# Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
**Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers** is an American fast-food restaurant chain specializing in chicken finger meals, founded by [Todd Graves](https://www.edgepedia.org/todd-graves-restaurateur) in 1996 in [Baton Rouge, Louisiana](https://www.edgepedia.org/baton-rouge-louisiana), and known for a deliberately limited menu built around its ONE LOVE® concept of Chicken Finger meals.[1](https://www.raisingcanes.com/faq/) The company is privately held, remains headquartered in Baton Rouge, and has grown from a single restaurant near [Louisiana State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/louisiana-state-university) into one of the fastest-growing chicken chains in the United States.[1](https://www.raisingcanes.com/faq/) • [2](https://www.raisingcanes.com/news/how-i-built-this-todd-graves-shares-whats-behind/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | August 28, 1996, at the North Gates of LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana[3](https://www.lsualumni.org/blog/raising-canes-anniversary) |
| Founder | Todd Graves, founder and co-CEO, who remains actively involved across the brand[4](https://www.raisingcanes.com/who-we-are/) |
| Menu | Chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, coleslaw, Cane's Sauce®, freshly brewed sweet tea, and fresh-squeezed lemonade[5](https://www.ccprea.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Raising-Canes-OM-2.0.pdf) |
| Scale | $1.46 billion in sales and 457 locations in 2019; $3.76 billion and 727 locations in 2023; roughly 900 locations by December 2025[6](https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/raising-cane-s-10-billion-ambition-is-guided-by-its-past) • [7](https://crehq.com/companies/raising-canes/) |
| Ownership | Privately held; no stock sold to the public[1](https://www.raisingcanes.com/faq/) |
| Headquarters | 100 North St., Suite 802, Baton Rouge, LA, with a second support office in Plano, Texas[1](https://www.raisingcanes.com/faq/) |
| Customer satisfaction | Scored 79 in the ACSI Restaurant and Food Delivery Study 2026 as a new entrant to the survey[8](https://theacsi.com/news-and-resources/press-releases/2026/06/16/press-release-restaurant-and-food-delivery-study-2026/) |
## Founding
Graves developed the concept of a restaurant serving only chicken fingers while a student at Louisiana State University. His business plan, presented in a class by his partner [Craig Silvey](https://www.edgepedia.org/craig-silvey), received the lowest grade in the class because the professor said the concept would not work.[3](https://www.lsualumni.org/blog/raising-canes-anniversary) • [6](https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/raising-cane-s-10-billion-ambition-is-guided-by-its-past) Banks rejected the idea as well; Graves was turned down by every bank he pitched.[2](https://www.raisingcanes.com/news/how-i-built-this-todd-graves-shares-whats-behind/)
**Raising his own capital.** Graves chose to fund the restaurant himself. In 1994 he traveled to Los Angeles to work as a boilermaker at an oil refinery, grinding through 90-hour weeks, and in 1995 he moved to Alaska to fish for sockeye salmon in [Bristol Bay](https://www.edgepedia.org/bristol-bay), working 20-hour days.[4](https://www.raisingcanes.com/who-we-are/) With his savings plus an SBA loan, he returned to Baton Rouge and reconstructed a dilapidated building at Highland Road and East State Street, borrowing a friend's tractor to lay the parking lot and installing the plumbing himself.[3](https://www.lsualumni.org/blog/raising-canes-anniversary)
The first Raising Cane's, called "The Mothership," opened on August 28, 1996, at the North Gates of LSU, staffed by Graves, Silvey, and a crew of eight. The restaurant was so busy it stayed open until 3:30 a.m., and the Mothership location still keeps those late hours Thursday through Saturday.[3](https://www.lsualumni.org/blog/raising-canes-anniversary) • [9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasewithorn/2025/09/24/how-the-raising-canes-founder-built-a-22-billion-chicken-finger-empire-thats-snoop-doggs-favorite-fast-food-chain/?ctpv=searchpage) A second location opened near the south campus entrance in 1998.[10](https://neworleanscitybusiness.com/blog/2007/06/12/raising-canes-success-story-continues/)
The name came from Graves' yellow labrador, Raising Cane, an intentional misspelling of the idiom meaning to cause a ruckus; Graves and Silvey had nearly named the restaurant Sockeye's after their salmon-fishing days.[9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasewithorn/2025/09/24/how-the-raising-canes-founder-built-a-22-billion-chicken-finger-empire-thats-snoop-doggs-favorite-fast-food-chain/?ctpv=searchpage)
