I’m about to act a fool, because it looks like Raising Cane’s is finally on its way to Starkville.
The, in my opinion, premier chicken joint is officially scouting out a Starkville location. According to City Planner Daniel Havelin, Raising Cane’s is looking at the northwest corner of Highway 12 and Vine Street, right near Sonic. The city recently completed a preliminary site plan review, meaning it’s not a done deal yet, but the likelihood of Raising Cane’s coming to town is moving in the right direction.
I’m stoked. I couldn’t wait for Starkville readers to see. Raising Cane’s started in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Founder Todd Graves pitched the idea in a college business course, where it famously received the lowest grade in the class. The professor told them a business that sold only chicken fingers wasn’t a great business model. Wrong.
I’ve been an avid fan ever since I frequented the Slidell, Louisiana, location decades ago. In fact, I’m so obsessed with Cane’s that when I visited New York City for the first time this past year, I walked all the way to the Times Square location just to see the giant yellow labrador mascot dressed up as Lady Liberty.
That yellow lab, by the way, is central to the whole brand. Graves named the restaurant after his own dog, Cane the First, who used to hang out at the original construction site. Today, you can spot a graphic of the beloved pup outside almost every franchise.
With more than 900 locations now smattered across the U.S., it’s honestly a shame it’s taken this long for me to live near one as an adult. It’s a constant conversation I have with folks around here, and I’m crossing my fingers that plans continue smoothly so I can get that box combo right here in Starkville.
I reached out to Raising Cane’s but haven’t heard back from them yet. After all, it is Saturday. Now I’ve heard rumors of Cane’s coming to town before, but none of them have ever had any traction. But every time someone has, I’ve done due diligence. This time I got a text message and it looks like it’s not just a rumor. Once I got the scoop, I had to get it out there.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
