Everyone has their own favorite recipe for fried chicken.
And when it comes to chicken fingers, there is one name that stands above the rest.
Here are the Top 10 Untold Truths of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers!
The Caniacs: The World’s Best Fans!
You may know some die-hard Taco Bell, McDonald’s, or even Starbucks fans - or maybe you're one
yourself.
It seems these fast food fans always know exactly when new promotional items from their
favorite restaurant will be coming out, or perhaps even own rewards cards that they use
on the daily to help them receive free items and discounts.
If you ever thought that these fast food fans may be pushing the envelope in terms of their
quick service appreciation, then stay far away from any Raising Cane’s fans!
Raising Cane’s has the absolute most insane fans on the entire planet!
Considering that Raising Cane’s best customers are known as Caniacs, you kind of get a hint
of the level of devotion these chicken finger lovers show to their favorite restaurant!
The Caniacs have even been treated to exclusive online concerts - one of the perks of being
best the fast food fans in the industry!
Unlike regular fast food fans that just simply adore the restaurant, this fan club has actually
been endorsed by the restaurant brand, and a sign-up page can be found on the Raising
Cane’s website.
Considering that you’ll receive a free combo just for signing up, it's no wonder this fan
club is filled with so much love and appreciation!
Classic Cane’s Dipping Sauce
Besides the delicious, tender, flaky, original chicken - which is fantastic - what else is
worth trying at Raising Cane’s?
There are those who argue that some of the side dishes are the best part of the experience.
This may depend on how much you love southern fried food with all the fixings.
Instead of focusing on hundreds of options while trying to please everyone, founder,
Todd Graves wisely decided to focus on a few crowd-pleasing sides that were unlikely to
be too polarizing.
Graves wanted the chicken to be all-inclusive, meaning that anyone could partake in the devouring
of a delicious Cane’s Box Combo.
He focused on side options like crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, and coleslaw!
And that’s pretty much the whole menu!
So what is it about this restaurant that makes it so amazing?
Some would argue that the dipping sauce itself is beyond compare!
The reason?
This sauce is made fresh in-house every single day!
That sure beats the huge ketchup dispenser at the counter or the tiny pre packaged sauce
containers that fast food fans are used to.
This sauce provides the perfect amount of tang, spice, and sweetness, taking the chicken
from a 10 on 10 to an 11 on 10!
The best part about this sauce recipe is that there are hundreds of knock-off options to
be found online that can help satisfy the Canes’ craving no matter what time of day
or where you are!
Opening Day: A Success Story
Considering that Todd Graves was told almost every step of the way that his business would
be a failure, he never ever lost sight of his dreams and continued to work hard and
pursued them to the fullest.
To this day, his kindness and philanthropic activity has made him one of the world’s
most beloved and respected bosses.
Despite his success, life was not always so easy for Todd.
The grand opening of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers was one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking
days for Graves.
All of his hopes and dreams were finally right there before him.
Would he be successful?
Doubt would begin to cross his mind, considering he was now opening a restaurant near the same
school where a professor had once said his business strategy was doomed to fail.
Todd’s hard work certainly paid off and he was able to prove all of his doubters wrong!
The first day that Raising Cane’s opened, the students loved the chicken so much that
the restaurant stayed open until 3:30 in the morning, continually serving chicken!
This day is seen as a historic moment in the Cane’s history book - a day that set a positive
tone for the future of the restaurant!
Who knew students would love chicken tenders this much?
Well, Todd Graves sure did!
The Name
Raising Cane’s may not necessarily immediately bring images of chicken tenders to mind.
The name itself does not necessarily sound like a fast food restaurant, but perhaps more
like a dog food brand.
There's a good reason for this.
In the early days of the restaurant, work days were long and tiring for the tight crew
of close friends who would help Todd Graves build the first location.
Todd originally developed the idea for Raising Cane’s in a surprising way.
During the final years of his education, Todd was asked to design a business plan that would
be deemed successful.
Not only was he ridiculed by some professors and peers, but when he decided to actually
go through with his plan, even the bank had no faith that Todd could turn chicken tenders
into a multi-million dollar business.
After returning home and having made his own money to open the restaurant, Todd began working
at making his dream come true.
Man’s best friend has helped many people through difficult situations, but Cane, Todd's
dog, may have saved the restaurant before it ever even opened.
Having originally picked the name Sockeyes, Graves felt something just wasn't quite right.
After his lovely pooch continued to lounge about during the construction phase, it occurred
to Graves that there was only one true name appropriate.
So, he named the restaurant “Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers” after his beloved pet!
Talk about an honor!
The Story Behind the Mothership
Anyone who has ever opened a restaurant or been involved in the process knows that it
is incredibly difficult work - it's not for the faint of heart.
Coming up with an amazing idea may seem like a simple step, but actually putting all the
pieces together to make it work can be absolutely exhausting!
After already working nonstop in order to secure the funds to open the first Raising
Cane’s, Todd Graves understood his hard work had only just begun.
After purchasing the first location for the original Raising Cane’s, Graves and a team
of friends got to work on the demolition and renovations of the building at the entrance
of Louisiana State University.
Upon ripping apart one of the walls inside the building, Graves was absolutely shocked
at what he discovered underneath the exposed brick!
Hiding in plain sight, was the beautiful sign for the original bakery!
