Raising Cane's has such a great story. I hope everyone finds it to be as inspiring as I do. *Also, I realize I misspelled "caniacs" when I displayed it on screen. My mistake. Please don't let my error distract you too much from this incredible story.
Another perk of Raising Cane's marketing is the lack of commercial bombardment. While it is nearly impossible to sit through a 30 minute TV show and NOT see a commercial for Burger King, Wendy's, Subway and/or Dominos you rarely if ever see Raising Cane's commercials on TV. The fact that they are growing so much *without* shoving commercials down our throats is a strong indicator of sustained success
I haven't seen a commercial in years. Those still exist??? Lol. For years I'll only watch what is on my DVR. And I cut the cord 4 years ago and never looked back. I have other ways to get my tv shows now. But I don't know anyone who watches any tv with commercial now. And on my network, have multiple Internet ad blocking (proxy, DNS block, firewall acls)
My favorite thing about Cane's is how they integrate themselves so well into the community. I knew they were from Louisiana when they first arrived but then they started sponsoring local sports leagues, high school teams, local city events, and even partnered with our local dog park to get some shade structures! Cane's may be from out of state but because of things like this they become 'locals' which I think is critical to their sustained success. Plus I love the moist chicken and the sauce!
I can echo this sentiment. I've been living in Las Vegas for over 2 decades and I thought for the longest time that Raising Cane's was local due to just how much they support our local UNLV basketball program and all the pro sport teams nowadays.
I actually found out about my local one in high school because they sponsored my track team. I didn't try the food until the following year, but I was pretty happy with them. I don't go there often, but when I do, it's a small event.
Yep there is a canes literally across the road from the football field of the Highschool I graduated from. After practice we’d all go there or the McDonald’s next to it. But we always like the canes better. They had jerseys of old football players from the HS. They had stuff for pretty much all the sports teams in the school
I think very few if any other large fast food chains realize the significance of giving employees financial motivation and the ability to grow. Its such a huge factor that is responsible for their quality control and huge loyal fanbase
Your right I work at canes and most ppl really like working there ofc it’s fast food so they won’t be there forever but most get the job in high school n stay for 4-5 years until they get out of college
Their sales figures over time make a little more sense when you factor in price increases. Their prices have increased around 40% in the last three years.
Certainly noticed. Caniac combo is $14 alone and I remember when they used to be $10 and the sauce cups used to be twice as big. Prices I listed are from Texas and Louisiana.
@@treader3126 Politics affects many (if not most, if not all) facets of life, but that doesn't mean it has to be a perpetual focal point. This discussion has a pretty obvious path forward into the realm of politics and macroeconomics though since OP's main point was a rise in prices, lol.
When I first tried Canes, I wasn’t impressed. I thought the chicken was bland and unimpressive. Over time it really began to grow on me. Sure, it isn’t as flavorful as other chicken fingers, but you mentioned in the video that their chicken isn’t frozen, that makes *all* the difference. That first experience was years ago, when they first arrived in my area. They’ve improved since then and their chicken is great, atmosphere is great, I love Canes. Not to mention that the meals are so so filling!
@@MasterMayhem78 They’re still relatively bland yeah, but the chicken is of significantly better quality than I’ve had. I’d rather have good bland chicken rather than *okay* chicken plastered with a bunch of spices and artificial flavorings.
I work at raising canes, and I can say that quality genuinely matters to the company. Their chicken is real and not frozen and they make their sauce in house every day. Like it’s legit, I doubt there are many other fast food chain employees that can say that what actually happens in their kitchen isn’t disgusting. Something to be said about a quality meal for less than 15 dollars now a days.
that Garbage is NOT a quality meal. Factory farm arsenic-filled chicken, and some stupid sugar sauce. Enjoy. If you ever get a serious illness, like cancer, that's probably why.
The strips have clearly shrunk. They went from 2 sauce cups to 1. Strip meals now average 1-2 of the really weird rubbery burnt ones. It’s not the 2010s anymore. That’s for sure
Thats weird since i had to stock 2 of them and spent alot of time in the freezer compartment of the truck. I didnt last long at that job they wanted me to stock them up by myself.
Its a shame they fucked theirselves by not only raising their prices by like $5 but also reducing the chicken size. You can do one or the other to save money and make a profit, but not both. The raising canes in my city used to have a long line constantly, and now the only cars you see there is an employee’s care in the parking lot.
I worked at Canes for a few years and have to say it was a positive experience. I started at the original location and worked at a few others in the area before I left. New coworkers who came from other fast food places always commented on how clean canes is when they first started. They're a good example of what happens when you take care of your employees and obsess over product quality.
I might work there in the future :) I heard their food was pretty good (I live in Florida, I think they plan on opening some restaurants here soon? I’m not sure yet lol)
The restaurant is only as clean as the employees. The last time I ate at RC my daughter and I got food poisioning and no doubt other customers picking up in the drive-thru did too. It took me three days to recover from that chicken fingers meal.🤢🤮💩
Not related to Canes, but I just wanted to say that you are one of the most consistently interesting channels on the site. I always look forward to your videos on Wednesdays!
Discovered Cane’s when I moved to go to college and anytime my girlfriend came into town we HAD to go there because we loved it so much. It was the only one in the state so we’ve missed it since I’ve graduated but now they’re opening one 30 minutes away and we are very excited to make the chicken pilgrimage.
I worked for Raising Cane's for over 5 years from the time I was 18 to my early 20s. One of the last meetings I ever attended with them was when we went to a big meetup consisting of the top dogs from all the local stores in the area, which included me as I had been there so long and learned every in-and-out of running the store despite not being management. They talked a lot about expansion and how they had an employee retire at age 40. They're an incredibly ambitious business and frankly, it really was a pretty decent job while I worked there. If they paid better, i'd have stayed.
@@alexosowit’s not hard to get raises though? you can get cross trained to get a raise, become a trainer, a kitchen lead, and then there’s also biannual performance reviews that give a raise. before i left, i was making $17.81 in 1 1/2 years after starting at $15
Hi! I was one of the first crew members at Cane’s #28, back when everyone in the company could still come to the office Christmas party. Lol it felt big then, and it’s absolutely huge now. I will say this, Todd will continue to be a success story because he has always been careful with the money. Back then, they didn’t even spend money on radio ads. Lol it was local print media and word of mouth. I just saw it as a fun college job, me and my friends had a blast on and off the clock. But a lot of those folks who stuck around from that crew moved up the ladder, and many ended up working at the corporate office. Later I tried to get that job back when I realized there was long term employment potential, but I learned I wasn’t eligible for rehire because I didn’t show up for my last day. Lol fml 😂
Admittedly the sauce absolutely carries the meal, once you realize that the chicken itself can start to lose its luster, but also once you realize that you realize that the sauce is just as much a part of the experience AS the chicken
The sauce is the same as any random chicken sauce you can buy at the grocery store. The first time I tasted it I legitimately thought it was Sweet Baby Rays chicken sauce because they taste almost exactly the same.
I was at LSU when that first Caine's opened. It was simple, it was inexpensive, and the food was (and still is) awesome! It was so easy to walk across campus and get a box (no slaw extra fries!). When the munchies hit at 2 am, Caine's was open. Your group couldn't decide where to eat, Everyone could agree on Caine's because everyone loved it! I always felt a connection to Caine's because I have been eating there from the very beginning. It really was a small operation and watching them expand over the years has been pretty cool.
When I started at Cane’s, I had no experience whatsoever in the workforce. On top of that, I had been dealing with some pretty tough mental things that had been really affecting my day to day life. As soon as I told my boss this as my condition was worsening and I was having a really hard time coming to work, he was super super super understanding and let me know I had all the support I needed. He even allowed me to step out and take a breather whenever I needed. It’s became better since that point, but a huge part of that was because of how nice and accommodating my bosses were and are. Love working there today!
I’m pretty surprised to hear that sales per location are increasing! My local Cane’s was absolutely packed for the first couple of years, but expansion to more parts of the city have seemed to slow down business. I hope they can keep going full speed ahead; I appreciate how focused they are compared to every single fast food restaurant trying to play the “chicken sandwich” tune at the same time
I helped out at my local Canes for a summer and I actually had fun working there. my co-workers were all fun and we had our little ways of having fun. We had 90s music playing over the speakers and me and the guys in the kitchen got an applause from the dining room after they heard us all singing and harmonizing I Want It That Way. I also loved all the wacky drive-thru greetings like "Chicken Chicken Chicken, which combo you pickin'?"
meantime in USA many more qualified non-leftist white Male scientists that are not allowed to work. Better diet here , higher IQs, that won't ever be overcome by China
@@jpcaretta8847lol be careful, if you look at many of China's buildings and facilities. The words "engineer" and "qualified worker" are loosely applied to an extreme degree.
canes opened their first resturaunt in my town in 2021, and it was an automatic success. like there were lines of cars for a couple miles the first couple of weeks of people wanting to eat there. I am a sucker for canes. especially their lemonade. I also like how they have a bunch of memorabilia that is connected to our town like pictures of our old air base and football helmets of our high schools. their resturaunt just connects or something with our community so much.
ours has lots of local high school memorabilia in it as well, it's really cool especially considering the restaurant has only been open for like 3 years but a lot of the stuff is vintage.
