that also surprised me was the portion size. With a name like Big Chicken and Shaq behind the brand, I expected a huge sandwich. Instead, it was pretty average. I've had much larger chicken sandwiches from Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, Hangry Joe's and Roaming Rooster, which are all within 2 miles of this location.
It also makes me wonder why they chose to open another chicken restaurant in an area that already has eight or more places specializing in chicken. With that much competition, you really have to bring something that stands out, and based on this visit, the sandwich just didn't.
Overall, I'd give Big Chicken 3 stars. The service was friendly, the restaurant was clean, the food came out quickly, and the fries were genuinely good. I'd come back to try the tenders and maybe one of the shakes because I don't think one sandwich tells the whole story. But if the tenders have that same woody texture as the sandwich, that'll probably be my last visit. read more