Raising Cane’s gets World Cup lift from visiting soccer fans

Raising Cane’s is getting a World Cup bump from visiting soccer fans who are turning first trips to the chicken chain into social media posts. Co-CEO AJ Kumaran told Fortune the attention has come largely from customers, giving the company fresh visibility with international visitors as it weighs long-term global growth.

Fortune reported that fans from Scotland, England and other countries have posted videos and comments after trying Raising Cane’s during the tournament. One Scotland supporter wrote on X that the chicken and sauce made him want the chain in the U.K., while another fan posted a TikTok rating a chicken finger box combo “10 out of 10” and praising the sauce.

Kumaran told Fortune he had seen the videos and said the company was not behind them. “We don’t push any of those. It’s just organic stuff that people want to do, and we are pretty grateful,” he said.

World Cup marketing meets unplanned attention

Raising Cane’s has also built its own World Cup promotion around former U.S. men’s national team player Landon Donovan, Fortune reported. The campaign, called “Kick It With Cane’s,” included “Cane’s FC” merchandise and a soccer-themed setup at the chain’s Times Square flagship.

Donovan also worked the first “shift” at Raising Cane’s new Inglewood, California, flagship, according to Fortune. The location opened June 11, one day before the U.S. team’s opening match near SoFi Stadium, which FIFA refers to as Los Angeles Stadium during the tournament because of sponsorship rules.

Kumaran told Fortune the broader wave of attention has exceeded what Raising Cane’s planned. He said the company is receiving interest from fans around the world, including relatives of his traveling from India for the World Cup whose children want to visit Raising Cane’s.

A chain built around one menu focus

Raising Cane’s did not exist when the U.S. last hosted the World Cup in 1994. Fortune reported that founder Todd Graves opened the first restaurant near Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge in 1996.

The company says it now has about 130 restaurants near stadiums in the 11 U.S. host cities: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. Kumaran told Fortune the 2023 opening of the Times Square flagship helped accelerate the brand’s exposure to tourists and international customers.

Asked by Fortune why visitors are choosing Raising Cane’s in cities filled with other chains, Kumaran pointed to its limited menu. “We do one thing and one thing only,” he said, comparing the approach to a specialized soccer role. He added that the company sees itself as focused on chicken fingers and customer service.

Fortune reported that Raising Cane’s does not franchise its restaurants, though it hires locally and gives managers room to reflect their communities. Kumaran said the company views local figures, such as a spelling bee winner, as important to a store’s community as a famous soccer player.

Expansion interest grows

Kumaran told Fortune the attention from tourists has brought more requests for international restaurants. Raising Cane’s currently operates more than 1,000 restaurants globally, including more than 50 in the Middle East, and has locations across 44 states, Guam and six countries, according to the company figures reported by Fortune.

The company says it receives thousands of requests each year from fans and potential partners seeking new markets, Fortune reported. Its long-term plan calls for more than 1,600 restaurants worldwide, though Kumaran said the company is cautious about entering new countries because it wants to protect operating standards.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.