Don’t want to see them expand too fast we have all watched this channel enough to know how that goes, but also we need more up north as fast as possible
@@deeznutz32108 At least you have KFC and Popeyes. Caine's is good (and I eat it a lot), but compared to the others, Caine's is kind of bland honestly. If Popeyes chicken strips & fries were always as fresh as Caine's, they'd kill Caines. Also, if KFC had better quality control & freshness, they'd still be the #1 chicken chain. Their new nuggets are crazy good - when/if they are fresh.
@@deeznutz32108 Agreed. Caines is successful because the food is always fresh. Its blandness prevents it from being offensive to people, I guess. People who think KFC, Popeyes, Chick-fil-A are too spicy will like Caines. KFC nuggets are the original recipe. For some unknown, stupid reason, they never offered boneless chicken pieces in the famous "original recipe" since they tried them out in the 80s. If they offered a boneless chicken breast sandwich with the original recipe flavoring, and ensured it was fresh, 20-years ago, I don't think Chick-fil-a would be as big as they are
First had Cane’s when we moved to TX and we’re impressed. Love the simplicity of the menu, so easy to go through drive-thru and order!! Now Cane’s has expanded to where me moved to in the northeast. Family and friends who had visited and had Canes when down visiting were so excited and now can get Canes up north!!
I don't think I've ever been truly disappointed by a Cane's meal. Their stuff is legit, though really it's that special sauce carrying more than the chicken, which is already quite good. Only Chick-fil-A can give them a run for their money in the sauce department.
even then id say for the value and quality control RC has em beat by a bit. CFA has variety but RC has quality, better company ideals, more incentives for employees to do better work, better prices, better line times, etc. etc. etc.
It’s been crazy to see our local Baton Rouge chain become so big (and Walk-On’s is right behind them in that regard) nationwide. Cane’s was exclusive to Baton Rouge until around the late 2000s or so.
Indeed. When I remember when Raising Cane's opened in my area, I'm remembering *the* Raising Cane's opening just downhill from The Chimes... and to this day I'm still disappointed about The Box not having FIVE chicken fingers anymore.
I went to school in Southern Ohio as a Michigander, and Raising Cane's was some of my favorite food down there. I would bring 4 Caniac combo boxes back to Michigan for my family for holidays and trips back home. We don't attach ourselves to many brands, but Cane's is the bold exception. They didn't even have a restaurant in Michigan until this year. Now that they opened one in East Lansing for the MSU population, we've been finding any excuse to get up there for it.
I already liked Raising Cane’s. It did seem at first like a flimsy business plan to just have s restaurant focused on chicken fingers, but they really pull it off. Their signature sauce also sets them apart, like Cinnabon’s signature flavor. Glad you explained the weird name
I moved to the Baton Rouge area in late 2008 and moved away in early 2012 (active military at the time). I watched as Raising Cane's started expanding to other states, and by the I retired and moved back to the area last year the company grew exponentially. I got to meet Todd Graves at a celebrity softball game back in 2011 or so and he seemed grounded for a successful businessman. It's been a year since moving back to Raising Cane's hometown, and I've only been once. The food is great, but I try to avoid too much fast food. Zaxbys invaded the area, and both they and Chik-Fil-A usually have locations near Raising Cane's, but as the local success story, not to mention good tasting and fast food, the latter store usually stays busy.
I started eating at raising cane’s back in 2013 after I got a job at the San Antonio airport (I’m originally from SoCal) & let me tell you… on top of getting a hefty discount, becoming a safety overseer & getting free cane’s once a week for our meetings I gotta say it’ll continue to be my favorite chicken! Yes, the chicken isn’t flavorful like Slim Chicken’s but there’s something about dipping into that sauce… I dip my bread, my fries & the chicken & I always ask no slaw extra sauce!
I'd never heard of Raising Cane's until they opened up around the corner from my home several years ago. It's now one of my go-to fast food place when I'm not in the mood for a burger. Sometimes on a hot day, I'll stop by just for some sweet tea.
the coolest thing about Canes (as someone from Baton Rogue) is that each location has a story. If you look up a location near you each restaurant has a unique identifaction number, nick name, and short description. Also the Bread and the Cane's sauce definetly make the meal. And while the chicken is a little bland (to compliment the sauce) it is always very juicy unlike most other reastaurants that sell chicken fingers.
I'm from Dallas and Cane's is absolutely huge here. My senior year of high school in 2018 it was basically the go to spot for me and my friends. By the time we graduated we knew everyone at that location and by the time we graduated college last year it was all over the DFW area. I work from home and it's my go to spot when I go to get lunch and it's so good. I definitely wish the company the best. They really deserve all the success they can get.
A buddy of mine worked at a restaurant next to a Raising Cane's. The employees there were always really cool. They closed around the same time and at the end of the night, the two restaurants would give each other left over food. There were nights where he would come home with a huge tray of 20 or so chicken fingers. I've had them a few times and they're pretty good.
ABOUT DANG TIME you do a video on Raising Canes! I am huge supporter of all things Raising Canes and Todd Graves! Thank you for this! His start up story is very inspirational.
Raising Cane's is an established part of my hometown of Baton Rouge, especially the affiliation with LSU. Every gameday has their restaurants packed. Heck, it was big when they built a restaurant not far from LaTech campus when I was attending, so the college connection for initial expansions is solid. Now that I've lived in Maryland and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, the closest location has been shrinking in distance over a decade. I would like to see one within 30 minutes of where I live.
They have one in Tempe, AZ right in pretty much the heart of ASU. It is the busiest RC in Arizona. It was so busy they almost HAD to build another one in the south part of the city.
The location in Lake Charles is right across the street from McNeese State University, and one of the locations in Lafayette are next to ULL, so I think a lot of their earlier Louisiana locations were all next to Universities.
Been living in Baton Rouge all my life and going to the first restaurant while in my time at LSU after taking the finals feels so rewarding. The employees are always the best and they come around from time to time to ask if you want a refill or if you need anything else. Raising Canes does everything right which is why their customers become loyal like me. They are the only food restaurant that I can think of that still cares about customer feedback and loyalty as well as employee satisfaction
I live in Cane's core territory in SW Louisiana. Like the one at LSU, Lake Charles has a Cane's across from McNeese University. They really have a strong state pride and support our students brand image. Employees always seem happy and attentive. They're busy far into the late night, but the wait is never long. Whether you just need a satisfying meal without losing too much study time, or you need to feed a whole frat party quick before things get out of hand. Because you can also get absolutely massive "tailgate packages" that include party size boxes of everything they serve plus gallon jugs of their sweet tea and lemonade (perfect for Arnold Palmers if you're goin to a party).
Raising Canes is awesome. Just make sure you eat your chicken when it’s fresh before the breading gets soggy in the box. That’s the only problem with it being so fresh and hot - they put it in a to-go box and it steams up pretty fast. Always extra toast!
The nearest Canes to me is a half hour drive one way. I either eat it in the parking lot or take it home and toss it in the air fryer at 400° for about 4 minutes. The chicken and fries crisp up real nice, and the toast goes to another level.
About 8 years ago, Raising Canes expanded into our area. I had never heard of them before, read the sign above the restaurant and thought “how can a restaurant make it serving only chicken fingers?”. Sounded crazy to me. After numerous times driving past it, curiosity finally got the best of us, and my husband and I ended up inside, say down, took one bite of the chicken, looked up at each other with big eyes and I said “Oh….THAT’S how they are making money with only chicken fingers.” It was amazing!! And still one of our favorite places.
If you dig a little more onto the Guthrie’s that you touched base on you’ll find that raising canes, Zaxby’s, and slim chickens exist and succeeded because of Guthrie’s. Guthrie’s is actually the originator of “the box” as well as the sauce that all others offer all originated from Guthrie’s sauce. Guthrie’s just chose not to expand the way the others have. They are lesser known but have an interesting history.
This video dropped at a weirdly appropriate time. There's a Cane's close to my house in the L.A. area that's literally opening tomorrow. Chicken is totally worth it, and the sauce seals the deal. Also, one of just a few QSR's to offer crinkle-cut fries? Hell yes! Can't wait for the grand opening!!
There have been a lot of them popping up around the Chicago area and I think it's worth the trip, given how small their menu is. They keep things simple and it's hard to mess things up when you do keep things that simple. As long as they keep doing what they're doing and don't make any major changes, I think they'll continue to be successful.
I love the simplicity of the menu. You know what's there, you know what you're going to get. The only thing you might be indecisive on his how much chicken you want. 😄
Hello! I was born and raised in Baton Rouge. Whenever a friend from out of town visits, I insist they eat at Cane's. Despite being fast food, it tastes incredible. The chicken just tastes so substantial. Love the video's! Can't wait for more!
I worked here from 2015-2019 and I still miss it now. I loved working for them. Management genuinely seemed like they cared and there was a ton of opportunities to move up
I'm not sure how common it is across their locations but there's a location near the University of Georgia that's absolutely genius. It's only a few streets up from the campus and even closer to the school's Greek row. It's always packed to the point where the drive thru line goes out to the street several times a day. I don't think there's that much better of a location they could've had in Athens.
They really target outside college campuses as their primary demographic. In the LSU campus on game days it stretches to outside the door with long waitlines
I went to Texas A&M, which has a local Chicken Finger restaurant of its own called Layne's, which opened c. 1994, a couple of years before Cane's opened up in Baton Rouge. Layne's is located right across the street from the main campus, which makes it easily accessible to students. When Cane's came to town, they chose a location two units over from Layne's, where today, a Torchy's Tacos acts as a "buffer zone". Both locations have their devotees for different reasons (I preferred Cane's due to consistency and taste of the sauce - Layne's has a tendency to be too peppery), but to your point, Graves and the Cane's team hit the nail on the head when identifying a location to enter into the Bryan/College Station market. They've since opened a second area location away from Texas A&M's campus and appear to continue to thrive.
