Raising Cane’s celebrated its 28th birthday in a big way with the grand opening of a new, dazzling, all-gold restaurant in Boston, located at 101 Arch Street. The golden-themed location marks Raising Cane’s 828th restaurant and is a fitting tribute to their “golden birthday,” which according to a press release is “a momentous occasion when someone’s date of birth aligns with the age they’re turning.”
All-Gold Raising Cane’s Opens In Boston To Honor 28th Birthday
“I wanted to do something special for Boston and for tourists that come to your great city,” Raising Cane’s founder and owner, Todd Graves, said. “So we did the golden restaurant, which is very appropriate.”
Graves enlisted local legends David “Big Papi” Ortiz and Jrue Holiday, as well as JVKE to help commemorate the milestone occasion and true celebration of 28 saucy years. From MLB and NBA Championship trophies to Olympic medals and the hit single “Golden Hour,” all of whom have something “gold” in common.
“28 years ago, I had a dream to open one Restaurant in my hometown of Baton Rouge and I never could have envisioned us being here today on 8/28 opening our 828th Restaurant, which is a serendipitous occasion in and of itself. I walked into this golden Restaurant and got choked up seeing our Crew because it’s the same great people who work here today that worked here 28 years ago and our values haven’t changed,” Graves shared during the event. “Boston is very special to me, and we wanted to do something fun to celebrate not only our golden birthday, but the people who make this city so great, and who better to help open the doors than Boston legends ‘Big Papi’ David Ortiz and Jrue Holiday, and JVKE, whose song ‘Golden Hour’ is perfect for today.”
Hundreds of eager fans lined up early for the grand opening of the new Boston-based Raising Cane’s, hoping to be one of the first customers to step inside the one-of-a-kind, gold-dripping eatery. Their loyalty to the chicken tender chain didn’t go unnoticed either, in fact, Raising Cane’s awarded 28 lucky winners with Free Cane’s for a Year and were later welcomed into the restaurant by a cheering staff lined up with golden pompoms in hand as they made their way to the cash registers to make their first order.
10,000 Square Feet Of Gold
Raising Cane’s boasts of over 10,000 square feet of gold chrome automotive vinyl to bring its golden vision to life, and not a single detail was missed (Even the sprinkler system and bathrooms were clad in gold). Featuring a completely gold exterior and interior—including golden walls, disco balls, seating, counters, floors, and a gold cabinet housing exclusive merch—this eye-catching new eatery proves that all that glitters really is gold. To achieve a consistent golden hue throughout, Todd Graves enlisted multiple color consultants to match the various materials used, such as automotive vinyl wrap, imitation gold leaf, powder coating, and paint. The golden glow is a signature of Raising Cane’s and a nod to the city of Boston, which is no stranger to gold hardware, from Olympians to national championship titles.
“Gold is what we do here in Boston, and we’re so appreciative that Todd chose Boston to open this new location. Boston is a great city and our fans are the best of the best,” three-time World Series Champion and Red Sox Hall of Famer Ortiz said. “Raising Cane’s has been getting it done for 28 years, and Todd has created a dynasty with this brand. The reason why people keep coming back to Cane’s is because of tradition – they keep getting it done and opening more and more Restaurants to continue serving the best chicken I’ve ever had.”
“It’s insane to be here today because the last year has felt like such a whirlwind. I was so honored to play for Team USA in Paris and proud that we brought home the gold,” Holiday, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time NBA champion, added. “So, Todd bringing more gold to this city is the perfect fit – go Celtics!”
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
After an exclusive tour of the inside of the restaurant, Graves, Holiday and Ortiz (and Graves’ pup, Cane The 3rd) made their way outside to cut the ribbon and welcome fans to the new eatery. Following several heartfelt speeches and a thunderous countdown from the hundreds of fans in attendance, the trio cut the ribbon as golden confetti showered the crowd and all of Arch street.
JVKE Performed “Golden Hour”
Award-winning singer/songwriter JVKE then got the party started before fans entered the new Raising Cane’s location with a performance of his viral anthem, “Golden Hour,” as well as “her,” a new song arriving on Friday, August 30.
“This is truly a full circle moment for me. My biggest song is called ‘golden hour’ and it’s surreal being here today to perform it at this golden Restaurant,” said JVKE. “I feel like I’ve really hit my stride with my music… and I’m just honored to be here today.” JVKE, who is a big fan of the iconic Cane’s sauce, also added that a “huge part” of he and his brother’s “recording ritual” is to goto Raising Cane’s in Rhode Island when they feel “tapped out” in the studio.
“I’ll create for a while, then when I know I’m tapped out we’ll drive over to Cane’s, talk about the song and then go right back to the studio and get to work,” JVKE revealed to reporters.
After JVKE’s performance, Boston resident Kevin Hernandez, who had been waiting in line since 2 A.M., was the first customer to enter the golden restaurant at 11 A.M. He was warmly welcomed by cheering staff and received a gift basket as he placed the first order inside. Fans were able to check out an epic Raising Cane’s 28th birthday cake, created by “The Cake Boss” himself, Buddy Valastro. The cake was a replica of Raising Cane’s official mascot, Raising Cane III.
This isn’t the first or last Raising Cane’s to open in Boston. At the event, Todd Graves announced plans to open four more locations in the Boston area in the next six months, adding to the five already operating in the area. “We’re going to continue to keep growing and supporting Boston,” Graves added. Additionally, Raising Cane’s, one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands globally, aims to open 100 new locations in various new markets this year.
The golden Raising Cane’s location can be found at 101 Arch Street in Boston, near the Downtown Crossing MBTA station in the financial district.
Marking Its 28th Birthday With 828 Golden Prizes For Customers
Alongside the exciting grand opening festivities, Raising Cane’s is marking its 28th birthday with 828 golden prizes valued at over $100k. These prizes include a golden ticket to Baton Rouge to meet Todd Graves and tour Raising Cane’s first restaurant, “The Mothership,” as well as gold bars, coins, and nuggets ranging from one to 10 ounces of real gold, golden necklaces, golden Vans shoes, and more. To enter to win these prizes, visit RaisingCanesBirthday.com.
Continuing the celebration of turning 28 years old, Raising Cane’s is entering its “golden era” with a year full of surprises, prizes and a commitment to giving back $28 million to local communities, adding to the nearly $140 million donated over the past nearly three decades.
“The real American dream is doing good things for people – it’s not about what you make, it’s about what you give back. I’ve been so blessed to do that over the past 28 years as we’ve given back more than $140M to local communities and plan to give back another $28M this year alone,” Graves stated during the event. “I believe I was put on this earth to make Chicken Fingers and help people by instilling values in them that follow them long after their time at Cane’s, and we’ve done that with more than one million people over the last 28 years. They carry those values with them throughout their lives, and it all started here at Cane’s.”
The “golden year” celebrations will continue to take place across the country at different Raising Cane’s locations and will feature celebrity appearances, limited edition golden Cane plush puppies, giveaways, surprise performances, and so much more.
For more information on Raising Cane’s and their 28th birthday festivities, visit RaisingCanes.com
