NBA Legend Shaq Sold His 155 Five Guys Franchises To Launch Big Chicken And Papa John’s Stores — ‘This Money’s Not Gonna Last Forever’
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Retirement did not remain silent Shaquille O’Neal – sharpened the strategy. While most players have moved away from the spotlight, Shaq has taken ownership, quietly growing his fast food footprint to rival major operators.
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He then walked away from there.
A Calculated Exit at Peak Scale
At one point, Shaq owned 155 Five Guys locations, roughly 10% of the entire chain. This was a hands-on operation with partners who understood the business, and it performed well in every respect.
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When asked about this stock CNBC In 2018, Shaq announced that he was already dating. “I sold it,” he said. He added when it was published, “a few years ago.”
The work itself, clearly stated, was delivered. “Has the burger thing been good for you?” CNBC anchor Scott Wapner he asked.
“Yeah, very good,” Shaq said. “Very good.”
But even when things are going well, concentration carries risks.
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Speaking directly to young players entering the league, Shaq framed the big lesson behind this move. “This money won’t last forever,” he told CNBC. “You have to save, you have to invest, and you have to be smart.”
The advice was not theoretical. She attributed this to her upbringing and her early mistakes with money, reinforcing why diversity was important long before her debut.
The decision was not about repairing a distressed asset. It was about protecting the big picture.
Selling Burgers and Unlocking Capital
By 2016, it had sold out everywhere. During the live franchising talk Desire Tour Posted on Instagram in 2024, Shaq gave a more personal explanation of how the deal came to be.
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After partnering with an experienced former McDonald’s operator to run day-to-day operations – he admitted“I didn’t know anything about burgers” — A buyer approached with a strong offer.
Shaq didn’t hesitate. “You can eat it all. You can have a burger, fries, lettuce, a shake.”
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The sale freed up capital and, equally important, provided flexibility.
Shortly after he started Big Chicken Transition from franchisee to brand builder in Las Vegas, with franchising built into the scheme.
Pizza Deals and a Familiar Brand
Shortly after, Shaq returned to Papa John’s.
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“Papa John’s in college was important to me because that’s what I ordered.” said Yahoo Finance in 2019.
This connection evolved into a larger role. He reached out to then-CEO Steve Ritchie and investor Jeff Smith with an offer to join as a board member, brand ambassador and franchisee.
By 2019, he had stakes in nine locations in the Atlanta area, each bearing his own imprint. Shaq-a-Roni pizza and in-store details tied to his extraordinary personality.
A Strategy Based on Not Standing Still
The pattern behind the movements is consistent.
Create scale with the right operators. Avoid overexposure to any entity. Exit or expand when the timing makes sense.
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Shaq has applied this approach to car washes, gyms, and previous brands. Auntie Anne’sInstead of keeping its portfolio tied to a single outcome, it keeps it spread across sectors.
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The same mentality shows itself in his last move. In an interview with Yahoo Finance Last week, Shaq introduced his role as investment partner and global ambassador for tm:rw, a retail concept built on robotics, drones and interactive technology.
“A friend introduced me to this brand because everyone knows that I love innovation and technology,” he said. “I’m a nerd, America, and I’m proud to say it.”
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The Long Game Behind the Agreements
From 155 burger franchises to fried chicken, pizza and emerging retail concepts, the through line is clear.
No single win carries this weight. No single bet defines the outcome.
Shaq didn’t just start a business. He built a system that continues to work even when the initial success is no longer visible.
The idea of not relying too much on any single outcome is something that plays out well beyond celebrity business dealings. Because once revenue starts coming in consistently, the harder question becomes how to structure it to survive over time, through changes in markets, industries, and life itself.
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For many people advancing through this stage, the challenge is not to find opportunities but to organize them into a clear plan. Platforms like Financial Advisors Connect users with trusted financial advisors who help create long-term strategies for investing, diversification, and retirement planning based on individual goals and risk tolerance.
After all, the goal is not to choose the perfect business or investment; is to create a framework in which no single decision has to carry all the weight.
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