Yep, I inspected that restaurant once when I was just getting my feet under me as a health inspector. My trainer took me there as an example of a restaurant that did well and one that didn't have a lot to consider in a health inspection. The menu drives the inspection from a hazard analysis point of view. Right on Baxter Street not far from Milledge Ave. I walked there from Russell Hall as a student, and it wasn't far from Brumby and Creswell (at the time.) Absolutely great location, and an easier walk for freshmen and Greek life than it was to get downtown across North Campus.
The Canes in my area all support the local sports of whatever town they are in. There is a wall that has high school and college jerseys as well as a community bulletin board with events. Also, the ones I’ve seen dedicate one of the walls to the history of the town.
I cannot overstate how much I immensely crave Raising Cane's again. I used to live in Texas, and became a lifer for them out there. Then I moved to Florida a decade ago. The closest one for years was Mobile, AL, a roughly 9 hour drive away from me. Now I live equidistant between the Tampa Bay and Port Saint Lucie locations, each a bit over a hundred miles from me. There's supposed to be ten opening in the Orlando metro area, and were supposed to at the end of 2022, but they, much like thousands of other businesses in the region, are stuck in a backlog of red tape from an absolutely overwhelmed bureaucracy and lack of construction crews available to hire. there's been such a construction boom in the area, every crew out there is pretty much already booked out for sometimes years in advance. So, I keep sitting here, waiting, craving that Cane's so damn bad, waiting to hop in on the soft opening once the first one in the area opens up finally.
Get you a plane ticket babe. I don’t know if any other states raisin canes with compare to the Baton Rouge locations. I feel you on the cravings I hope you get some soon lol
As a Baton Rouge native of 30 years, I did know there is a disco ball in every location. It was something I always looked for when I went to a new location. 8:38 I did NOT know why they paint the Cane's logo in the bricks of the restaurant. 8:49 The bakery brick mural beneath inspiring the later Cane's logo blew my mind! Great job on the video! Just pray they aren't expanding too fast...or you'll be making a follow up on their failure.
Raising Cane's opened here in *Saudi Arabia* (specifically also Jeddah city) a long while ago, and honestly had a huge success selling their box combo offer (2 box combos for a lower price) through delivery apps And everybody loves them, perhaps the only downside currently about them is the huge price increases especially with increased country taxes $14.6 for a caniac, what!!! besides that, we still come back to it time and time again because its delicious and the vibes are awesome 😂 especially the local inspired decoration they put is something which starts some conversations and laughter
Love Cane's. Out of all the fast food chicken places, it's easily my favorite. Chick-fil-A can't hold a candle to Cane's. The sauce, lemonade, and toast are next level. PRO TIP: Ask for butter on both sides of the toast when you order. Also, sub out your slaw for an extra toast.
Cane's opened in my city in 2014/2015, and they easily and quickly became my favorite place to go for fried chicken, no question about it. No one else compares to how juicy their chicken comes out, and their toast and Cane's sauce are equally just as great too.
In Columbus, Ohio, we would stop by Raising Cane's on our way to and from anime conventions. Raising Cane's is something that I hold dearly to my heart because there's a lot of memories of my friends and I having chicken finger-eating contests and talking about how the convention went. I miss that place. We don't have any Raising Cane's where I live now and I hope that someday, there will be.
I went to LSU and was at the original Raising Canes all the time. It's perfectly located. It's about a four minute walk from the student union, right next to the law school and the parade grounds. It just screams COLLEGE. In fact there's a picture of Bluto from Animal House on the wall as soon as you walk in. You forgot a CRITICAL piece of information. I believe the reason they are so successful is for their tailgating package. You can purchase 100 or even 200 chicken tenders for your tailgating party, and if you know anything about Baton Rouge and LSU it's that they love Football. So everyone stocks up on Bud light (though probably not that anymore) and a Cane's Chicken finger package on top of crawfish boils. It's become a staple for football games. If you ever walk around during an LSU football game, you can't go five feet without seeing someone with a Cane's tailgate. It's become ubiquitous with LSU football.
I spent over 18 years in the quick service restaurant business. I've said many times that I would live in a van down by the river before I ever went back to working in fast food. But after watching this and seeing the things Cane's does for its employees - OK maybe I'd work THERE if I ever had to go back to fast food. But that's it. Those chicken fingers are damn good, too.
Being born in North Louisiana I've had Cane's for my entire life. Definitely one of my favorite fast food restaurants, if not my favorite, quality is consistently good and the sauce is some of the best in the business. Lemonade is also top notch. They may have a limited menu compared to other competitors, but they have made everything on that menu as good as it can be in my book. My college town doesn't have one, but whenever I go home it is usually first on my list of restaurants to visit.
I encountered Cane's a few years ago while traveling, and I've been obsessed with them ever since. Everywhere I travel, I look for them and sometimes go there multiple times in a trip. I can't wait for them to expand my way.
Thank you for introducing me to Raising Cane's! I watched this video a few weeks ago and before hand, I heard about Raising Canes but knew nothing about it. I thought it wasn't anything special. After watching this video, I had one out in Pennsylvania for the first time and really enjoyed it! I don't think I would become a Caniac if I didn't watch this video.
I love Cane's. The chicken fingers are the best I've had. Most of the time eating in is a good experience. The managers often come out to see how everything is. The staff is almost always friendly and service is quick. Took my parents there recently when they came over to visit and they loved it too. Probably my fav fast food restaurant.
I'm a die-hard Bojangles fan and will always defend it as the best fried chicken restaurant, but there was a Raising Cane's on-campus at Clemson and it really was one of the main things that got me through grad school. Chicken is fantastic, but the fries and toast were also delicious!
They opened a location 0.2 miles away from me and honestly, I've grown to enjoy it. The environment, the food, the lemonade and tea. Yeah might not be the best chicken I've ever had but it's satisfactory. Their bread and sauce is dangerously addicting.
I’m from NY so my first experience with this restaurant was when I went to visit my family in Arizona! Legit the best fast food I’ve ever had. So excited to hear they plan on expanding in NYS in the coming years.
I normally dont like lemonade much, but the flavor of the lemonade Cane's has combines with the sauce and chicken fingers in a sort of taste alchemy to make the whole thing it even better. They might do one thing but they sure are good at it.
They will be very successful. The chicken is very good, and the Texas toast is also amazing. It also has huge money potential in catering. Not many people hate chicken fingers, which are loved by children and adults alike.
Strangely, they _refuse_ to offer a BBQ sauce despite it being the #1 condiment for chicken. I just assumed it was because they only offer their own sauce. But, a store manager told me they also have honey-mustard, and BBQ sauce is the most requested item. So, a case of owners not listening to customers? idk - it hasn't seemed to hurt them though.
Raising Canes opened up about a year ago in my town and it is consistently packed. Personally I like Popeyes better but I can see the appeal of the simple menu.
I have only tried Popeyes once. I keep hearing good things about it but everyone I go too or just observe as less than friendly looking employees who look like asking your order is just a big inconvenience to them. I'm not saying be happy and smile. But don't look like you're about to spit in my food please.
In mid 2020, during the height of the pandemic, I moved from West Virginia(born and raised here most of my life), to Las Vegas, for a year, until mid 2021. While I was in Las Vegas for a year(For a relationship), I had Cane's for the first time, and many times after. My god it is amazing. Was amazing. I genuinely miss living out there because I had access to it. Now if you look on Cane's locations map, theres still not a single one in West Virginia, and I have no idea why. Chicken Fingers and fries and toast and slaw is a very Southern style food thing, in my opinion, hell, evidenced by the reference to Guthrie's near the beginning of this video. So it makes sense to me that West Virginians would love it too. The only reason I can think they wouldn't come here is our smaller economy than most. Still, when it comes to great food, we come out in droves. I hope some day I get to eat Cane's again. Seems like my next chance will be soon on a road trip we're taking to Wisconsin, probably gonna stop at one on the way in Indianapolis.
As a person who was around when they were first starting to expand, I love seeing that they are everywhere now, especially because I don't live in the Texas anymore. I am worried though that the expansion will end up messing with the quality. Overall, they are chicken fingers. ITS ALL ABOUT THE SAUSE, well and the toast. lol Great video, glad you did one on this. I was actually going to ask you to do it
I hope they expand more, but I hope that it isn't too fast. It was definitely one of the best chicken places to go to where I used to live, and I'm sad there's not one near me now
I first walked into a Canes just by the signage and curiosity of what it was. Hooked ever since. One of the underrated things about it is how their decorations cater to the local crowd of where they're at.
Raising cane’s just started coming to California a few years ago and now they’re putting in restaurants everywhere. I prefer chicken strips to chicken sandwiches so it’s great for me, although I do wish they had more options for sides.
I feel like raising canes is moving in the right direction and can comfortably expand to more locations without taking away from existing locations or decreasing demand. The two most thriving restaurants in my area are honestly RCs and Chick-fil-A. I feel like they could reach a level comparable to Chick-fil-A. They should be cautious about their menu expansions if they ever go that direction because if done wrong I feel like it could take away from the charm of the minimalist design of their current menu.
I moved to Texas and enjoy raising Cane's. My only suggestion is they should offer a few more sauces. Cain's sauce is great, but sometimes the kids want something else like a sweet and sour or a honey mustard.
