Who Says Chickens Can’t Fly? Raising Cane’s is Soaring (BOOM)
Why did the chicken cross the road to Cancun? To meet with Raising Cane’s 3,000 team members to present the plan for the future!
Raising Cane’s is a multi-billion-dollar brand with over 800 locations. Founded in 1996, the company’s sales have been on the upswing. The brand gathered its team in Mexico to present its future plans and celebrate with the people who contributed to its success.
According to National Restaurant News, the extravaganza included a performance by Snoop Dogg, fireworks, spa, pool, and activity time, and an open bar. Founder/owner Todd Graves laid out his vision to achieve $10 billion in sales.
NRN reports on the company’s trajectory to date. “Raising Canes ended 2019 with $1.46 billion in sales and 457 locations, according to Technomic. The company finished 2023 with $3.76 billion in sales and 727 locations. In 2024, the company turned in its first $1 billion quarter.”
As we’ve seen with other MULO (multi-location) brands, treating field workers as valued employees is a critical part of restaurant and retail success these days. In a tough labor market, valuing and rewarding the people closest to the customer is essential to hiring and retention. (We reported earlier this year on the Fat Brands company gathering in Las Vegas.)
But what else is Raising Cane’s doing to ensure success once suitcases are unpacked and sunburns fade?
- Most of its locations (90 percent) are company-owned, ensuring brand consistency
- Focusing on a single product category (chicken) seems to be working
- Although the company needed to boost prices to cover rising labor costs, its loyal customers seemed to be willing to pay a bit more for quality
- The brand expanded into a new market with a custom-designed and interactive footprint, regionalized for that market. What better way to draw attention to a brand than a location in Times Square?
- Raising Cane’s marketing effort is explicitly focused on college students. Utilizing UGC (user-generated content), multiple social media channels, and OOH marketing on campuses, the brand is building recognition and loyalty among this younger base, which has the potential to grow into lifelong fans. (According to this case study, Families are another key market.)
- The company has steadily invested in technology and is among the MULO food brands piloting drone delivery
- Selling brand merch on its website to loyal fans and gift-givers builds awareness as well as an alternative revenue stream
- On the human side, the company is involved in philanthropy and community involvement for more than 30K organizations
One can’t help but note that management consistency may also be a key to Raising Cane’s success. Graves initially presented the idea of a chicken finger brand as a school project, and it bombed. Still, his persistence and ongoing involvement in the business have likely been a factor—especially in a world where MULO companies change management as quickly as they fulfill drive-thru orders!
We are confident that a trip to Cancun created memories and motivation for the people who have their fingers on the day-to-day of the chicken fingers business!
Although it won’t be quite as sunny and warm, Chicago will be a great place to learn and get inspired while meeting the leaders of the MULO ecosystem. Please join us at Street Fight LIVE 2024 on November 7th!
