Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers opens in DeKalb

DeKALB – Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is set to open Tuesday.

The new restaurant, located at 2411 Sycamore Road in DeKalb, will be the 12th Raising Cane’s in Illinois and among more than 525 worldwide.

Although the restaurant will not be open for sit-in dining because of COVID-19 mitigations mandated by Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health, customers can view the inside of the restaurant by ordering carryout. The restaurant’s drive-thru also will be open.

The restaurant will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to midnight. All Raising Cane locations are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Labor Day. The restaurants also close 30 minutes after kickoff on Super Bowl Sunday to allow employees to enjoy the game with family and friends.

“We’re super excited to come to DeKalb because our chicken fingers are extremely popular with school and college students,” said David Grandell, Raising Cane’s area leader of marketing, fry cook and cashier. “Parents often never hear about our restaurant until their kids tell them about it. They’ve never had it before, ask ‘What is it?’ and once they’ve stopped by, they love it, too.”

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers was founded by Todd Graves in 1996 and named for his yellow Labrador, Raising Cane.

Grandell said the restaurant’s slogan, “One Love,” refers to their “high-quality chicken finger meals.”

The restaurant offers four combo meals, each served with coleslaw, crinkle-cut french fries, a slice of Texas toast, a drink and the restaurant’s famous Cane’s sauce for dipping.

Raising Cane’s also offers a kid’s combo that comes with a toy and large party pans called Tailgates, which come in options of 25, 50, 75 or 100 chicken fingers.

“It’s probably the best chicken you’ll ever have in your life, and we’re also known for our fresh-squeezed lemonade and sweet and iced teas,” Grandell said.

Grandell said the restaurant chain is dedicated to helping the community.

“What makes Raising Cane’s unique is that we truly embed ourselves in the communities in which we serve,” Grandell said. “We support and sponsor youth sports teams, education and pet welfare. We are truly a restaurant that gets involved with the community.”

For more information about Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, or about hosting a future fundraiser with the restaurant, visit www.raisingcanes.com.