Most stores actually have honey mustard, but it’s not advertised. You have to ask for it. Or at least that was the case 5-10 years ago. Not sure anymore.
This is a great story! You should take a dive into Lanes Chicken Fingers. They hold the slogan "Soon To Be Famous" and started in College Station, TX. Just a few years ago, a Canes location opened up right next-door. Maybe I'll see a story about Laynes??
I’ll be there myself on a couple occasions and I have to say that the food is very good. The chicken is juicy and tender, the breading is light crispy and never greasy. They do a good job, and if they can continue to maintain the quality, I think they will continue to grow.
You should make a video about Schlitz beer. They used to be the most popular beer in America up until the 70s when they essentially sabotaged themselves. That decade Schlitz ran a notoriously bad marketing campaign and radically changed their recipe to cut costs and keep up with demand. Schlitz was bought out in the 90s and now has a fraction of the market share it used to enjoy. It’s interesting to me how a beer that was once unrivaled in sales practically disappeared in such a short amount of time.
They have an interesting niche. A couple chicken options at cheap prices. Canes sauce being the main difference from the competition is insane to think about but it works well. I think they are set up pretty well for the future with easy supply chain, corporate owned stores, employees that like working there and are respected and they are already loved by customers.
All of my doctors are at a teaching hospital an hour away from where I live. Every time I go, we have to eat at Cane’s. I love the chicken fingers and the bread. So good!
Yah, I don't get the hype. My neighborhood Ralph 's grocery has better chicken fingers at their hot counter. And the crinkle fries taste like the Orida from the freezer section.
Sadly my experience with working at Cane's was not as wonderful. I love the story and so much about it and was excited to join the team. I was an Operations manager (2nd in command to the Restaurant Leader, think General Manager to the owner, though all RC's are company owned) For training they sent me to Las Vegas for two months and I was basically handed a training book about 150 pages and told, finish this and try not to bother us. I know that this was a location struggling to staff and dealing with their own stuff so I'm not saying all Cane's are like this, in fact I was helped by RL's from a few other locations in Vegas who were incredible. The fact however that I was stuck training at this location that couldn't be bothered to teach me definitely sucked and didn't give me a good start. They were also very much in the mindset of the customer is always wrong and every one of them is out to screw you over. Coming from a chicken place that is famously know for their customer service this was a huge culture shock. When I got back home and started at my restaurant we had 23 people on staff out of 65 we were supposed to. We weren't able to open our curbside service, one of our two DT lanes or even our dining room as we would only have 6 people including me and the RL on shift to run the entire restaurant. We were pushed to hire anyone and everyone, if they had a pulse they got a job. Teens were being worked 6 days a week because we didn't have the staff. The final straw for me was when I was told by my Area Leader that if I really cared about getting my restaurant fully opened and staffed I would go to the neighboring business and poach employees. Really sad as I like their food and I love the story, but the push to expand leaves each store crippled. Despite having under 50% of our restaurant staffed we were constantly being asked to send our staff to help open other restaurants. I really don't hold ill will, I just wish they would slow down on the expansion and put the priority on building up their foundation in each restaurant they currently have.
That will likely be the topic of his next RC video in 5 or 6 years: "Why Raising Cane's is failing." The common thread: overexpansion. To be fair, they're likely receiving a lot of VC and have to justify it with the expansion plans. It's very rare that a founder can grow a company with his own money and call the shots.
@@zakkpierce Not what I meant. More like if there was ever a mistake with an order, instead of just fixing it they made the customer feel like they messed up. If someone asked for a sauce at the window the OM "training me" freaked out about " that's how they get you....." One time I had a sweet lady trying to pick up a catering order and wasn't very tech savvy. I was trying to help her and the OM had no patience for her whatsoever.
@@krozareq completely agree. I definitely love the concept and the story and as much as I want to be upset with my training store for not giving me more time and attention they were also training 3-4 managers for other stores while also being one of the busier stores in Vegas, all while giving their crew to open the new 24 hr location on the strip.
I'm from the DFW metroplex. I never really had Canes till they opened up near me and I decided try it out. It goes so hard and the sweet tea is to die for.
Raising Cane's has such a great story. I hope everyone finds it to be as inspiring as I do.
*Also, I realize I misspelled "caniacs" when I displayed it on screen. My mistake. Please don't let my error distract you too much from this incredible story.
I didn’t even notice 🤣. You’re good
Was this reupload? I'm having deja Vu and I feel like I already saw this but I still enjoyed it
As a fellow Canica, I will ignore the mistake.
The most mid food I’ve ever had
I think that Canicas should be the official name of the fans of Company Man
They understand the irresistible magnetism of good bread. They will naturally be massively nationwide as a result.
Their bread is addictive.
Nah they will eventually sell it and will go to hell like Popeyes and KFC
@@OvnicentAparatusDebbie Downer aside, until such happens, enjoy what we got.
@@SelecaoOfMidas I love Steak 🥩 🤭
Steaks are good too. There is room for more than one protein in my stomach.
Another perk of Raising Cane's marketing is the lack of commercial bombardment. While it is nearly impossible to sit through a 30 minute TV show and NOT see a commercial for Burger King, Wendy's, Subway and/or Dominos you rarely if ever see Raising Cane's commercials on TV. The fact that they are growing so much *without* shoving commercials down our throats is a strong indicator of sustained success
I haven't seen a commercial in years. Those still exist??? Lol.
For years I'll only watch what is on my DVR. And I cut the cord 4 years ago and never looked back. I have other ways to get my tv shows now. But I don't know anyone who watches any tv with commercial now. And on my network, have multiple Internet ad blocking (proxy, DNS block, firewall acls)
thats fucking burger king commercial every break is the reason im NEVER going to eat at burger king again
@@hurricane1nox whopper whopper whopper whopper
@@vloggingwithsam4811junior, double, triple whopper
you watch commercials?
my condolences
My favorite thing about Cane's is how they integrate themselves so well into the community. I knew they were from Louisiana when they first arrived but then they started sponsoring local sports leagues, high school teams, local city events, and even partnered with our local dog park to get some shade structures! Cane's may be from out of state but because of things like this they become 'locals' which I think is critical to their sustained success. Plus I love the moist chicken and the sauce!
Agreed. I first found one in Boston near BU. I thought they were just a local chicken joint with all the BU sports memorabilia on the walls.
I can echo this sentiment. I've been living in Las Vegas for over 2 decades and I thought for the longest time that Raising Cane's was local due to just how much they support our local UNLV basketball program and all the pro sport teams nowadays.
I actually found out about my local one in high school because they sponsored my track team. I didn't try the food until the following year, but I was pretty happy with them. I don't go there often, but when I do, it's a small event.
Yep there is a canes literally across the road from the football field of the Highschool I graduated from. After practice we’d all go there or the McDonald’s next to it. But we always like the canes better. They had jerseys of old football players from the HS. They had stuff for pretty much all the sports teams in the school
@jaredhall1158 There's one on Boylston St too. Across from Hynes Convention Center 😁
I think very few if any other large fast food chains realize the significance of giving employees financial motivation and the ability to grow. Its such a huge factor that is responsible for their quality control and huge loyal fanbase
Your right I work at canes and most ppl really like working there ofc it’s fast food so they won’t be there forever but most get the job in high school n stay for 4-5 years until they get out of college
Yeah, it's crazy how treating employees like people, make them more driven.
Their sales figures over time make a little more sense when you factor in price increases. Their prices have increased around 40% in the last three years.
Thanks Biden
@@Zachalackalackalack politics, ewwww.
Certainly noticed. Caniac combo is $14 alone and I remember when they used to be $10 and the sauce cups used to be twice as big. Prices I listed are from Texas and Louisiana.
@@Labyrinth6000man i wish they were still $14 😭, they’re 18 up here
@@treader3126 Politics affects many (if not most, if not all) facets of life, but that doesn't mean it has to be a perpetual focal point.
This discussion has a pretty obvious path forward into the realm of politics and macroeconomics though since OP's main point was a rise in prices, lol.
When I first tried Canes, I wasn’t impressed. I thought the chicken was bland and unimpressive. Over time it really began to grow on me. Sure, it isn’t as flavorful as other chicken fingers, but you mentioned in the video that their chicken isn’t frozen, that makes *all* the difference. That first experience was years ago, when they first arrived in my area. They’ve improved since then and their chicken is great, atmosphere is great, I love Canes. Not to mention that the meals are so so filling!
Nope. Very bland tasteless food. You’ve just grown accustom to it, it doesn’t make it good.
@@MasterMayhem78 They’re still relatively bland yeah, but the chicken is of significantly better quality than I’ve had. I’d rather have good bland chicken rather than *okay* chicken plastered with a bunch of spices and artificial flavorings.
This has to be the craziest statement I've heard. The chicken is moist and pretty good, but with the sauce its amazing.
Nope! Lacking in flavor. Chick Fil A is much much better! And they have a killer spicy chicken sandwich!
@@s.lmaaltajik7572Costco's chicken bake fits into that category too right? I've had it a lot of times, not much flavor but still tasty nonetheless
I work at raising canes, and I can say that quality genuinely matters to the company. Their chicken is real and not frozen and they make their sauce in house every day. Like it’s legit, I doubt there are many other fast food chain employees that can say that what actually happens in their kitchen isn’t disgusting. Something to be said about a quality meal for less than 15 dollars now a days.
