SEATTLE — This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
A highly anticipated fast-food chicken restaurant is making its Seattle debut Tuesday.
Raising Cane’s is opening in the University District, at 345 University Way N.E., on Feb. 17, according to a news release from the company.
“We’re beyond excited to bring Raising Cane’s to Seattle for the very first time and become part of the U-District Community,” Restaurant Leader Brennie Avina stated via the release.
Potential to win free Cane’s for a year
The Seattle grand opening will be “an all-out celebration,” the release stated. Raising Cane’s will offer 20 lucky customers free Cane’s for a year, host community givebacks, and more.
The new restaurant will also engage with local schools, sports teams, and non-profits through fundraising and sponsorships, according to the company.
Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold picks up shift at Raising Cane’s
Fresh off Seattle’s Super Bowl win, Sam Darnold “clocked in” at Raising Cane’s in the University District ahead of its opening date.
The Seahawks star opened up about his love for Seattle, his favorite cheat meal, that viral bird app moment, and what life’s been like since the Super Bowl.
“These last couple of days have been really fun. Being able to go to Disneyland, I’ve always dreamt of doing that. Being able to come to Raising Cane’s with all the fans, it’s been great,” he said. “I think the best thing is being able to spend time with my teammates after that win, and just be able to talk about the memories we’ve all had this season, all the hard work that we’ve put in, and how it really came to fruition for us in the end.”
Darnold’s connection to Seattle goes beyond football, as the city’s hardworking spirit reminds him of home.
“I think Seattle is a very hardworking community; a hard-working city, very blue-collar, it seems like. That’s the way I was raised, my dad’s a plumber, my mom was a middle school P.E. teacher for a while, close to 30 years. That’s how I grew up, so I can really resonate with a lot of the hard work that people do in this city,” he said. “You can tell by the way they cheer for us. They care so much about our team and everything we stand for. We try to put our best foot forward, and we try to put the best product out there on the field for the fans, and I’m just glad we got to live up to it this year.”
That sense of community is part of what drew Darnold to Raising Cane’s.
“First of all, I love the food, I love Raising Cane’s. It is my cheat meal on the weekends,” he said. “It’s also just a great thing that they do for the community. I’m very well aware that everyone at Raising Cane’s does a great job in the community. That was just another reason why this opportunity just called my name. It’s such a great opportunity to be with this brand, and a great opportunity to spend some time with the fans.”
Raising Cane’s founded in 1996
Raising Cane’s was founded in the summer of 1996 by Todd Graves, but the journey wasn’t easy.
“Graves’ college business plan earned the lowest grade in class, and banks repeatedly turned him down,” the news release stated. “Determined, he worked 90-hour weeks as a boilermaker in California, then spent a season commercial fishing in Alaska to fund his vision.”
Graves originally planned to name the restaurant Sockeye’s, but instead named it after his beloved yellow lab, Raising Cane.
On opening night, he kept the doors open until 3:30 a.m. Now, nearly 30 years later, Raising Cane’s still serves the same menu that made it famous and has expanded to almost 1,000 restaurants across 40 states.
Contributing: Jason Sutich, MyNorthwest
Follow Julia Dallas on X. Read her stories here. Submit news tips here.