Viewers are divided after watching a viral TikTok video casting doubts about the hype surrounding Raising Cane’s.
Food vlogger Gourmandgarb (@gourmandgarb) recently filmed herself in the Raising Cane’s drive-thru, staring dubiously at the menu, which displays five different combo options. Four of them feature chicken tenders, and one is a a chicken sandwich built with chicken tenders.
“I JUST KNOW YALL LYING,” read the video’s caption. “Chicken Tenders or a Sandwich?! Thats it?!? I already know im not coming back.”
The pinned TikTok amassed 2.2 million views since it was first posted on March 17. Many loyal Raising Cane’s patrons argued that it was “the best chicken tender spot in all America.”
“I love Canes. But i also prefer tiny menus because i am very indecisive,” one customer reflected.
“You’ll be back!” another promised. “I said the same thing the first time but I eat Canes once or twice a week.”
A 2022 Business Insider review of the restaurant yielded a positive opinion. Food and lifestyle writer Erin McDowell, eating at a Raising Cane’s for the first time in Austin, Texas, described the atmosphere as having a “cozy, Americana feel.” For her, the Cane’s sauce was the highlight of the meal, pairing deliciously with both the chicken tenders and the fries. That sentiment that the Cane’s sauce is the star of the show is shared by many.
“I would even go as far as to say that Raising Cane’s has my favorite fast-food chicken tenders. They really were perfect, if that’s possible,” McDowell wrote, adding her wish that a location would open in New York so that she wouldn’t have to simply dream of eating Cane’s sauce again.
But some viewers of Gourmandgarb’s TikTok echoed her sentiment, claiming that Zaxby’s was the superior fast-food chicken restaurant for having more seasoned food and a larger menu, including more sauce choices.
“I had [Cane’s] ONE time and never wanted it again. Why is the toast better than the food???” one user asked.
“‘ITS THE SAUCE’ Yea I can mix Mayo and ketchup at home too,” @fatsandals89 joked.
Born from a business planning assignment in college, Raising Cane’s has been around since 1996. The chain is named after Raising Cane, a yellow Labrador Retriever belonging to Todd Graves, one of the original founders.
@gourmandgarb I JUST KNOW YALL LYING 😞. Chicken Tenders or a Sandwich?! Thats it?!? I already know im not coming back 😂 #ikyfl #raisingcanes #canes #fastfood #njfoodie #chickentenders ♬ original sound – Gourmandgarb
Why does Raising Cane’s have such a simple menu?
Graves spoke with Mashed for an exclusive interview about its limited menu offerings. While his professor warned him about such a limited menu, expressing concern it would hurt his business, Graves said he thinks it’s the reason for his success.
Graves, like many customers, lauded the sauce as the reason customers keep coming back for more.
“So the chicken fingers and sauce, that’s the epicenter … it’s the highest quality chicken, but the chicken with the sauce, that’s the hook, right? The chicken by itself is really good, but with the sauce, that’s the craveable part,” Graves told Mashed.
The Daily Dot reached out to Gourmandgarb and Raising Cane’s via email.
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