Yep I worked there too and that’s the one thing I can say about canes is the food is high quality and legit for it to be considered fast food
that Garbage is NOT a quality meal. Factory farm arsenic-filled chicken, and some stupid sugar sauce. Enjoy. If you ever get a serious illness, like cancer, that's probably why.
The strips have clearly shrunk. They went from 2 sauce cups to 1. Strip meals now average 1-2 of the really weird rubbery burnt ones. It’s not the 2010s anymore. That’s for sure
Thats weird since i had to stock 2 of them and spent alot of time in the freezer compartment of the truck. I didnt last long at that job they wanted me to stock them up by myself.
I worked at canes for like a year and I can confirm that they won't settle for selling bad quality
My employer has been a foodservice supplier to Cane’s from the beginning, they’ve truly exploded. Not bad to work with either from what I’ve heard
Ben E Keith?
Its a shame they fucked theirselves by not only raising their prices by like $5 but also reducing the chicken size. You can do one or the other to save money and make a profit, but not both.
The raising canes in my city used to have a long line constantly, and now the only cars you see there is an employee’s care in the parking lot.
I don’t understand the love. We just got one in pa and this place is mid on their best day
Canes is such a great customer
I LOVE CANES❤
I worked at Canes for a few years and have to say it was a positive experience. I started at the original location and worked at a few others in the area before I left. New coworkers who came from other fast food places always commented on how clean canes is when they first started. They're a good example of what happens when you take care of your employees and obsess over product quality.
I might work there in the future :) I heard their food was pretty good (I live in Florida, I think they plan on opening some restaurants here soon? I’m not sure yet lol)
The restaurant is only as clean as the employees. The last time I ate at RC my daughter and I got food poisioning and no doubt other customers picking up in the drive-thru did too. It took me three days to recover from that chicken fingers meal.🤢🤮💩
To me, Cane's is proof that you can be successful by doing one thing very well as opposed to many things adequately.
They don’t do anything well, it’s all garbage
zaxbys is better tbh
@@IVANOOZE69Except for the sauce. I've tried to like Zaxby's sauce, but nah. Royal Farms' Chesapeake sauce is better in comparison.
@@IVANOOZE69you probably eat it with a 6 pack of Bud Light.
@@zekebones34L comment
Not related to Canes, but I just wanted to say that you are one of the most consistently interesting channels on the site. I always look forward to your videos on Wednesdays!
Discovered Cane’s when I moved to go to college and anytime my girlfriend came into town we HAD to go there because we loved it so much. It was the only one in the state so we’ve missed it since I’ve graduated but now they’re opening one 30 minutes away and we are very excited to make the chicken pilgrimage.
Cane’s definitely took the “if you have one item do it well” concept to the next level. They have good lemonade too FYI
Eh, in terms of the big three of chicken (Cane's, Zaxby's and Bojangles) they're a distant third.
Their chicken is laughable, Know many people that only go for the toast.
@@Nachonacho602 this is true
i honestly wouldn't even put them above chick fil a, at least they can season things
i fear not the man who has practiced 100000 kicks 1 time, but the man who has practiced 1 kick 100000 times.
Shits nasty
I worked for Raising Cane's for over 5 years from the time I was 18 to my early 20s. One of the last meetings I ever attended with them was when we went to a big meetup consisting of the top dogs from all the local stores in the area, which included me as I had been there so long and learned every in-and-out of running the store despite not being management. They talked a lot about expansion and how they had an employee retire at age 40. They're an incredibly ambitious business and frankly, it really was a pretty decent job while I worked there. If they paid better, i'd have stayed.
therein lies the problem with these businesses. hard working dedicated employees not getting paid enough, not getting the promotions they deserve.
😂
@@drunkredninjanah fr, my coworkers left recently after they hadn't gotten a single pay raise in 3 years of working there
@@alexosowit’s not hard to get raises though? you can get cross trained to get a raise, become a trainer, a kitchen lead, and then there’s also biannual performance reviews that give a raise. before i left, i was making $17.81 in 1 1/2 years after starting at $15
unironically i love the employees at my local canes and college canes, and yes, they're both great locations and i visit them often!
The amount of work they went through to start the company shows a lot of dedication.
WHo butters the bread at the Burbank location in LA?
classic american dream, do a shit ton of grueling work then become worldwide famous with it
Hi! I was one of the first crew members at Cane’s #28, back when everyone in the company could still come to the office Christmas party. Lol it felt big then, and it’s absolutely huge now. I will say this, Todd will continue to be a success story because he has always been careful with the money. Back then, they didn’t even spend money on radio ads. Lol it was local print media and word of mouth. I just saw it as a fun college job, me and my friends had a blast on and off the clock. But a lot of those folks who stuck around from that crew moved up the ladder, and many ended up working at the corporate office. Later I tried to get that job back when I realized there was long term employment potential, but I learned I wasn’t eligible for rehire because I didn’t show up for my last day. Lol fml 😂
Wow that's awesome, except that last bit! 😂 Why didn't you show up? :/
@@sketchur man I was like 18, who knows… missed opportunity for sure!
I was a manager at 28 in the past few years, go Ligers. My buddies Joe S. and Cody Y. (Now an area director) worked at 28 back in the early days
Same reason too, college job for my time at SE
@@Mwuff7775 yes indeed! I know them well! Liger Up! Lol
Admittedly the sauce absolutely carries the meal, once you realize that the chicken itself can start to lose its luster, but also once you realize that you realize that the sauce is just as much a part of the experience AS the chicken
Honestly I am actually there for the chicken.
@dragon_drop its the nost basic chicken i have ever eaten
Ya that just further proves their just chicken is so mid
The sauce is the same as any random chicken sauce you can buy at the grocery store. The first time I tasted it I legitimately thought it was Sweet Baby Rays chicken sauce because they taste almost exactly the same.
Since my youngest worked part time in high school he can make that sauce so cheap and easy. 👍
I was at LSU when that first Caine's opened. It was simple, it was inexpensive, and the food was (and still is) awesome! It was so easy to walk across campus and get a box (no slaw extra fries!). When the munchies hit at 2 am, Caine's was open. Your group couldn't decide where to eat, Everyone could agree on Caine's because everyone loved it! I always felt a connection to Caine's because I have been eating there from the very beginning. It really was a small operation and watching them expand over the years has been pretty cool.
Couldn't agree more as someone that recently went to LSU
They've lost touch with their original mission just a bit. They are the most expensive fast food restaurant now I think.
No it's no slaw extra sauce!
No slaw extra toast*
its average at best imagine if it had KFC's flavor
When I started at Cane’s, I had no experience whatsoever in the workforce. On top of that, I had been dealing with some pretty tough mental things that had been really affecting my day to day life. As soon as I told my boss this as my condition was worsening and I was having a really hard time coming to work, he was super super super understanding and let me know I had all the support I needed. He even allowed me to step out and take a breather whenever I needed. It’s became better since that point, but a huge part of that was because of how nice and accommodating my bosses were and are. Love working there today!
I’m pretty surprised to hear that sales per location are increasing! My local Cane’s was absolutely packed for the first couple of years, but expansion to more parts of the city have seemed to slow down business. I hope they can keep going full speed ahead; I appreciate how focused they are compared to every single fast food restaurant trying to play the “chicken sandwich” tune at the same time
I helped out at my local Canes for a summer and I actually had fun working there. my co-workers were all fun and we had our little ways of having fun. We had 90s music playing over the speakers and me and the guys in the kitchen got an applause from the dining room after they heard us all singing and harmonizing I Want It That Way. I also loved all the wacky drive-thru greetings like "Chicken Chicken Chicken, which combo you pickin'?"
Meantime in China, more and more engineers, qualified workers etc...
meantime in USA many more qualified non-leftist white Male scientists that are not allowed to work. Better diet here , higher IQs, that won't ever be overcome by China
Hahaha...that's awesome. I spent a lot of years in restaurants before joining the military...there really is nothing else like it.
@@jpcaretta8847What???
@@jpcaretta8847lol be careful, if you look at many of China's buildings and facilities.
The words "engineer" and "qualified worker" are loosely applied to an extreme degree.
canes opened their first resturaunt in my town in 2021, and it was an automatic success. like there were lines of cars for a couple miles the first couple of weeks of people wanting to eat there. I am a sucker for canes. especially their lemonade. I also like how they have a bunch of memorabilia that is connected to our town like pictures of our old air base and football helmets of our high schools. their resturaunt just connects or something with our community so much.
ours has lots of local high school memorabilia in it as well, it's really cool especially considering the restaurant has only been open for like 3 years but a lot of the stuff is vintage.
Don’t want to see them expand too fast we have all watched this channel enough to know how that goes, but also we need more up north as fast as possible
As a Canes employee I can tell you that yes they are expanding too fast and it will probably come and bite them if they don't change
It’s not that good man it’s overrated
@@chuganoga1908 I’m going to politely disagree with you on that one sir love me some canes
@@chuganoga1908 ur overrated
LOL
In my small town, raising Cane's is one of two places to get fried chicken. It's always so packed during lunch and dinner.
I wish we had Cane's in my small town, we just have KFC and Popeyes
@@deeznutz32108 At least you have KFC and Popeyes. Caine's is good (and I eat it a lot), but compared to the others, Caine's is kind of bland honestly.
If Popeyes chicken strips & fries were always as fresh as Caine's, they'd kill Caines.
Also, if KFC had better quality control & freshness, they'd still be the #1 chicken chain. Their new nuggets are crazy good - when/if they are fresh.
