The Surprising Animal Raising Cane's Is Named After

Raising Cane's is one of the best fried chicken chains out there. Part of the reason for that is the focus of its menu, which according to Nation's Restaurant News, only features its signature protein, personalized dipping sauce, coleslaw, and toast. Raising Cane's has even declared chicken fingers its one true love, as it actively tries to avoid cluttering up its menu.

Surprisingly, this specialized approach has resulted in big business. As of 2021, Raising Cane's had over 500 locations spread across nearly 30 states plus some Middle Eastern countries. Just one year earlier, in 2020, Statista found Raising Cane's ranked second in the United States for quick service restaurant chain sales per unit, behind only Chick-fil-A (whose name also has a secret meaning). Indeed, it's a fairly well-known company, ranking 97th amongst dining brands, per YouGov. Many have heard of Cane's and even tried its chicken, yet not everyone is aware of the surprising animal the chain is named after.

Technically, the chain's full name is Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, but the "Chicken Fingers" part is self-explanatory. Who is this mysterious "Cane" figure, though? Well, it's not the founder. That would be Todd Graves, per USA Today. While attending Louisiana State University, Graves thought of the idea for a chicken finger restaurant as part of a college course, in which the concept received the worst grade in the class. Graves would not be dissuaded, however, and he worked as a salmon fisherman in Alaska to raise money for his idea. When he finally achieved this, Graves wanted to call it "Sockeye's Chicken Fingers," named after the sockeye salmon he caught. However, a friend instead persuaded him to name it in honor of Grave's Labrador Retriever, Cane, who was always present at the company's original location.

That's why every Raising Cane's features photos of Cane the yellow lab, who is not only its namesake but also its mascot. Cane I, a friendly dog who loved to wear Graves' sunglasses, lived from 1992-98. Then, in '99, Graves got a puppy, who was dubbed Cane II. She grew up to become a certified therapy dog with hospital shifts, and she was regularly found at the company's offices and community events. Sadly, she passed in 2016. Later, in 2017, Cane III was born, and she now visits locations to greet staff. That's right, Cane is no chicken, nor even just a single puppy; Cane is three dogs total!

Cane I and Cane II are gone yet not forgotten. Cane III carries on their legacy, but so does the Raising Cane's chain, in more ways than one. For example, per ABC 4, the company sells collectible plush puppies to commemorate milestones such as its 25th birthday while simultaneously benefiting charities. Those who bought the toy dog in its balloon-adorned shirt and party hat could rest assured that 100% of the proceeds went to a good cause. When purchased on-site, the money went to a local pet charity, and when purchased online, it went to the Birthday Party Project, which strives to provide birthday parties for kids experiencing homelessness. "Supporting our communities at the local level has been a commitment since the early days of Cane's," Graves explained. Indeed, this was no one-off event; the Plush Puppy program began in the early 2000s and continues into the 2020s.

Good dogs like Cane can also take pleasure in the fact that Raising Cane's is still a fun and friendly place to be. At a time when labor appears to be a hardship for many restaurant chains, Cane's is creating jobs, offering workers myriad benefits, and refusing to lay off staff during rough patches like the pandemic (via QSR Magazine). Its CEOs also took no salary and instead distributed $2 million in bonuses to their employees in 2020. It seems, when it comes to Raising Cane's, the fast food chicken industry doesn't need to be a dog-eat-dog world!