## Menu and operations
The menu has stayed nearly unchanged since opening: chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, [Texas toast](https://www.edgepedia.org/texas-toast), coleslaw, Cane's Sauce, sweet tea, and lemonade.[5](https://www.ccprea.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Raising-Canes-OM-2.0.pdf) The company states it has not added a menu item in its first 28 years of business, and Graves has attributed the concept's success to that same focus that once earned his plan the lowest grade in class; average unit volumes reached about $6 million.[6](https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/raising-cane-s-10-billion-ambition-is-guided-by-its-past)
**Food preparation.** According to the company, "Bird Specialists" hand-batter premium chicken marinated for 24 hours and cook every meal to order with no heat lamps. Cane's Sauce is made fresh daily in each restaurant from a top-secret recipe known to only a few people.[4](https://www.raisingcanes.com/who-we-are/) The streamlined menu supports fast service and a simplified supply chain.[11](https://images1.showcase.com/d2/tyGJrPJMGiRxwAXLFm2hXFnVlhspeDNzE98gkuiOQkg/document.pdf)
## Growth
Raising Cane's expanded first through the Gulf South, where its identification with LSU gave it a strong presence, before spreading nationally.[12](https://www.businessreport.com/life-after-100-for-raising-canes-chicken-fingers-founderceo-todd-graves-the-chains-growth-has-never-been-about-reaching-a-quota/) In January 2009, after 235.6% growth in 2008, the company opened a second restaurant support office in [Plano, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/plano-texas).[5](https://www.ccprea.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Raising-Canes-OM-2.0.pdf)
The pace accelerated sharply in the 2020s. The company ended 2019 with $1.46 billion in sales and 457 locations, and finished 2023 with $3.76 billion in sales and 727 locations; 2024 brought its first $1 billion quarter and 118 new restaurants, with about 100 more planned for 2025.[6](https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/raising-cane-s-10-billion-ambition-is-guided-by-its-past) • [13](https://images1.showcase.com/d2/8ccsthfBtUMGY62JtiVBL6xVVkbzUVYEGLLt23C9ndQ/document.pdf) By December 2025 it operated approximately 900 locations.[7](https://crehq.com/companies/raising-canes/) In August 2026, marking its 30th anniversary, the chain opened seven new restaurants and reopened four remodeled locations.[14](https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/raising-canes-announces-continued-expansion-in-august/)
**International expansion.** In December 2025 the company signed a development agreement with Alsea, a Mexico City-based restaurant operator with brands across Latin America and Europe, calling for the first Mexico location to open in the second half of 2026.[15](https://www.costar.com/article/1372166285/raising-canes-takes-us-expansion-to-the-pacific-northwest)
At its 2024 crew conference in Cancún, Graves outlined the next aspirations: $10 billion in sales, average unit volumes of $8 million, 1,600 restaurants in major cities and new international locations, 150,000 crew members, and $100 million given back to communities.[6](https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/raising-cane-s-10-billion-ambition-is-guided-by-its-past)
## Recognition and competition
In the American Customer Satisfaction Index Restaurant and Food Delivery Study 2026, Raising Cane's entered the survey as a new entrant with a score of 79 on the index's 0–100 scale, matching the quick-service industry average of 79, while Popeyes fell 3% to 73; Jersey Mike's took the top spot and [Chick-fil-A](https://www.edgepedia.org/chick-fil-a) lost its longtime lead.[8](https://theacsi.com/news-and-resources/press-releases/2026/06/16/press-release-restaurant-and-food-delivery-study-2026/) • [16](https://www.nrn.com/restaurant-franchising/jersey-mike-s-steals-customer-satisfaction-crown) Industry analysts have cited the chain's rise as a competitive pressure on established fried-chicken brands such as KFC.[17](https://apnews.com/article/6bb34d1783a17f7a651c929306e6752c)
Forbes reported in 2025 that Graves had become America's richest restaurateur, building what it described as a $22 billion chicken-finger empire while maintaining over 90% ownership.[9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasewithorn/2025/09/24/how-the-raising-canes-founder-built-a-22-billion-chicken-finger-empire-thats-snoop-doggs-favorite-fast-food-chain/?ctpv=searchpage) • [18](https://ulisten.ai/channels/david-senra/how-todd-graves-built-raising-canes_B5rRIdQKB0A/transcript) In 2024, Graves appeared as a Guest Shark on season 16 of ABC's Shark Tank, the first restaurateur in the show's history to do so.[4](https://www.raisingcanes.com/who-we-are/)