@@TonyPombo True, I've only been to Cane's once and it was somewhat bland, I mostly liked how fresh it is
@@TonyPombo Also I didn't know KFC's new nuggets were good, I'll have to try them
@@deeznutz32108 Agreed. Caines is successful because the food is always fresh. Its blandness prevents it from being offensive to people, I guess. People who think KFC, Popeyes, Chick-fil-A are too spicy will like Caines.
KFC nuggets are the original recipe. For some unknown, stupid reason, they never offered boneless chicken pieces in the famous "original recipe" since they tried them out in the 80s. If they offered a boneless chicken breast sandwich with the original recipe flavoring, and ensured it was fresh, 20-years ago, I don't think Chick-fil-a would be as big as they are
First had Cane’s when we moved to TX and we’re impressed. Love the simplicity of the menu, so easy to go through drive-thru and order!! Now Cane’s has expanded to where me moved to in the northeast. Family and friends who had visited and had Canes when down visiting were so excited and now can get Canes up north!!
I don't think I've ever been truly disappointed by a Cane's meal. Their stuff is legit, though really it's that special sauce carrying more than the chicken, which is already quite good.
Only Chick-fil-A can give them a run for their money in the sauce department.
Chicken is pretty bland
even then id say for the value and quality control RC has em beat by a bit. CFA has variety but RC has quality, better company ideals, more incentives for employees to do better work, better prices, better line times, etc. etc. etc.
@@preciadoalex123 As long as it's filling I'm fine with Canes but I can agree it can be bland. I do enjoy their sauce.
@@realmacklecfa better than rc just the facts
@@richhuncho420 rc doesnt constantly fuck up orders like cfa does, also cfa is run by a douche
It’s been crazy to see our local Baton Rouge chain become so big (and Walk-On’s is right behind them in that regard) nationwide. Cane’s was exclusive to Baton Rouge until around the late 2000s or so.
We glad it came all the way up to Indianapolis, Indiana but Dave’s hot chicken is better
I was just gonna mention Walk-On's myself as a future video subject because they've been expanding like crazy too.
Indeed. When I remember when Raising Cane's opened in my area, I'm remembering *the* Raising Cane's opening just downhill from The Chimes... and to this day I'm still disappointed about The Box not having FIVE chicken fingers anymore.
@@WardFontaine Teenage me could easily destroy a Caniac combo, even back when that had 7 fingers instead of 6. Now the Box combo fills me up!
What crazy is how they got turned down and they were told. "AINT NO BODY WANT NO CHICKEN TENDERS." Lol
I went to school in Southern Ohio as a Michigander, and Raising Cane's was some of my favorite food down there. I would bring 4 Caniac combo boxes back to Michigan for my family for holidays and trips back home. We don't attach ourselves to many brands, but Cane's is the bold exception.
They didn't even have a restaurant in Michigan until this year. Now that they opened one in East Lansing for the MSU population, we've been finding any excuse to get up there for it.
I already liked Raising Cane’s. It did seem at first like a flimsy business plan to just have s restaurant focused on chicken fingers, but they really pull it off. Their signature sauce also sets them apart, like Cinnabon’s signature flavor. Glad you explained the weird name
Their sauce is ridiculously underwhelming. I don't get it.
this goes to show nothing is too silly follow your dreams
@@derbagger22 it’s made with real “Cane” sugar, so you know it’s legit, or something
I moved to the Baton Rouge area in late 2008 and moved away in early 2012 (active military at the time). I watched as Raising Cane's started expanding to other states, and by the I retired and moved back to the area last year the company grew exponentially. I got to meet Todd Graves at a celebrity softball game back in 2011 or so and he seemed grounded for a successful businessman.
It's been a year since moving back to Raising Cane's hometown, and I've only been once. The food is great, but I try to avoid too much fast food. Zaxbys invaded the area, and both they and Chik-Fil-A usually have locations near Raising Cane's, but as the local success story, not to mention good tasting and fast food, the latter store usually stays busy.
Thank you for your Sevice.
I started eating at raising cane’s back in 2013 after I got a job at the San Antonio airport (I’m originally from SoCal) & let me tell you… on top of getting a hefty discount, becoming a safety overseer & getting free cane’s once a week for our meetings I gotta say it’ll continue to be my favorite chicken! Yes, the chicken isn’t flavorful like Slim Chicken’s but there’s something about dipping into that sauce… I dip my bread, my fries & the chicken & I always ask no slaw extra sauce!
I'd never heard of Raising Cane's until they opened up around the corner from my home several years ago. It's now one of my go-to fast food place when I'm not in the mood for a burger. Sometimes on a hot day, I'll stop by just for some sweet tea.
4:33 bro continued despite being doubted by people, thats some real dedication
Telling someone they can’t do something is enough to make them wanna do it.
the coolest thing about Canes (as someone from Baton Rogue) is that each location has a story. If you look up a location near you each restaurant has a unique identifaction number, nick name, and short description. Also the Bread and the Cane's sauce definetly make the meal. And while the chicken is a little bland (to compliment the sauce) it is always very juicy unlike most other reastaurants that sell chicken fingers.
I'm from Dallas and Cane's is absolutely huge here. My senior year of high school in 2018 it was basically the go to spot for me and my friends. By the time we graduated we knew everyone at that location and by the time we graduated college last year it was all over the DFW area. I work from home and it's my go to spot when I go to get lunch and it's so good. I definitely wish the company the best. They really deserve all the success they can get.
None of that happened. Delete your account.
Nice story 👍🏼
I'm from the DFW too. I remember when the first Raising Cane's were opening here in the early 2010s. Been a fan since.
@@TwoBitSpecialist no you don’t. Delete your account.
A buddy of mine worked at a restaurant next to a Raising Cane's. The employees there were always really cool. They closed around the same time and at the end of the night, the two restaurants would give each other left over food. There were nights where he would come home with a huge tray of 20 or so chicken fingers. I've had them a few times and they're pretty good.
Todd's story is a great example of hard work and perseverance.. pretty damn good chicken fingers and sauce too
ABOUT DANG TIME you do a video on Raising Canes! I am huge supporter of all things Raising Canes and Todd Graves! Thank you for this! His start up story is very inspirational.
Yep A few weeks ago I was even asking for Raising Cane's. It has expanded here in West Coast it's incredible.
Raising Cane's is an established part of my hometown of Baton Rouge, especially the affiliation with LSU. Every gameday has their restaurants packed. Heck, it was big when they built a restaurant not far from LaTech campus when I was attending, so the college connection for initial expansions is solid.
Now that I've lived in Maryland and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, the closest location has been shrinking in distance over a decade. I would like to see one within 30 minutes of where I live.
They have one in Tempe, AZ right in pretty much the heart of ASU. It is the busiest RC in Arizona. It was so busy they almost HAD to build another one in the south part of the city.
The location in Lake Charles is right across the street from McNeese State University, and one of the locations in Lafayette are next to ULL, so I think a lot of their earlier Louisiana locations were all next to Universities.
Been living in Baton Rouge all my life and going to the first restaurant while in my time at LSU after taking the finals feels so rewarding. The employees are always the best and they come around from time to time to ask if you want a refill or if you need anything else. Raising Canes does everything right which is why their customers become loyal like me. They are the only food restaurant that I can think of that still cares about customer feedback and loyalty as well as employee satisfaction
I hit the one's in Zachary, Central and Denham. Wish they would open one in Clinton.
Yesss. I did the same thing, the one outside the North Gate by the Chimes. ❤
I live in Cane's core territory in SW Louisiana. Like the one at LSU, Lake Charles has a Cane's across from McNeese University. They really have a strong state pride and support our students brand image. Employees always seem happy and attentive. They're busy far into the late night, but the wait is never long. Whether you just need a satisfying meal without losing too much study time, or you need to feed a whole frat party quick before things get out of hand. Because you can also get absolutely massive "tailgate packages" that include party size boxes of everything they serve plus gallon jugs of their sweet tea and lemonade (perfect for Arnold Palmers if you're goin to a party).
Louisiana is boring but the food here is lit.
Raising Canes is awesome. Just make sure you eat your chicken when it’s fresh before the breading gets soggy in the box. That’s the only problem with it being so fresh and hot - they put it in a to-go box and it steams up pretty fast. Always extra toast!
The nearest Canes to me is a half hour drive one way. I either eat it in the parking lot or take it home and toss it in the air fryer at 400° for about 4 minutes. The chicken and fries crisp up real nice, and the toast goes to another level.
@@sortacoolmaybe I've also used the air fryer strat with my leftover Canes works like a charm
Air fryers are your best friend when that happens
They need to find a way to not make the chicken and fries soggy in those styrofoam boxes, that’s their only bad thing in my opinion
About 8 years ago, Raising Canes expanded into our area. I had never heard of them before, read the sign above the restaurant and thought “how can a restaurant make it serving only chicken fingers?”. Sounded crazy to me. After numerous times driving past it, curiosity finally got the best of us, and my husband and I ended up inside, say down, took one bite of the chicken, looked up at each other with big eyes and I said “Oh….THAT’S how they are making money with only chicken fingers.” It was amazing!! And still one of our favorite places.
OG McDonald’s just did burger meals
Lol
If you dig a little more onto the Guthrie’s that you touched base on you’ll find that raising canes, Zaxby’s, and slim chickens exist and succeeded because of Guthrie’s. Guthrie’s is actually the originator of “the box” as well as the sauce that all others offer all originated from Guthrie’s sauce. Guthrie’s just chose not to expand the way the others have. They are lesser known but have an interesting history.
