You might be surprised to learn that the idea behind the chicken finger-focused chain Raising Cane’s started as a college assignment, one which earned founder Todd Graves the lowest score in his class. Graves believed that a restaurant could operate with a limited menu and still see success, a notion that his professor at the time disagreed with. But the Louisiana-born entrepreneur didn’t let that get in his way.
Graves took on two jobs—one at an oil refinery and the other on an Alaskan fishing boat—to save money and invest in the business model. After nearly a decade, Graves opened the first Raising Cane’s location near Louisiana State University, right in his hometown of Baton Rouge.
29 years later, the fast food chain is booming and shows no signs of slowing down. Its menu remains chicken-centric with a few simple additions, including Texas toast, crinkle cut fries, coleslaw, and its famous sauce (along with the occasional batch of holiday merch). As of 2025, Raising Cane’s has expanded to hundreds of locations and expects to open many more, including one unique locale where we’ve never seen the chain before.
Raising Cane’s Opens New Universal CityWalk Location
Raising Cane’s is finishing 2025 strong. The chain is opening its first-ever location in Sioux City, Iowa, on Dec. 4 with 13 more stores opening in 11 other U.S. states throughout the next month. One of the most notable additions to the list is a popular tourist destination in California: Universal CityWalk Hollywood.
Allrecipes/Karen Hibbard
For those unfamiliar, Universal CityWalk Hollywood is an entertainment district that houses numerous shops and restaurants guests can visit before entering the Universal Studios theme park. It has many full-service eateries such as Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and Buca Di Beppo, along with several fast food favorites, including Taco Bell, Burger King, and Pizza Hut.
Now, those who wish to power up with crispy chicken tenders and fries before hitting the park—or after a long day of fun—can stop into Raising Cane’s to get their fill.
Here’s the full list of the upcoming Raising Cane’s locations and their expected opening dates:
- Redding, California: 1470 Friendly Rd. (Dec. 4)
- Canoga Park, California: 7011 Topanga Canyon Blvd. (Dec. 9)
- Universal City, California: 1000 Universal City Plaza, Bldg. 5535 V103 (Dec. 11)
- Orlando, Florida: 8718 International Dr. (Dec. 2)
- Orlando, Florida: 12025 Collegiate Wy. (Dec. 9)
- Cumming, Georgia: 920 Buford Rd. (Dec. 16)
- Peoria, Illinois: 4200 Sterling Ave. (Dec. 9)
- Indianapolis, Indiana: 8733 U.S. 31 S. (Dec. 11)
- Sioux City, Iowa: 5800 Sunnybrook Dr. (Dec. 4)
- College Park, Maryland: 7400 Baltimore Ave. (Dec. 9)
- Worcester, Massachusetts: 494 Lincoln St. (Dec. 16)
- Las Vegas, Nevada: 2231 E. Fremont St. (Dec. 9)
- Edison, New Jersey: 1031 U.S. 1 (Dec. 9)
- Memphis, Tennessee: 2826 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Dec. 4)