## Culture and community
The company's stated vision is to grow restaurants serving customers all over the world and to be the brand for craveable chicken finger meals, a great crew, cool culture, and active community involvement.[1](https://www.raisingcanes.com/faq/) Its community giving is organized around six areas of focus: education, feeding the hungry, pet welfare, active lifestyles, business development and entrepreneurship, and "everything else."[3](https://www.lsualumni.org/blog/raising-canes-anniversary) The brand has also drawn on celebrity partnerships, including a Midvale, Utah restaurant remodeled and designed by musician [Post Malone](https://www.edgepedia.org/post-malone) in 2023, complete with a pink exterior, images of his tattoos, and a "Posty Way" order of four chicken fingers, fries, two slices of toast, and an iced-tea-lemonade combination.[19](https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2023/04/13/post-malone-pink-utah-raising-canes)
## References
1. [Frequently Asked Questions, Raising Cane's](https://www.raisingcanes.com/faq/)
2. [How I Built This: Todd Graves shares what's behind the tasty goodness of Raising Cane's, Raising Cane's News](https://www.raisingcanes.com/news/how-i-built-this-todd-graves-shares-whats-behind/)
3. [Raising Cane's Celebrates 25th Anniversary, LSU Alumni Association](https://www.lsualumni.org/blog/raising-canes-anniversary)
4. [Who We Are, Raising Cane's](https://www.raisingcanes.com/who-we-are/)
5. [Raising Canes OM (operations overview), CCPREA](https://www.ccprea.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Raising-Canes-OM-2.0.pdf)
6. [Raising Cane's $10 billion ambition is guided by its past, Nation's Restaurant News](https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/raising-cane-s-10-billion-ambition-is-guided-by-its-past)
7. [Raising Cane's: Net-Lease Comps, CREHQ](https://crehq.com/companies/raising-canes/)
8. [Press Release: Restaurant and Food Delivery Study 2026, ACSI](https://theacsi.com/news-and-resources/press-releases/2026/06/16/press-release-restaurant-and-food-delivery-study-2026/)
9. [Billionaire Raising Cane's Founder Todd Graves Used Chicken Tenders To Become America's Richest Restaurateur, Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasewithorn/2025/09/24/how-the-raising-canes-founder-built-a-22-billion-chicken-finger-empire-thats-snoop-doggs-favorite-fast-food-chain/?ctpv=searchpage)
10. [Raising Cane's success story continues, New Orleans CityBusiness](https://neworleanscitybusiness.com/blog/2007/06/12/raising-canes-success-story-continues/)
11. [Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers tenant overview, Showcase](https://images1.showcase.com/d2/tyGJrPJMGiRxwAXLFm2hXFnVlhspeDNzE98gkuiOQkg/document.pdf)
12. [Life after 100, Baton Rouge Business Report](https://www.businessreport.com/life-after-100-for-raising-canes-chicken-fingers-founderceo-todd-graves-the-chains-growth-has-never-been-about-reaching-a-quota/)
13. [Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers overview, Showcase](https://images1.showcase.com/d2/8ccsthfBtUMGY62JtiVBL6xVVkbzUVYEGLLt23C9ndQ/document.pdf)
14. [Raising Cane's Announces Continued Expansion in August, QSR Magazine](https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/raising-canes-announces-continued-expansion-in-august/)
15. [Raising Cane's takes US expansion to the Pacific Northwest, CoStar](https://www.costar.com/article/1372166285/raising-canes-takes-us-expansion-to-the-pacific-northwest)
16. [Jersey Mike's is top rated QSR chain for customer satisfaction, Nation's Restaurant News](https://www.nrn.com/restaurant-franchising/jersey-mike-s-steals-customer-satisfaction-crown)
17. [KFC opens a Texas restaurant to test ideas for reclaiming its fried chicken crown, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/6bb34d1783a17f7a651c929306e6752c)
18. [How Todd Graves Built Raising Cane's (transcript), Founders podcast via uListen](https://ulisten.ai/channels/david-senra/how-todd-graves-built-raising-canes_B5rRIdQKB0A/transcript)
19. [A peek into Utah's pink, Post Malone-designed Raising Cane's location, Axios Salt Lake City](https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2023/04/13/post-malone-pink-utah-raising-canes)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Food, customs, and everyday culture › Food, cooking and hospitality › Restaurants, chefs, and culinary practice › Restaurant chains and fast food › Chicken and seafood fast food*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license