Worked at Guthries in AL as a teen!
Absolutely right. They all copy Guthrie’s of Auburn.
This video dropped at a weirdly appropriate time. There's a Cane's close to my house in the L.A. area that's literally opening tomorrow. Chicken is totally worth it, and the sauce seals the deal. Also, one of just a few QSR's to offer crinkle-cut fries? Hell yes! Can't wait for the grand opening!!
And it just got looted. Enjoy LA
@@mr.awesome6011yeah, crime exists and has for the entirety of human civilization. But nice try
@@Ozhullyes but come on now, the robbery and home invasion rate in LA is ridiculous rn.
There have been a lot of them popping up around the Chicago area and I think it's worth the trip, given how small their menu is. They keep things simple and it's hard to mess things up when you do keep things that simple. As long as they keep doing what they're doing and don't make any major changes, I think they'll continue to be successful.
I love the simplicity of the menu. You know what's there, you know what you're going to get. The only thing you might be indecisive on his how much chicken you want. 😄
Hello! I was born and raised in Baton Rouge. Whenever a friend from out of town visits, I insist they eat at Cane's. Despite being fast food, it tastes incredible. The chicken just tastes so substantial. Love the video's! Can't wait for more!
I worked here from 2015-2019 and I still miss it now. I loved working for them. Management genuinely seemed like they cared and there was a ton of opportunities to move up
I'm not sure how common it is across their locations but there's a location near the University of Georgia that's absolutely genius. It's only a few streets up from the campus and even closer to the school's Greek row. It's always packed to the point where the drive thru line goes out to the street several times a day. I don't think there's that much better of a location they could've had in Athens.
They really target outside college campuses as their primary demographic. In the LSU campus on game days it stretches to outside the door with long waitlines
I went to Texas A&M, which has a local Chicken Finger restaurant of its own called Layne's, which opened c. 1994, a couple of years before Cane's opened up in Baton Rouge. Layne's is located right across the street from the main campus, which makes it easily accessible to students. When Cane's came to town, they chose a location two units over from Layne's, where today, a Torchy's Tacos acts as a "buffer zone". Both locations have their devotees for different reasons (I preferred Cane's due to consistency and taste of the sauce - Layne's has a tendency to be too peppery), but to your point, Graves and the Cane's team hit the nail on the head when identifying a location to enter into the Bryan/College Station market. They've since opened a second area location away from Texas A&M's campus and appear to continue to thrive.
Real Genius was having the Bulldogs star quarterback help open that store after they won the National Championship!😊
over hyped trash in reality its not cheaper or better then chickfilla
Yep, I inspected that restaurant once when I was just getting my feet under me as a health inspector. My trainer took me there as an example of a restaurant that did well and one that didn't have a lot to consider in a health inspection. The menu drives the inspection from a hazard analysis point of view.
Right on Baxter Street not far from Milledge Ave. I walked there from Russell Hall as a student, and it wasn't far from Brumby and Creswell (at the time.) Absolutely great location, and an easier walk for freshmen and Greek life than it was to get downtown across North Campus.
The Canes in my area all support the local sports of whatever town they are in. There is a wall that has high school and college jerseys as well as a community bulletin board with events. Also, the ones I’ve seen dedicate one of the walls to the history of the town.
I live Cane’s, it’s one of my favorite fast food joints.
I cannot overstate how much I immensely crave Raising Cane's again. I used to live in Texas, and became a lifer for them out there. Then I moved to Florida a decade ago. The closest one for years was Mobile, AL, a roughly 9 hour drive away from me. Now I live equidistant between the Tampa Bay and Port Saint Lucie locations, each a bit over a hundred miles from me. There's supposed to be ten opening in the Orlando metro area, and were supposed to at the end of 2022, but they, much like thousands of other businesses in the region, are stuck in a backlog of red tape from an absolutely overwhelmed bureaucracy and lack of construction crews available to hire. there's been such a construction boom in the area, every crew out there is pretty much already booked out for sometimes years in advance. So, I keep sitting here, waiting, craving that Cane's so damn bad, waiting to hop in on the soft opening once the first one in the area opens up finally.
Get you a plane ticket babe. I don’t know if any other states raisin canes with compare to the Baton Rouge locations. I feel you on the cravings I hope you get some soon lol
Too long, didn’t read.
Thanks DeSantis
There's a raising canes in GV if you're really craving it
There is a new one in Boynton Beach FL
As a Baton Rouge native of 30 years, I did know there is a disco ball in every location. It was something I always looked for when I went to a new location.
8:38
I did NOT know why they paint the Cane's logo in the bricks of the restaurant.
8:49
The bakery brick mural beneath inspiring the later Cane's logo blew my mind!
Great job on the video!
Just pray they aren't expanding too fast...or you'll be making a follow up on their failure.
Raising Cane's opened here in *Saudi Arabia* (specifically also Jeddah city) a long while ago, and honestly had a huge success selling their box combo offer (2 box combos for a lower price) through delivery apps
And everybody loves them, perhaps the only downside currently about them is the huge price increases especially with increased country taxes
$14.6 for a caniac, what!!!
besides that, we still come back to it time and time again because its delicious and the vibes are awesome 😂 especially the local inspired decoration they put is something which starts some conversations and laughter
Best to stick with Al Baik
Love Cane's. Out of all the fast food chicken places, it's easily my favorite. Chick-fil-A can't hold a candle to Cane's. The sauce, lemonade, and toast are next level. PRO TIP: Ask for butter on both sides of the toast when you order. Also, sub out your slaw for an extra toast.
nah, sub slaw for extra sauce 😤
sub out the slaw for an extra slice of bread?? that is a bad choice, as cole slaw goes great with fried chicken
Cane's opened in my city in 2014/2015, and they easily and quickly became my favorite place to go for fried chicken, no question about it. No one else compares to how juicy their chicken comes out, and their toast and Cane's sauce are equally just as great too.
In Columbus, Ohio, we would stop by Raising Cane's on our way to and from anime conventions. Raising Cane's is something that I hold dearly to my heart because there's a lot of memories of my friends and I having chicken finger-eating contests and talking about how the convention went.
I miss that place. We don't have any Raising Cane's where I live now and I hope that someday, there will be.
I went to LSU and was at the original Raising Canes all the time. It's perfectly located. It's about a four minute walk from the student union, right next to the law school and the parade grounds. It just screams COLLEGE. In fact there's a picture of Bluto from Animal House on the wall as soon as you walk in. You forgot a CRITICAL piece of information. I believe the reason they are so successful is for their tailgating package. You can purchase 100 or even 200 chicken tenders for your tailgating party, and if you know anything about Baton Rouge and LSU it's that they love Football. So everyone stocks up on Bud light (though probably not that anymore) and a Cane's Chicken finger package on top of crawfish boils. It's become a staple for football games. If you ever walk around during an LSU football game, you can't go five feet without seeing someone with a Cane's tailgate. It's become ubiquitous with LSU football.
They are the next Popeyes
Yeeeeeea...probably not bud lite anymore...hahaha
Company guy you've been one of my favorite UA-camrs for the last 4 years, thank you
I spent over 18 years in the quick service restaurant business. I've said many times that I would live in a van down by the river before I ever went back to working in fast food. But after watching this and seeing the things Cane's does for its employees - OK maybe I'd work THERE if I ever had to go back to fast food. But that's it.
Those chicken fingers are damn good, too.
Being born in North Louisiana I've had Cane's for my entire life. Definitely one of my favorite fast food restaurants, if not my favorite, quality is consistently good and the sauce is some of the best in the business. Lemonade is also top notch. They may have a limited menu compared to other competitors, but they have made everything on that menu as good as it can be in my book. My college town doesn't have one, but whenever I go home it is usually first on my list of restaurants to visit.
I encountered Cane's a few years ago while traveling, and I've been obsessed with them ever since. Everywhere I travel, I look for them and sometimes go there multiple times in a trip. I can't wait for them to expand my way.
Thank you for introducing me to Raising Cane's! I watched this video a few weeks ago and before hand, I heard about Raising Canes but knew nothing about it. I thought it wasn't anything special. After watching this video, I had one out in Pennsylvania for the first time and really enjoyed it! I don't think I would become a Caniac if I didn't watch this video.
I love Cane's. The chicken fingers are the best I've had. Most of the time eating in is a good experience. The managers often come out to see how everything is. The staff is almost always friendly and service is quick. Took my parents there recently when they came over to visit and they loved it too. Probably my fav fast food restaurant.
I'm a die-hard Bojangles fan and will always defend it as the best fried chicken restaurant, but there was a Raising Cane's on-campus at Clemson and it really was one of the main things that got me through grad school. Chicken is fantastic, but the fries and toast were also delicious!
Bojangles fries are definitely way better though. The seasoning on them is just peak.
@@anthonyrider889 100%! The Cajun fries are immaculate
They opened a location 0.2 miles away from me and honestly, I've grown to enjoy it. The environment, the food, the lemonade and tea. Yeah might not be the best chicken I've ever had but it's satisfactory. Their bread and sauce is dangerously addicting.
I’m from NY so my first experience with this restaurant was when I went to visit my family in Arizona! Legit the best fast food I’ve ever had. So excited to hear they plan on expanding in NYS in the coming years.
