Wichita’s first Raising Cane’s opens Tuesday. How to win free food for year:
On Tuesday, June 24, the much-anticipated Raising Cane’s chicken finger restaurant — Wichita’s first — will open at 350 S. Ridge Road. And just like they do for many popular restaurant chains’ grand openings, people tend to line up early for openings of new Raising Cane’s stores, hoping to be one of the lucky “free food for a year” winners.
Doors to the restaurant will open at 10 a.m., but people ages 13 and older who are waiting in line between 8 and 9 a.m. will get to enter the restaurant’s “Lucky 20” drawing. The 20 local winners, chosen at random, will get free Raising Cane’s food for a year. The drawing will be held shortly after 9 a.m. (Winners will get one free box combo three times a month for 12 months.)
Also, the purchasers of the first 100 combo meals sold that day will get a commemorative hat and a card good for a free box combo on a future visit.
Store managers also plan to present a check to Rainbows United on opening day, and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony will happen at around 9:30 a.m.
Inside, opening-day visitors will find that the dining room has been filled with relics from local high schools and keepsakes that pay homage to well-known locals. The restaurant also has a drive-through, and customers who have the Cane’s mobile app will be able to order ahead for faster pickup.
Once open, Raising Cane’s hours will be from 10 a.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant sits at the corner of West University Street and Ridge Road, on the onetime site of the Pizza Hut Italian Bistro. The old building was torn down to make way for “Cane’s,” as fans of the restaurant call it for short.
Unlike its soon-to-be neighbor across the street Chick-fil-A, which is known for its fried chicken sandwiches, Raising Cane’s 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, which was founded in 1996 in Louisiana, has more than 900 restaurants in around 40 states, and the company has said it would add 100 new restaurants in new markets in 2025. The chain announced its plans for Wichita in May of 2024.
A spokesman for the company also said this week that the Ridge Road Raising Cane’s won’t be Wichita’s last. They’re also looking for property on the east side.
“We’re actively evaluating several opportunities on the east side of Wichita, as we see strong demand and potential for continued growth in the area,” he said. “While we don’t have any specific timelines to share just yet, we’re committed to finding the right location that fits both our brand and the community.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 5:02 AM.
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