The first Raising Cane’s chicken restaurant in Centre County is open. Here are the details
The debut of State College’s first Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers — and only the second in Pennsylvania — has arrived.
About two dozen workers trained Monday, offering up the fast-food chain’s popular meals to some of the 500 guests that were invited to help work out the kinks. Others pulled out their cellphones to record themselves taking their first bite, while some opted for selfies.
The restaurant, 228 E. College Ave., is decorated with hallmarks of each Cane’s location. That included two disco balls hanging from the ceiling, a painting of Elvis Presley, exposed speakers and a Raising Cane’s mural.
But the downtown State College eatery also panders to those who have graduated from Penn State or been longtime residents of Happy Valley. Among the Penn State alumni who earned a spot on the restaurant’s walls:
- Former Penn State professor and longtime State College resident Amos Neyhart, an expert on automobile safety who served on national traffic safety committees under three presidents and was credited with being the first in the country to organize a high school driver’s education course
- Photographer Steve McCurry, whose famed green-eyed “Afghan Girl” photo graced the cover of National Geographic several times
- Retired astronaut Guion Stewart Bluford Jr., the first Black man to go to space
- Actor Ty Burrell, best known for his role in “Modern Family”
- “Good Morning America” host Lara Spencer
Emmy-award winning actor, writer and producer Keegan-Michael Key
Actor Jonathan Frakes, best known for his portrayal of Cmdr. William Riker in the TV series “Star Trek: The Next Generation”
State College Area High School alumnus Herman Fisher, the co-founder of famous toy brand Fisher-Price
World Cup champion Ali Krieger
The restaurant — which was expected to undergo $1.6 million in renovations — also features memorabilia from State High, as well as patches from State College police and the Alpha Fire Company.
The nearly 4,000-square-foot restaurant has seating — booths and chairs — for about 110 people.
The business has hired nearly as many people, area restaurant leader and Penn State alumnus Jim Carty said, though that number could increase to nearly 130 when students return.
“This Community is so passionate and rallies together in philanthropy and support, which brings about such a sense of belonging,” restaurant leader Ryan Myers said in a statement. “We’ve seen that through the Penn State students and faculty, and locals and visitors that frequent our area, and we look forward to Raising Cane’s contributing to the high-energy of Happy Valley.”
What are their hours?
Pretty much whenever, minus breakfast — and even then you could make an argument they’re open for brunch.
The restaurant is scheduled to be open 10 a.m. to midnight daily until Aug. 17, five days before tens of thousands of Penn State students return to the university’s flagship campus for the fall semester.
The eatery is then scheduled to be open 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday, as well as 10 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.
What can you order?
The hallmark for Raising Cane’s is a limited menu.
It includes never-frozen, made-to-order chicken fingers (you can make it a sandwich with a sesame seed bun), crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, coleslaw, Cane’s sauce, fountain drinks, lemonade and sweet tea.
You’ll have to go elsewhere if you’re looking for something else.
How did Raising Cane’s start?
In his senior year at LSU, Todd Graves and a classmate sketched out a plan to open a restaurant that would serve only chicken finger meals. They created a business plan and presented it to their business professor, who handed them the lowest grade in the class. Banks rejected their plan, too.
Graves worked as a boilermaker at in a Los Angeles-area oil refinery and on commercial sockeye salmon fishing boats in Alaska to raise some of the money himself.
He returned to Louisiana, found a location, raised the rest of the money they needed for renovations and opened the first restaurant in 1996. Most locations are company-owned.
What’s behind the name?
Graves initially planned to call the restaurant Sockeye’s to pay tribute to his time as a fisherman. A friend suggested Graves change course and he settled on Raising Cane, named after his yellow Labrador retriever.
The original Cane became the company mascot, and two others — Raising Cane II and Raising Cane III — have followed.
What is Cane’s Sauce?
The ingredients of the tangy sauce remain a mystery except to all but a handful of people. The business’ general managers make a new batch daily on the premises.
Would-be copycats have theorized it’s a combination of mayonnaise, ketchup, salt, ground pepper, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce.
How to get free food for a year
Twenty customers who are 13 and older and visit between 8-9 a.m. Tuesday will have a chance to win free Raising Cane’s food for a year. Winners must be present when winners are announced between 9-10 a.m.
The first 100 dine-in customers to purchase a combo are set to receive a commemorative T-shirt and gift card.
