NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is used to people asking him for photos, autographs, or advice — not proof that his cash is real. Yet that's exactly what happened at one of his Big Chicken locations. The moment, caught on camera and shared by "Bleacher Report" on YouTube, shows that even for someone as wealthy and recognizable as O'Neal, rules are still rules.
In the longer version of the clip circulating online, the video actually opens with a kid speaking to O'Neal at the counter. The boy explains he already ordered, and O'Neal jokes that he would've taken care of it since he "knows the owner." It's quick, light, and the kind of easy humor he tends to fall into during fan interactions.
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When O'Neal steps up to buy his own meal, the cashier accepts the $100, pauses, and holds it up to inspect it. O'Neal laughs, shakes his head, and says, "I know you just didn't check my money."
The cashier smiles and says, "I'm so sorry," which is the only line he gives before finishing the transaction. Then Shaq adds, "It's all good, I don't want no problems," still smiling as he gestures with his hand. He turns to the camera and sums up the moment with, "Checking my money at my restaurant. Things that make you go hmm."
On TikTok, viewers backed the employee. Many pointed out that he was simply doing his job the way he was trained to do it. Others said he deserved a raise. Some joked that they would've checked the bill too, saying nobody wants to take chances with $100 in a busy restaurant.
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According to Big Chicken's official website, the franchise launched in 2018 through a partnership between O'Neal, JRS Hospitality, and Authentic Brands Group. The chain blends his childhood favorites with fast-casual comfort food and has expanded into multiple locations, with more in development. It's one piece of a broader business portfolio tied to O'Neal's reported $500 million net worth.
Still, the appeal of the clip isn't the money or the franchise math. It's the straightforward, human moment: a cashier following procedure, a global star turning it into a joke, and a reminder that even at a restaurant carrying his name, Shaq's $100 gets checked just like everyone else's.
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Image: Shutterstock
