More than 200 people from around the Washington, D.C., region traveled to College Park for the grand opening of Raising Cane’s on Tuesday.
The line outside of the chicken fingers restaurant began Monday night when Bree Beanum drove from Virginia to be first in line at 10 p.m. for the restaurant’s opening Tuesday morning. By 8 a.m., Route 1 was packed with people excited to try Cane’s iconic chicken tenders.
“My favorite thing about Raising Cane’s overall is the community,” Beanum said. “It’s beautiful, I love it. We have a good time, they’re always cheerful … I’ve been to over 30 of them, and they all have the same energy.”
Many people, including Beanum, were drawn to the free Cane’s merch and coupons offered to the first 100 people in line. The restaurant also randomly selected 20 people to win a raffle for free meals from Cane’s for a year.
One of the 20 winners, junior government and politics major Peyton Steinberg, said he grew up loving Cane’s and got in line at 6 a.m.
“This is the most excited I’ve ever been,” Steinberg said. “I’ve won trophies in sports and this is by far better.”
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While the College Park location was in the works for more than a year, Breshaud Woodard, a Raising Cane’s area leader, said the company has wanted to secure a location in College Park as an ode to Cane’s history.
“We started on the campus of a college,” Woodard said. “It’s always been our roots to get back to college campuses where it all started.”
Woodard said Cane’s is a good addition to the College Park community since it offers high-quality meals at affordable prices for college students. Customers can expect fresh chicken that is marinated for 24 hours before being served, he said.
Cane’s offers students another late-night food option, as it is open until 2 or 3 a.m., depending on the day. Elena Wearsch, a junior mechanical engineering major, said restaurants that are open late are a draw for college students.
College Park mayor Fazlul Kabir emphasized the importance of the new restaurant adding jobs for College Park residents and students.
Cane’s College Park location is also partnering with the University of Maryland’s Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., to contribute to their philanthropic efforts, according to Woodard.
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“We make sure that wherever we’re going, we’re tied to the community that we’re in,” Woodard said.
Ryan Shupp, a resident of Columbia, Maryland, arrived at the College Park location at 3:30 a.m. and was third in line for the grand opening. He said he appreciates the company’s effort to give back to local communities and tries to attend every Cane’s grand opening in the area.
“I think this is one of the biggest turnouts that I’ve seen at an opening, so it’s pretty insane,” Shupp said.
Woodard said the passionate support he sees for Cane’s gives him hope that they can continue their dream of serving fresh food to their customers.
According to Kabir, Raising Cane’s is just one of many new restaurants added to Route 1. From Peter Chang Kitchen & Bar to Wonder, Kabir described the past few months as an exciting time for the city and its “foodies.”
