Wichita Raising Cane’s will open near a popular Chick-fil-A. How do the chains compare?

Denise Neil
·4 min read

The rumors are true: Popular fast-food chain Raising Cane’s is coming to Wichita sometime in 2025. The company’s public relations team confirmed last week that the restaurant, known for its chicken fingers and dipping sauces, would open at the corner of Ridge Road and West University Street and that construction will begin sometime in the first quarter of next year.

Though the company wouldn’t confirm an exact address for the restaurant, it’s most likely taking over the old Pizza Hut Italian Bistro restaurant at 350 S. Ridge Road, which appears to have closed about a year ago. It’s owned by Larry Fugate, whose Fugate Enterprises is a big Pizza Hut franchisee. Last week, the company’s director of development also wouldn’t confirm that the restaurant was taking over the old Pizza Hut.

Though neither the building owner nor Raising Cane’s public relations department will confirm, the old Pizza Hut Italian Bistro space at 350 S. Ridge Road seems like the most likely future home of Wichita’s first Raising Cane’s.
Though neither the building owner nor Raising Cane’s public relations department will confirm, the old Pizza Hut Italian Bistro space at 350 S. Ridge Road seems like the most likely future home of Wichita’s first Raising Cane’s.

“We have had a lot of interest in the building but no deals in place as of today,” Ryan Wasinger said in an email. “We are still working on figuring out the best use for the building.”

There’s also a vacant former AT&T store at the corner of Ridge and University, but it seems less suited than the Pizza Hut building, which already has a drive-through window and a kitchen.

Either way, Ridge and University is across the street from Ridge and Taft, which is where Chick-fil-A set up shop in 2018.

The view of Chick-fil-A from the corner of Ridge and University, where Wichita’s first Raising Cane’s restaurant will open
The view of Chick-fil-A from the corner of Ridge and University, where Wichita’s first Raising Cane’s restaurant will open

Will the two restaurants be direct competitors at Ridge and Kellogg?

Though their approaches are different, many people consider the two popular restaurants to be rivals in the fast-food chicken race. Both are known for their efficient drive-throughs that emphasize friendly customer service.

But while Chick-fil-A’s focus is the chicken sandwich, Raising Cane’s, which was founded in 1996 in Louisiana, is known more for what it calls its “craveable chicken fingers.” Its most popular meal is “The Box Combo” which comes with four chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, Cane’s sauce, Texas Toast, coleslaw and a 22 oz. soft drink.

Raising Cane’s is known for its “One Love,” which is chicken fingers.
Raising Cane’s is known for its “One Love,” which is chicken fingers.

Chick-fil-A does have chicken fingers, but they’re not nearly as popular as the sandwiches. Raising Cane’s has a chicken sandwich, but it’s made with three chicken fingers on a bun.

Raising Cane’s is a much newer chain than Chick-fil-A, whose roots go back to 1946. The first Raising Cane’s didn’t open until 1996. According to QSR magazine’s annual “The QSR 50” list, which ranks quick-service restaurants in the United States by system-wide sales, Chick-fil-A was the most popular fast-food chicken restaurant in the country in 2022, and Raising Cane’s was the fourth — ranking behind both KFC (No. 2) and Popeyes (No. 3.) When all fast-food restaurants were combined, Chick-fil-A came in at No. 3 with $18.8 billion in estimated U.S. sales, and Raising Cane’s was at No. 23 with $3.11 billion

Raising Cane’s, which added 246 restaurants from 2019 to 2022, has about 750 restaurants nationwide. Chick-fil-A has more than 3,000.

Also, Raising Cane’s is a favorite of millennials and members of Gen Z, and if you have a kid in college at the University of Kansas or at Kansas State University, they’re likely patronizing the restaurants in Lawrence and in Manhattan. Other Kansas Raising Cane’s restaurants are in Shawnee, Overland Park and Lenexa.

Raising Cane’s is known for getting athletes (and their relatives) to serve food on special occasions. This photo of Donna Kelce, the mother of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and former Eagles center Jason Kelce, was taken in November 2023 at the Overland Park restaurant.
Raising Cane’s is known for getting athletes (and their relatives) to serve food on special occasions. This photo of Donna Kelce, the mother of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and former Eagles center Jason Kelce, was taken in November 2023 at the Overland Park restaurant.

In terms of prices, the two are pretty similar. The three chicken finger combo meal at the Lawrence Raising Cane’s costs $8.79, which is the exact cost of a sandwich meal at the Ridge Road Chick-fil-A. Meanwhile, a three-count chicken strip meal at Chick-fil-A is $9.19 but comes with just one side and a drink.

Kids meals at Raising Cane’s are $6.29 and come with two chicken fingers, fries, sauce and a kid’s drink. At Chick-fil-A, kids meals come with either five nuggets, two strips or five grilled nuggets and range from $5.99 to $6.59.

Chick-fil-A’s menu is much more expansive and also includes grilled chicken items, wraps, salads, milkshakes and breakfast. Raising Cane’s, on the other hand, sticks mainly to chicken fingers, crinkle cut fries, Texas toast and coleslaw.

Finally, if you’re a slogan person, both restaurants have one. Chick-fil-A’s is “Eat Mor Chickin,” a phrase that cows who have more of a will to live than to spell correctly write on the chain’s billboards. Raising Cane’s slogan is “One Love,” which refers to its focus on serving fresh, high-quality chicken fingers.

While you wait to compare the two for yourself, you can peruse the Raising Cane’s menu:

Raising Cane’s menu