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Raising Cane's, a popular fast food chain based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, will have its first Triangle location having bought the old Spanky's/Lulas and Starbucks building at the corner of Franklin and Columbia streets in downtown Chapel Hill. Raising Cane's, also known as just has more than 160 locations in 29 states including North Carolina, with operations in Greenville and Camp Lejeune.
Incidentally, the foodie website Thrillist in 2020 ranked Cane's as having the best chicken tenders and the third best dipping sauce among national fast food restaurants.
Seems like a really odd location for that kind of restaurant. The upfront cost must have been insanely high plus they can't have a drive thru and there's limited parking that's mostly pay. I guess they're going to rely mostly on students and games, but that seems destine to fail. My husband and I are already betting on when it'll go out of business. Franklin Street just keeps getting worse and worse.
Seems like a really odd location for that kind of restaurant. The upfront cost must have been insanely high plus they can't have a drive thru and there's limited parking that's mostly pay. I guess they're going to rely mostly on students and games, but that seems destine to fail. My husband and I are already betting on when it'll go out of business. Franklin Street just keeps getting worse and worse.
We'll see.
I've been saying for years that a walk-up Cookout on Franklin would make a killing.
I've never had Raising Cane's and honestly hadn't even heard of it until relatively recently but it seems to be cut from the same cloth/appeal to the same crowd as cookout, Bojangles, etc.
Franklin St gets a lot of flack for turnover and that being blamed on high rent but if the demand wasn't there; the prices wouldn't be there. I think it gets more attention from said turnover because of how "name brand" it is and how dense it is. There is quite a bit of turnover in most shopping centers throughout the Triangle because the reality is that food service is a business with RAZOR thin margins to begin with no matter the locale. Beaver Creek, Crossroads, Brier Creek, Renaissance Village/SP etc have all seen significant turnover in their storefronts over the years too.
No doubt the challenges of being a college town where the population fluctuates so dramatically throughout the year has an effect on the bottom line too; but I think the "Franklin St is a death-trap for restaurants" stigma is over-stated/exaggerated.
Last edited by TarHeelNick; 12-27-2021 at 08:54 AM..
I've been saying for years that a walk-up Cookout on Franklin would make a killing.
I've never had Raising Cane's and honestly hadn't even heard of it until relatively recently but it seems to be cut from the same cloth/appeal to the same crowd as cookout, Bojangles, etc.
Franklin St gets a lot of flack for turnover and that being blamed on high rent but if the demand wasn't there; the prices wouldn't be there. I think it gets more attention from said turnover because of how "name brand" it is and how dense it is. There is quite a bit of turnover in most shopping centers throughout the Triangle because the reality is that food service is a business with RAZOR thin margins to begin with no matter the locale. Beaver Creek, Crossroads, Brier Creek, Renaissance Village/SP etc have all seen significant turnover in their storefronts over the years too.
No doubt the challenges of being a college town where the population fluctuates so dramatically throughout the year has an effect on the bottom line too; but I think the "Franklin St is a death-trap for restaurants" stigma is over-states/exaggerated.
I don't think it's necessarily a death trap for restaurants. I just think this one is a bad fit and doesn't stand much of a chance especially if there's ever another location in the Triangle. It doesn't seem like something most people would bother going to that part of Franklin Street for, especially once the novelty wore off. Maybe I just don't know my chicken fingers though. Time will tell.
Not gonna lie, I'm happy for the news. I don't often eat fast food, and/or chicken tenders, but always enjoyed eating Raising Cane's when traveling and wanting to have something quick. I'm not sure what's unique about their breading, but it's always super crunchy and has just the right amount of seasoning to make me happy each time I've eaten there.
And now we can feed some energy into the great chicken tender debate between Zaxby's, PDQ, and now Raising Cane. It'll be like the newest version of the Great Pizza Debate that sweeps through this forum annually.
Not gonna lie, I'm happy for the news. I don't often eat fast food, and/or chicken tenders, but always enjoyed eating Raising Cane's when traveling and wanting to have something quick. I'm not sure what's unique about their breading, but it's always super crunchy and has just the right amount of seasoning to make me happy each time I've eaten there.
And now we can feed some energy into the great chicken tender debate between Zaxby's, PDQ, and now Raising Cane. It'll be like the newest version of the Great Pizza Debate that sweeps through this forum annually.
I’m with ITB_OG. Probably won’t last but I am glad to see something going in there again. And although I doubt I will ever eat there I hope it succeeds. Be happy when the seafood place is on the other corner too. Now we just have to get that third corner leased.
Doubt this lasts . Putting a good ol chicken place in snotty high priced chapel hill sounds like a bad business plan . Folks in chapel hill only eat sushi and foods you can’t pronounce ! I’ll try it though next time I’m in chapel hill and it’s open .
Doubt this lasts . Putting a good ol chicken place in snotty high priced chapel hill sounds like a bad business plan . Folks in chapel hill only eat sushi and foods you can’t pronounce ! I’ll try it though next time I’m in chapel hill and it’s open .
Sounds healthier
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