While reminiscing on the aromas of crisp french fries and sweet juicy burgers, you may find yourself in a state of nostalgia. You may remember the day  Burger King waved its final goodbye and officially closed their Mililani Town Center location. The tattered remnants of the restaurant remained completely barren for nearly two years — a distant memory of an old era. This was so until a few months ago, when excavators appeared, construction workers rushed about, and the blacked out fences were adorned by a “Raising Cane’s Coming Soon” sign, a savior to this fast food tragedy. 

     Raising Cane’s, a restaurant chain founded in Louisiana, has now taken their journey local with the anticipated opening of their second Hawai‘i location in Mililani. With over 450 domestic restaurants in 28 states, the restaurant continues to thrive by satisfying all chicken tender needs. The menu is based around a simple yet effective background; every meal stems from the use of chicken tenders. Their golden breaded chicken, honey toasted bread, and crinkle-cut fries all contribute to the restaurants five different menu options, which include chicken tender meals that differentiate by proportion and a chicken sandwich option. 

     The first Raising Cane’s to have settled itself on Oahu opened its doors on Dec. 11, 2018. Their location opened on University Ave. right across from the UH Manoa campus and immediately received attention. At the center of a melting pot full of college students searching for affordable meals, the restaurant had found its demographic. Much of the restaurant’s decor had pulled inspiration from the UH campus, its walls embellished with the Rainbow Warriors logo and various UH sports awards. With so much influence from the university, it is likely that their new Mililani location will gain their own personalized aesthetic from the high school, since the restaurant will reside so close to the campus. 

     High schoolers have commonly used the Mililani Town Center as a beacon for after-school hangouts, study sessions and consistent fast food binges. Despite the various restaurants that are already offered, with this new and exciting option soon to be available, it is obvious that the opening of the restaurant will draw in crowds. With their new location being so close to the high school, a similar demographic to their town location will be built and cause just as much attraction. 

     The fast-food chain was founded through humble beginnings. The owner Todd Graves constructed the first location with his own bare hands, and named  the restaurant after his dog, Raising Cane. At the time, neither Graves’ business professors nor banks believed that a fast food restaurant solely based off of chicken tenders would work, and those who have yet to try the delectable meals might find themselves asking the same question. How could a mere chicken tender possibly carry the weight of a fast food empire? The truth is, people love the simplicity and  convenience of a small menu. In Raising Cane’s, your choices are limited yet right on target to meet both one’s cravings and expectations.

     When the first location opened, many people remained in a state of curiosity for the restaurant. There has been so much buzz caused from the people who had either eaten there on the mainland or who had already waited through the long lines and chaos for a single plate of chicken tenders. The people who found themselves rocking back and forth in line, facing back after back of others who were eager to try the Raising Cane’s experience filtered on for days. Although simple, it was the truth; the golden-brown chicken tenders had a compelling nature that drew people in. 

     The famous Raising Cane’s experience is projected to officially make its reign in Mililani and open in the early months of 2020.