Shaq owns franchises two ways: as a franchisee, buying restaurants of chains such as Papa Johns and Krispy Kreme, and, with Big Chicken, as an owner of the company that sells the franchises. Each entry says when it was last reported.
Franchises Shaq owns
Papa Johns Owns, as of 2024
Joined Papa John’s board in March 2019 and took a stake of about 30% in nine Atlanta-area restaurants, run as a joint venture with the company. He left the board when his term ended in May 2024, and the company said he would keep the nine restaurants and stay on as a brand ambassador. (Papa John’s International (SEC), March 2019; CNBC, March 2019; Investing.com, February 2024)
Papa Johns franchise: $281K–$890K to open, $5K–$25K franchise fee, royalty 5%, 3,294 US locations (+174 franchised in 3 years).
Big Chicken Owns, as of 2025
Big Chicken opened its first restaurant a few blocks east of the Las Vegas Strip in 2018, and in 2021 Nation’s Restaurant News described him as its majority partner, alongside Authentic Brands Group and JRS Hospitality. The chain’s filing says he owns part of the franchisor’s parent company through two companies, ABG-Shaq and SONOFBUTCHY, and works on brand development, expansion and advertising. Craveworthy Brands is the parent company’s managing partner and an investor. (BC Licensing LLC, 2025 filing, pages 8 and 85; Nation’s Restaurant News, September 2021)
Big Chicken franchise: $682K–$1.54M to open, $40K franchise fee, royalty 6%, 24 US locations (+22 franchised in 3 years).
Krispy Kreme Owns, as of 2022
Bought into Krispy Kreme’s downtown Atlanta shop, open since 1965, in October 2016, when he also became a spokesperson for the chain. The chain’s 2022 filing says he owns an interest in a Krispy Kreme franchise in the Atlanta market and has no stake in the franchisor. (ESPN, October 2016; Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation, 2022 filing, page 53)
Krispy Kreme franchise: $2.02M–$4.33M to open, $25K franchise fee, royalty 4.5%, 368 US locations.
Big Chicken’s franchises are sold by BC Licensing LLC, so buying one makes you a franchisee of a company Shaq part-owns, not a partner of his.
Franchises Shaq sold
Five Guys Sold
Money reported in 2019 that he had once owned 155 Five Guys restaurants, about a tenth of the chain’s franchised locations, and had since sold his stake. CNBC put the number he had owned at 27 the same year. (Money, April 2019; CNBC, March 2019)
Five Guys franchise: $928K–$1.38M to open, $25K franchise fee, royalty 6%, 1,583 US locations (+71 franchised in 3 years).
Auntie Anne’s Sold
Money reported in 2019 that he owned 17 Auntie Anne’s pretzel shops. In a podcast interview reported in October 2022, he said he had sold them. (Money, April 2019; Black Enterprise, October 2022)
Auntie Anne’s franchise: $158K–$836K to open, $36K franchise fee, royalty 7%–8%, 1,247 US locations (+101 franchised in 3 years).
Shaq’s other businesses and investments
Gyms and car washes Reported in 2019
Money reported in 2019, citing The Hustle, that he owned about 40 gyms under the 24 Hour Fitness name and 150 car washes. (Money, April 2019)
Authentic Brands Group Reported in 2015
In December 2015 he sold Authentic Brands Group the rights to manage his name in merchandise and endorsements, keeping what ESPN described as a significant stake in his business future. (ESPN, December 2015)
Google and Ring Reported in 2019
Money reported in 2019 that he was an early investor in Google and had bought part of the doorbell company Ring before Amazon bought it. (Money, April 2019)
Sacramento Kings Sold
Bought a minority stake in the Sacramento Kings in 2013 and sold it in January 2022, saying NBA rules required the sale after he took on a sports betting role. (ESPN, January 2022)
What Shaq’s franchises cost to open
The same brands from their current filings, for anyone weighing a franchise of their own.
| Brand | Cost to open | Franchise fee | Royalty | US locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papa Johns$281K–$890K | $281K–$890K | $5K–$25K | 5% | 3,294 |
| Big Chicken$682K–$1.54M | $682K–$1.54M | $40K | 6% | 24 |
| Krispy Kreme$2.02M–$4.33M | $2.02M–$4.33M | $25K | 4.5% | 368 |
| Five Guys$928K–$1.38M | $928K–$1.38M | $25K | 6% | 1,583 |
| Auntie Anne’s$158K–$836K | $158K–$836K | $36K | 7%–8% | 1,247 |