Many restaurant owners would have simply torn this out or redesigned the wall, but Todd
was so enamored by the piece that he kept the wall as is - a way to pay homage to the
bakery that was there before him.
To this day, the mural is a standard part of any new restaurant concept and can be found
at all locations.
However, it’s important to note that the only "authentic" mural is the one found at
"The Mothership”, otherwise known as the original Raising Cane’s location, in Louisiana.
Raising Cane’s Merchandise Line
Not only does Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers offer you some of the best southern-style
food in all of the United States, but they’re also serving up some super cool apparel as
well!
The Raising Cane’s brand has become so popular and so loved that people not only want to
support them by eating lunch at the restaurant, but also by wearing Cane’s cute little face
wherever they go!
Picking a golden Labrador as the face of the franchise means that designing merchandise
for the brand has got to be crazy fun.
The designs are completely adorable and anyone who loves dogs, or chicken fingers, would
be happy to sport any of the items on the website.
The clothing itself is fun and features designs for everyone, from dad to baby!
Despite the clothing featuring cute and fun designs, the accessories are the true prize
when it comes to Cane’s line of gear.
The website features everything from Raising Cane’s notebooks and lip glosses, to towels
and beer cozies!
The original Cane definitely did not know that he would one day be as famous as he is
now!
If you love Raising Cane’s and consider yourself a Caniac, then you absolutely should
check out this amazing merch next time you need a little shopping treat!
Cane, Cane II, and Cane III
Cane the dog is the beloved mascot of the Raising Cane’s brand.
I mean, who wouldn't love a lab with such a cute face?
Despite fans' love of Cane the dog, those with a sense of a time probably won’t be
surprised to learn that the original Cane passed away many many years ago.
The family’s love for Cane was unrivaled and sometime after the loss, the family welcomed
a new female yellow lab, Cane II!
The wonderful dog worked as a service animal and dedicated her life to being the best dog
possible.
Currently the face of the company is known as Cane III, and it's easy to say that each
Cane has been just as cute, cuddly, and courageous as their precious namesake!
Talk about a royal line of canines!
What's in a name?
How does a chicken finger restaurant almost end up with a name like Sockeyes, a type of
salmon?
The story of Raising Cane’s was troubled and complex.
There were many moments when Todd Graves would wonder whether or not the noble pursuit of
supplying delicious chicken fingers was actually worth all of the work that it entailed.
Having crafted the plan for Raising Cane’s for class credit, Todd was heartbroken to
have his business plan not only ridiculed, but it also received the lowest mark in the
class.
What a kick to the gut!
Luckily for chicken finger fans, Todd would not let the opinions of one instructor ruin
his chances at success.
The next steps would involve some serious hard work on Todd’s part.
After working long weeks in an oil refinery, Todd moved to Alaska where he learned all
about commercial salmon fishing.
After returning home and finally securing enough money to get his first restaurant started,
Graves wanted to honor his time spent in Alaska by naming his restaurant after the fish that
has helped him get to this point.
Amazing how one moment in time can change the entire future of a business!
Imagine what it would have been like if we were all looking for that amazing Sockeyes
dipping sauce instead of Cane’s famous!
They Have Halal
Fried chicken is considered to be one of the ultimate best in terms of American fast food.
With dozens of fried chicken restaurants to choose from, it can be difficult for an up
and comer to find a place within the fast food landscape.
While many other restaurants may not have a lot of choices when it comes to dietary
restrictions, Raising Cane’s has worked to ensure that their chicken appeals to a
wide variety of the population.
By offering Halal chicken as opposed to regular chicken, Raising Cane’s has made a place
for themselves within the hearts of much of the Islamic community in America.
Halal means permissible in Arabic.
This can refer to the specific part of the animal where the meat is taken from, the type
of meat itself, and even how the animal was slaughtered.
These changes may not seem like a big deal to some, however, for many, this is a common
issue when trying to order fast food.
Finding a restaurant that caters to a specific market can be incredibly difficult for customers
so it's no surprise why Raising Cane’s is so loved by many in the Islamic community.
The chain has seen such wild success with their halal inclusive menu that they decided
to take their business to the middle eastern market!
Due to the success of their halal preparation process, in 2018 Raising Cane’s announced
they would be adding 80 more locations in different middle eastern countries!
These chicken tenders are taking the world by storm!
Champions of The Pandemic
The last year has been one of the toughest years for business on record.
As the pandemic circles the world, restaurants are forced to continually make difficult decisions
regarding costs and closures.
Raising Cane’s has not been immune to some of the worst hardships that restaurants have
had to face, and yet the owner Todd Graves refused to let his employees suffer for his
benefit.
While many restaurants have witnessed executives making more money while employees are being
laid off left, right and center, both Graves and CEO AJ Kumaran refused to take salaries
during this time in order to help guarantee that their employees were taken care of first.
In addition to their own personal sacrifices - which few other business owners would be
willing to make - the company is also helping to create personal protective equipment (PPE)
in locations that were unable to keep doors open.
In the few Raising Cane’s locations that didn't have a drive-thru, or couldn't operate
safely, Graves has kept employees staffed by paying for them to make masks while the
restaurants are closed.
When you consider that we're talking about a fried chicken chain, it’s kind of amazing
to see.
Finally, despite Raising Cane’s losing approximately 25% of sales this year, the company is continuing
to make financial donations in order to help fight the pandemic.
More companies should be like Canes, no wonder the Caniacs love it so much!
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