‘Spectacular’ fast food chain from the US is finally coming to the UK

It’s happening (Picture: Raising Cane’s)

Over the last few months, UK high streets have been taken over by fast food chains from the US – with Popeyes, Dave’s Hot Chicken and Chick-fil-A all setting up shop. 

And the American invasion isn’t stopping any time soon, as another top chain has just confirmed it’s also going to be heading across the pond. 

Yes folks, Raising Cane’s is finally going to be opening in the UK.

But there is a bit of a catch – you’ll have to wait until the end of 2026 to try it here. 

The chain is known for its chicken fingers and toast (Picture: Raising Cane’s)

Raising Cane’s has announced its UK flagship location will be opening late next year at 21-22 Coventry Street in London (between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square).

This opening will mark the beginning of a global expansion, with more restaurants planned for the capital and Europe in the months that follow. 

If you haven’t heard of the chain before, I’m sorry to tell you that you might have been living under a rock. 

It’s garnered a massive fanbase in the US, with five million followers on social media and customers queuing out of the door at restaurants – some willing to waiting up to an hour to get their hands on chicken fingers and slabs of Texas Toast.

Even celebs can’t get enough of the food with Cynthia Erivo, Post Malone, Halle Berry, Travis Kelce and Snoop Dogg all thought to be big fans of the chain. 

Famous fans include Travis Kelce and Snoop Dogg (Picture: Raising Cane’s)

What’s on the menu at Raising Cane’s?

The menu is pretty straightforward, with five core items to order. 

These include Crispy Chicken Fingers, Craveable Cane’s Sauce, Buttery Cane’s Toast, Crunchy Coleslaw and Crispy crinkle-cut fries. 

One of the things that has helped the chain go viral is the fact that you can get an entire cup of sauce, instead of just a small dipping pot. In the US, this costs around $7 and customers go wild for it. 

Cynthia is also a fan (Picture: Ric Tapia)

What do customers think of the food?

In posts on Reddit, the food at Raising Cane’s has received mixed reviews, with some hailing the food as ‘spectacular’ and ‘divine’ (with honourable mentions for the toast and sauce). 

Others praise the chicken fingers, which are ‘done right’ and ‘good quality’.

On TikTok, @matthewhaywoodx branded the food ‘unreal’ and said the meal ‘definitely didn’t disappoint’ and it was ‘the best chicken he’d ever had’.

Similarly @daisygoord gave it a 10/10 after trying it in New York, saying it was ‘so crispy and not greasy’.

However, as taste is subjective, there are also those who think the products are ‘mid’ and ‘bland’.

Guess we’ll have to wait and see closer to the time whether the chain lives up to the hype. 

Raising Cane’s has been serving up its core items since 1996, when owner and founder Todd Graves launched the business in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Todd set out to make a chicken finger-focused concept a reality and raised the money to make his dream a reality. 

He built the first restaurant by hand and opened the doors for the first time on August 28, 1996. 

There are now more than 950 Raising Cane’s restaurants across the US and Middle East and Todd is thrilled to be bringing the brand to the UK. 

He said: ‘When I started Raising Cane’s 29 years ago, I never imagined we’d grow to where we are today as we announce our expansion into the UK with the opening of our UK flagship in iconic Piccadilly Circus. The demand from our customers and fans in the UK has been incredible and I can’t wait to show London what we’re all about.’

Raising Cane’s co-CEO and COO AJ Kumaran added: ‘Bringing Raising Cane’s to the UK has been a dream of ours for many years and we’re excited to officially open the doors to our UK flagship late next year. 

‘We love the vibrant and eclectic atmosphere of Piccadilly Circus and are looking forward to marking this milestone with a flagship in the heart of London.

‘With more than 950 restaurants across the US and Middle East, Europe presents an excellent expansion opportunity as we embark on this next phase of growth, and we’re excited to begin that growth with the UK.’

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