Raising Cane’s is opening seven new restaurants in August as the chicken-finger chain marks its 30th anniversary, entering two fresh markets while continuing its aggressive nationwide expansion.
The fast-casual brand will debut locations in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and Statesboro, Georgia—its first restaurants in both cities—alongside new openings in Novi, Michigan; Thousand Oaks, California; Fontana, California; Linden, New Jersey; and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, according to QSR Magazine. The company will also reopen four remodeled locations in College Station, Texas; Lexington, Kentucky; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Gahanna, Ohio.
“August is a meaningful month for Raising Cane’s as we celebrate our 30th birthday and reflect on how far we’ve come since opening our first Restaurant in 1996,” a company representative said in a statement. “This milestone gives us an opportunity to celebrate the incredible growth we’ve experienced over the past three decades while looking ahead to an even brighter future.”
The August expansion is part of Raising Cane’s broader 2026 growth strategy. The company reached its milestone 1,000th restaurant in March 2026 on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, near the TCL Chinese Theatre and Madame Tussauds wax museum. That flagship location featured two stories, massive LED screens, and a 7-foot golden statue of Cane III, the chain’s namesake dog, according to Restaurant Business Online.
Raising Cane’s is on track to open nearly 100 new locations throughout 2026, according to Fox Business. The chain’s expansion accelerates its march toward a goal of 1,600 units domestically. In fiscal 2024, Raising Cane’s ranked No. 18 on the Technomic Top 500 restaurant chains list with close to $5 billion in sales and 828 units, surpassing longtime rival KFC’s $4.9 billion in revenue, according to Restaurant Business Online.
The brand has leaned on flagship locations in high-profile markets to drive visibility. Beyond the Hollywood restaurant, Raising Cane’s opened an 8,000-square-foot location in New York’s Times Square in 2023 and a notable gold-themed restaurant in Boston to celebrate its 28th anniversary. In Los Angeles, nine more locations are scheduled to open this year, including sites near SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Westwood Village near UCLA, and Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade—all targeted to open before the 2026 World Cup begins.
Raising Cane’s is also pushing internationally. The company has announced plans to enter Mexico in the second half of 2026 after signing a development agreement with Alsea, S.A.B. de C.V., and is opening a location in London, according to Restaurant Business Online. The chain’s co-CEO Todd Graves has stated ambitions to make Raising Cane’s a Top 10 restaurant chain by the end of the decade.
Sources
- QSR Magazine — August expansion announcement with seven new restaurants, two new markets, remodeled locations, and 30th anniversary statement
- Restaurant Business Online — 1,000th location opening in Hollywood, flagship strategy, 2026 expansion plans, Top 500 ranking and sales figures, international expansion to Mexico and London
- Fox Business — 2026 expansion plan of nearly 100 new restaurants, growth strategy overview