Also from NY! Though my first Cane's was on the way to Louisville for a trip. Would much rather have it here over Chik-Fil-A
It's hard to be wrong with a real, live puppy dog as your mascot.
Yesterday I saw a Raising Cane's being built outside Pittsburgh, PA. I've never seen them here before, so your video was very timely!
I normally dont like lemonade much, but the flavor of the lemonade Cane's has combines with the sauce and chicken fingers in a sort of taste alchemy to make the whole thing it even better. They might do one thing but they sure are good at it.
I love places with small menus because you know they pretty much perfected whatever they sell.
Love Raising Canes ! I live in Houston , TX and we have a few of them already but I have noticed more of them open up in the past few years.
They will be very successful. The chicken is very good, and the Texas toast is also amazing. It also has huge money potential in catering. Not many people hate chicken fingers, which are loved by children and adults alike.
Strangely, they _refuse_ to offer a BBQ sauce despite it being the #1 condiment for chicken. I just assumed it was because they only offer their own sauce. But, a store manager told me they also have honey-mustard, and BBQ sauce is the most requested item. So, a case of owners not listening to customers? idk - it hasn't seemed to hurt them though.
I eat there occasionally but the cain sauce is too bland. I've found that Dave's Hot Chicken has taken their concept and improved it.
Raising Canes opened up about a year ago in my town and it is consistently packed. Personally I like Popeyes better but I can see the appeal of the simple menu.
I love Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich. I do like Caine's chicken fingers, which are a close 2nd. I would be all about a Caine's Chicken sandwich.
They opened up in my area too in the past 2 years.
I have only tried Popeyes once. I keep hearing good things about it but everyone I go too or just observe as less than friendly looking employees who look like asking your order is just a big inconvenience to them. I'm not saying be happy and smile. But don't look like you're about to spit in my food please.
In mid 2020, during the height of the pandemic, I moved from West Virginia(born and raised here most of my life), to Las Vegas, for a year, until mid 2021. While I was in Las Vegas for a year(For a relationship), I had Cane's for the first time, and many times after. My god it is amazing. Was amazing. I genuinely miss living out there because I had access to it. Now if you look on Cane's locations map, theres still not a single one in West Virginia, and I have no idea why. Chicken Fingers and fries and toast and slaw is a very Southern style food thing, in my opinion, hell, evidenced by the reference to Guthrie's near the beginning of this video. So it makes sense to me that West Virginians would love it too. The only reason I can think they wouldn't come here is our smaller economy than most. Still, when it comes to great food, we come out in droves. I hope some day I get to eat Cane's again. Seems like my next chance will be soon on a road trip we're taking to Wisconsin, probably gonna stop at one on the way in Indianapolis.
West Virginia ain't missing a thing!
As a person who was around when they were first starting to expand, I love seeing that they are everywhere now, especially because I don't live in the Texas anymore. I am worried though that the expansion will end up messing with the quality.
Overall, they are chicken fingers. ITS ALL ABOUT THE SAUSE, well and the toast. lol
Great video, glad you did one on this. I was actually going to ask you to do it
Sadly, the side of their tenders has noticeably decreased. It’s really unfortunate how skin some of their pieces are.
I hope they expand more, but I hope that it isn't too fast. It was definitely one of the best chicken places to go to where I used to live, and I'm sad there's not one near me now
I first walked into a Canes just by the signage and curiosity of what it was. Hooked ever since. One of the underrated things about it is how their decorations cater to the local crowd of where they're at.
Raising cane’s just started coming to California a few years ago and now they’re putting in restaurants everywhere. I prefer chicken strips to chicken sandwiches so it’s great for me, although I do wish they had more options for sides.
I feel like raising canes is moving in the right direction and can comfortably expand to more locations without taking away from existing locations or decreasing demand. The two most thriving restaurants in my area are honestly RCs and Chick-fil-A. I feel like they could reach a level comparable to Chick-fil-A. They should be cautious about their menu expansions if they ever go that direction because if done wrong I feel like it could take away from the charm of the minimalist design of their current menu.
Growing up in the Baton Rouge area, we always loved going to the flagship restaurant. Superb atmosphere.
I moved to Texas and enjoy raising Cane's. My only suggestion is they should offer a few more sauces. Cain's sauce is great, but sometimes the kids want something else like a sweet and sour or a honey mustard.
Most stores actually have honey mustard, but it’s not advertised. You have to ask for it. Or at least that was the case 5-10 years ago. Not sure anymore.
@@calebwatt6068 the store i work at has honey mustard
In-N-Out also focuses on simplicity too, the menu hasn't changed much in the last 75 years
This is a great story! You should take a dive into Lanes Chicken Fingers. They hold the slogan "Soon To Be Famous" and started in College Station, TX. Just a few years ago, a Canes location opened up right next-door. Maybe I'll see a story about Laynes??
I’ll be there myself on a couple occasions and I have to say that the food is very good. The chicken is juicy and tender, the breading is light crispy and never greasy. They do a good job, and if they can continue to maintain the quality, I think they will continue to grow.
Juicy and tender... and nigh-flavorless.
I love their food. Not necessarily the best chicken, but the most consistent. I know exactly what I’m going to get when I roll up.
Love. Canes. Watching this at Cane's right now actually. Thanks for covering this place. Doing so many great things!
You should make a video about Schlitz beer. They used to be the most popular beer in America up until the 70s when they essentially sabotaged themselves. That decade Schlitz ran a notoriously bad marketing campaign and radically changed their recipe to cut costs and keep up with demand. Schlitz was bought out in the 90s and now has a fraction of the market share it used to enjoy. It’s interesting to me how a beer that was once unrivaled in sales practically disappeared in such a short amount of time.
had some union labor issues back in the day too that further led to its demise, anyone old enough in the milwaukee hometown will tell you about it
They have an interesting niche. A couple chicken options at cheap prices. Canes sauce being the main difference from the competition is insane to think about but it works well. I think they are set up pretty well for the future with easy supply chain, corporate owned stores, employees that like working there and are respected and they are already loved by customers.
All of my doctors are at a teaching hospital an hour away from where I live. Every time I go, we have to eat at Cane’s. I love the chicken fingers and the bread. So good!
The employees are always nice. It’s hard to talk about raising cains without sounding like an ad lol
Just imagine how big they would be if their chicken actually had flavor.
true and it wasnt soggy, i feel like mine always is. the toast is the best thing they got lol
Yah, I don't get the hype. My neighborhood Ralph 's grocery has better chicken fingers at their hot counter. And the crinkle fries taste like the Orida from the freezer section.
One of my favorite restaurants. Representing Louisiana from a city called Thibodaux.
I've never been a big fan of their chicken (I find it dry and I don't like the sauce), but I do appreciate their story and how they're run
Sadly my experience with working at Cane's was not as wonderful. I love the story and so much about it and was excited to join the team. I was an Operations manager (2nd in command to the Restaurant Leader, think General Manager to the owner, though all RC's are company owned)
For training they sent me to Las Vegas for two months and I was basically handed a training book about 150 pages and told, finish this and try not to bother us.
I know that this was a location struggling to staff and dealing with their own stuff so I'm not saying all Cane's are like this, in fact I was helped by RL's from a few other locations in Vegas who were incredible. The fact however that I was stuck training at this location that couldn't be bothered to teach me definitely sucked and didn't give me a good start.
They were also very much in the mindset of the customer is always wrong and every one of them is out to screw you over. Coming from a chicken place that is famously know for their customer service this was a huge culture shock.
When I got back home and started at my restaurant we had 23 people on staff out of 65 we were supposed to. We weren't able to open our curbside service, one of our two DT lanes or even our dining room as we would only have 6 people including me and the RL on shift to run the entire restaurant.
We were pushed to hire anyone and everyone, if they had a pulse they got a job. Teens were being worked 6 days a week because we didn't have the staff.
The final straw for me was when I was told by my Area Leader that if I really cared about getting my restaurant fully opened and staffed I would go to the neighboring business and poach employees.
Really sad as I like their food and I love the story, but the push to expand leaves each store crippled. Despite having under 50% of our restaurant staffed we were constantly being asked to send our staff to help open other restaurants.
I really don't hold ill will, I just wish they would slow down on the expansion and put the priority on building up their foundation in each restaurant they currently have.
The employee SHOULD come before the customer. Just saying
That will likely be the topic of his next RC video in 5 or 6 years: "Why Raising Cane's is failing." The common thread: overexpansion. To be fair, they're likely receiving a lot of VC and have to justify it with the expansion plans. It's very rare that a founder can grow a company with his own money and call the shots.
@@zakkpierce Not what I meant. More like if there was ever a mistake with an order, instead of just fixing it they made the customer feel like they messed up. If someone asked for a sauce at the window the OM "training me" freaked out about " that's how they get you....."
One time I had a sweet lady trying to pick up a catering order and wasn't very tech savvy. I was trying to help her and the OM had no patience for her whatsoever.
@@krozareq completely agree. I definitely love the concept and the story and as much as I want to be upset with my training store for not giving me more time and attention they were also training 3-4 managers for other stores while also being one of the busier stores in Vegas, all while giving their crew to open the new 24 hr location on the strip.
@@krozareqI am wondering about over expansion too since he was mentioning the New York locations they have planned
I'm from the DFW metroplex. I never really had Canes till they opened up near me and I decided try it out. It goes so hard and the sweet tea is to die for.
I love Raising Canes with a passion. BTW, knowing that they’re doing so well, I’m surprised they can’t be found on Uber Eats.