Raising Cane’s

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers restaurants are known for a narrow menu of fried tenders, signature dipping sauce, slaw and toast — all popularized in the Box Combo.

Creator Todd Graves founded the Baton Rouge, La.-based chicken-tenders brand in 1996 in an old building that he renovated himself at the north gates to the Louisiana State University’s campus. It was based on a business plan he created in college, for which he received low marks.

The restaurant concept is named for Grave’s yellow Labrador retriever at the time, Raising Cane, who accompanied him at the construction site. Graves originally planned to call the brand “Sockeye’s” after the salmon he fished in Alaska to help raise money to start the business. A third dog, Raising Cane III, joined the family in 2017.

The company says its concept is simple and based on its “One Love:” chicken finger meals. The company declines to “clutter” its menu with new products that don’t fit in the core menu offering.

Systemwide in early 2021, Raising Cane’s had 550 restaurants in 29 states and the Middle East.

Headquarters: Baton Rouge, La.

Segment: Fast Casual

Restaurant Segment: LSR Chicken

Number of Locations: 518

2020 Sales: $1,263,245,000

Annual Growth

Source: Datassential Firefly 500

Co-CEOs: Todd Graves and AJ Kumaran