CHUBBUCK — East Idaho’s wait is almost over.
Raising Cane’s, the beloved chicken finger chain with a huge following across the country, opens its doors Tuesday at 4310 Yellowstone Ave. in Chubbuck — and the grand opening promises to be anything but quiet.
A DJ, a coffee cart and ISU’s cheer team will be on hand for the celebration. The first 100 customers through the door will receive a free hat, and 20 of those will have a chance to win free Raising Cane’s for a year. Fans can also pick up merchandise and memorabilia, including the chain’s popular plush puppies.
The Chubbuck location will be the first Raising Cane’s in East Idaho, joining nearly 1,000 locations across the country.
“Cane’s is like no other,” said Jose Figueroa, area restaurant leader for Raising Cane’s. “Every single detail inside the restaurant is tied to the community. You’ll come in and you’ll see a lot of the artwork and pictures and memorabilia on the walls dedicated to the community of Pocatello and Chubbuck.”
The menu is simple and unapologetic — hand-battered chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, buttery toast, house-made coleslaw and the chain’s legendary Cane’s Sauce, named the No. 1 most craveable sauce in the restaurant industry by food research firm Technomic. The sauce blends mayonnaise, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce into something savory, creamy and tangy, with notes of garlic and a subtle kick.
“Our ‘One Love’ is our chicken fingers,” Figueroa said. “It’s the one thing we do better than everybody else, and we always will continue to do it better than everyone else.”
Raising Cane’s was founded in 1996 by Todd Graves, who named the restaurant after his yellow Labrador. Graves pursued the concept after a college professor dismissed his business plan and banks repeatedly rejected his loan applications. He worked 90-hour weeks and spent a season commercial fishing in Alaska to fund his first restaurant. The rest, as they say, is history.
The Chubbuck location has pledged to partner with local schools, sports teams and nonprofit organizations through fundraising and sponsorships. Organizations can request assistance at canesandcommunity.com.
Raising Cane’s is open daily. For more information, visit raisingcanes.com.