Raising Cane's Opens First Seattle Location in University District

- The business was founded in 1996 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by Todd Graves, who was only 24 at the time. The initial business plan for a chicken-finger-only restaurant famously received a B-minus grade in a college course. - Graves, along with co-founder Craig Silvey, worked as a boilermaker and in commercial fishing in Alaska to raise the initial capital after being rejected by investors. The chain is named after Graves' yellow Labrador retriever, "Raising Cane." - The company's menu is intentionally simple, focusing on chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, and a signature Cane's Sauce under the slogan "ONE LOVE®". - As of 2025, Raising Cane's is the third-largest fast-food chicken chain in the U.S. by annual sales, trailing only Chick-fil-A and Popeyes. The company is privately held and founder-led, with Todd Graves and AJ Kumaran serving as co-CEOs. - The Seattle restaurant, located in a 5,932-square-foot space formerly occupied by American Apparel, is the third in Washington state, following openings in Vancouver and Spokane. - The company has announced plans for further expansion in the Pacific Northwest, with additional locations planned for Lynnwood, Covington, and Silverdale as part of a goal to open nearly 100 new restaurants nationwide in 2026. - The Seattle location was expected to hire more than 100 employees, and its opening is seen as a sign of revitalization in the University District, which saw a 17% increase in visitors last year compared to pre-pandemic levels. - While founded in Baton Rouge, the company also operates a major restaurant support office in Plano, Texas, that first opened in 2012.