Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers — Restaurant in Baton Rouge

If you know anything about Louisiana, you know that food here isn’t just sustenance—it’s serious.

And in the heart of it all, on Highland Road, stands a temple to deep-fried perfection: the original Raising Cane’s. They call it the Mother Ship. And like all great pilgrimage sites, it has a story.

Back in the ’90s, Todd Graves had one simple dream:

chicken fingers. No distractions, just perfectly fried, golden-brown strips.

His LSU professor shot Grave’s idea down. Gave him an F for his efforts.

Now most people would quit after that, but Graves was committed to his dream of serving chicken tenders to the people.

So he did it the hard way—he went out and earned money to fund his crispy fried dream.

he worked as a boilermaker in California,

fished in Alaska,

risking frostbite and exhaustion.

He saved, he hustled, and in 1996, he came back to Baton Rouge,

opened the Mother Ship, and built a fried chicken empire.

Now let’s get something straight—Cane’s isn’t just good for a fast-food place. It’s good, period.

The kind of good where people actually feel excited about going, like it’s some sort of indulgence rather than an impulse decision on a Tuesday night. And maybe that’s because, despite the drive-thru, despite the expansion, despite the near cult-like devotion, Cane’s never overcomplicated things. They stuck to the plan: keep it simple, keep it consistent, and don’t mess with the damn sauce.

Now, let’s talk about the Caniac Combo. My order of choice. A gut-busting, artery-coating, grease-soaked gift from the fried chicken gods.

Six fingers, golden and crispy. Crinkle-cut fries, because Cane’s knows better than to serve up limp, soggy potatoes. Coleslaw—yes, I actually eat it, and yes, it’s a vegetable, which means I can tell myself this meal is balanced. Texas toast, thick and buttery, grilled just enough to give you that golden crunch. And, of course, the lemonade. Fresh-squeezed, no artificial nonsense, the kind of drink that makes you feel like you’re sitting on a porch in the dead of summer, sweating through your shirt, and happy about it.

But the real MVP? Cane’s Sauce. A remoulade-style masterpiece that I don’t just dip my chicken in—I dunk, I smother, I drown. It’s the kind of sauce that makes you mad you don’t have extra. So I order extra. Because I’m not an amateur.

The Mother Ship still stands. The empire has grown. Cane’s is everywhere now, and yet, somehow, it still feels like a Louisiana thing. A Tiger thing. A fried-chicken fairy tale that started because one guy refused to give up on his...

Visit: 05/28/25 5:15pm

When it comes to fast food stops while traveling, we usually pass. But this one had a special pull: it's the original, flagship Raising Cane’s location—still operating today. Its historical significance made it worth a visit. Plus, we needed something quick, easy, and close to our Airbnb—and this spot checked all three boxes.

The service was great, even with a trainee helping us. He did an excellent job, and while we ended up with (and paid for) one too many orders of fries, we didn’t make a fuss. We were in full-on vacation mode, so splitting the extra fries just became part of the laid-back experience.

Unfortunately, the ambiance and food didn’t quite live up to the hype. We had hoped for a more impressive flagship visit—maybe a little museum-style homage to the brand’s history or more memorabilia. Oddly enough, the Raising Cane’s near our home has more on display than the flagship location. The only real nod to its roots was the old building itself and the original bakery mural that inspired the company’s signature artwork. The vintage booths with LSU tiger print were a nice touch, though.

As for the food, it was just okay. The chicken had a strange aftertaste, like the fryer oil hadn’t been changed in a while. It wasn’t bad enough to complain about, but it wasn’t the flavor we’ve come to expect (and love) from Cane’s. On vacation, when you’re spending money on meals out, “meh” isn’t what you’re hoping for.

The young staff were doing their best, and we didn’t want to be the ones to throw off their day with complaints. Hopefully, things have since been smoothed out in the kitchen, because this visit didn’t reflect the quality we associate with...

Our first time trying Raising Cane's and happen to pass by the original location. We didn't understand what all the rave was about for chicken fingers...But now we do. They have perfected chicken fingers! Juicy, moist chicken breast coupled with a light crispy batter makes such a simple dish absolutely delicious. They also had one of the best crinkle cut fries we ever tried. Oil was clean. Crispy on outside but soft inside. Perfectly fried. Lemonade and sweet tea was so good and not overly sweet. We bought a gallon to go. Staff was also very friendly. I wish I got her name. But the nice girl with blonde hair greeted us and gave us a little history of the items on the wall. She also saw that we wanted to take a picture outside with the Raising Cane sign, so she watched out for a chance when there were no cars in the driveway. Very attentive and sweet! Overall, an excellent memory for us. Will frequent Raising Cane's more...