Chick-fil-A might be the most popular fast food chain, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index study, but it’s getting some competition. America’s appetite for chicken is unwavering and Raising Cane’s is cashing in on the craze.
The chicken joint is booming and has edged out KFC in sales, according to the latest Technomic Top 500 restaurant chain list, but that isn’t the only exciting news for Raising Cane’s. The company is opening new locations in four different states this month. Here’s everything to know.
States with New Raising Cane’s Locations
This month, five cities will see a new Raising Cane’s restaurant. According to USA Today, here are the locations:
July 1 – 542 W. Riggin Ave., Visalia, California
July 15 – 6440 S. Easter Ave., Las Vegas, Nevada
July 15 – 311 A Veterans Parkway, Normal, Illinois
July 15 – 8308 Merchants Way, Jacksonville, Florida
July 22 – 12665 Poway Road, Poway, California
There’s Now Over 900 Locations Nationwide
The five new openings are just part of the massive expansion plan. CNBC reported the chain now has more than 900 locations, which has exploded from just over 500 five years ago. In 2024 Raising Cane’s opened 118 new restaurants while another 100 are expected to open this year with 200 more in development.
Raising Cane’s Sales are Skyrocketing
Raising Cane’s is third in sales behind Chick-fil-A who takes the top spot and Popeyes in U.S. sales. CNBC reported Cane’s sales soared to $5.1 billion last year, which was more than double in 2021. In addition, their traffic rose 10.8 % during a time when consumers tightened up their budgets and restaurant spending.
Bigger Goals in Sight
Raising Cane’s is turning out impressive figures, but the founder and owner Todd Graves has bigger plans. At a conference in Cancún, Mexico, he outlined his plans and said the following per Nation’s Restaurant News.
“Our next aspiration is to be a top 10 restaurant brand in the U.S. Think of the big boys – McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Starbucks, Subway – companies that have been open a lot longer than we have,” he said. “We are going to hit $10 billion in sales, average unit volumes of $8 million, and 1,600 restaurants in all major cities and new international locations around the world. We’ll have 150,000 crew members including 16,000 internal promotes. And we’ll give back $100 million to communities. Imagine what we’ll be able to give back to our communities once we become a top 10 brand.”
About Raising Cane’s
The first Raising Cane’s opened in 1996 in Baton Rouge. Graves was just 24-years-old and used the money he made working in an oil refinery and fishing in Alaska to fund his dream of opening a restaurant where the main menu item is chicken fingers.
He named the restaurant after his dog, a labrador retriever, Raising Cane and has since named every dog after the same name.
The chain is known for its very selective menu of chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and trademark sauce and isn’t planning on switching it up.
“We do not get into value play,” AJ Kumaran, who shares the title of co-CEO with Graves, told CNBC. “We do not get into limited-time offers. When our customers pull into the drive-thru or walk through the doors, they immediately know what to expect.”
Raising Cane’s is outpacing KFC in sales and opening new locations nationwide in a massive expansion push.
Leave a Reply