Popular national chicken chain exploring first Jacksonville site. Here's what we know.

Gary T. Mills, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
Updated ·1 min read

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Jacksonville may have lost its Bojangles restaurants this year, but it could gain a rising star in the fast-food chicken business.

According to a service availability request filed with JEA last week, Raising Cane’s is proposing its first Northeast Florida restaurant in Southwest Jacksonville.

Plans show a potential Raising Cane’s restaurant at Sleiman-owned, Epic Theatres-anchored Oakleaf Station at an undeveloped 1-acre outparcel located between Bank of America and Gator’s Dockside. The 2,691-square-foot, 50-seat restaurant would have a drive-thru with two ordering kiosks as well as patio dining.

Founded in 1996 and based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Raising Cane’s is known for its limited menu of fried chicken fingers and signature Cane’s sauce — a secret recipe known only to its managers. Its combo meals — available with two, three, four or six chicken fingers — come with crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast and coleslaw. A chicken sandwich made with three chicken fingers is also available.

Raising Cane's is known for its limited menu of fried chicken fingers.
Raising Cane's is known for its limited menu of fried chicken fingers.

The proposed restaurant is planned for the site that Salt Lake City-based Black Rifle Company was exploring for its first Northeast Florida shop just over a year ago.

Raising Cane’s — which made its Florida debut in Miami’s South Beach area in early 2022 — has 14 locations in the Sunshine State, including Gainesville, the closest restaurant to Jacksonville. Other Raising Cane’s can be found in the Tallahassee, Tampa, Orlando and South Florida areas.

What does Raising Cane's stand for?

The company takes its name from the yellow Labrador of co-founder Todd Graves.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Is Raising Cane's chicken restaurant coming to Jacksonville?