Raising Cane’s brings chicken fingers to South Loop
January 27, 2023
The lunch spot on the block, Raising Cane’s, was particularly busy, as college students are flooding back to the South Loop for their spring semesters.
Located at 2 N. Michigan Ave., across from Millennium Park, the South Loop restaurant’s claim-to-food fame is “our one love,” and it serves only chicken fingers.
In CEO and founder Todd Graves’ original business concept, he aimed to have students as both customers and employees, while serving one main course, chicken fingers, accompanied by some signature sides.
After working a couple of odd jobs, Graves secured a loan at age 24 and opened the original Cane’s restaurant near Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
“This is actually my first time here,” said Ernest Strauhal, a student at School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Strauhal said they remembered seeing signs for Raising Cane’s while driving through the Midwest from their home state of California. Once they arrived in Chicago, they decided to try the new Cane’s location near their campus.
After dipping a chicken finger into the special Cane’s sauce and eating it, Strauhal was amazed.
“Wow. Oh, wow. … Amazing,” Strauhal said. “It’s really good sauce.”
The Cane’s menu features chicken finger combo boxes, a sandwich option and up to 100 finger “tailgates” along with fries, cole slaw, Texas toast, Coca-Cola products, and the signature Cane’s sauce.
Raising Cane’s offers online ordering, dine-in and takeout options, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
