In the chilly early hours of Tuesday, nearly 250 blanket-clad chicken lovers formed a line in the parking lot, waiting in anticipation for the grand opening of Raising Cane’s. The restaurant, most famous for serving a basic menu of fried chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, Texas-style toast and coleslaw with its signature sauce, has opened its 100th California location at the 280 Metro Center in Colma; just 10 minutes south of San Francisco State University.
In the weeks before the grand opening, advertisements and flyers were posted throughout SFSU’s campus, stating that opening attendees could win “Free Cane’s for a year.”
The opportunity to score free chicken meals led SFSU fashion design and physiology student Ash Concepcion to set up camp outside the restaurant at 1 a.m.
“My friends told me to get dressed; I layered up. I brought a blanket, my headphones and a speaker,” said Concepcion, one of 20 raffle prize winners to get free food at the Colma location for a year. “I’m just going to be able to use it on my friends. I feel good”.
Chris Esteban, the area leader of restaurants in Northern California for Raising Cane’s and a Santa Cruz native, shared his excitement for opening the restaurant, which, according to him, has been in development for a year. He greeted customers in line and passed around raffle tickets.
He noted that 44 more locations will be added in the greater Bay Area in the coming decade. Currently, there are only restaurants in the cities of Oakland, Hayward, Vacaville and Fairfield. Colma is the first restaurant in the peninsula region.
Kristina Cruz, a student at Skyline College, was the first person in line. At noon on Monday, she set up camp by the front door. Representatives from Raising Cane’s came to check in and encourage her as she waited with her friend for nearly 20 hours.
As the first customer to step inside, Cruz was ushered inside by a line of cheerleaders from El Camino High School and an entourage of Raising Cane’s employees. She was given a gift basket and ordered a “Caniac Combo,” the largest meal offered by the chain which features six chicken fingers and three sides.
The earliest customers received a special edition beanie and gift cards for another free meal. Meanwhile, the rest of the crowd waited in a long, zig-zagged line around the parking lot while a DJ played music and a muralist painted.
Special edition beanies branded with the Raising Cane’s logo and “Colma” text are laid across a table on the patio of the new Raising Cane’s restaurant in Colma, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. The first 100 customers inside the new restaurant received these beanies along with a coupon for a free meal. (Dan Hernandez / Golden Gate Xpress)
Raising Cane’s employees and cheerleaders from El Camino High School welcome the first customers inside the new Raising Cane’s restaurant in Colma, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (Dan Hernandez / Golden Gate Xpress)
Restaurant leader Joe Cosso (right) and area leader of marketing Ashley Chandler (center) pick the first raffle tickets from a box as area leader of restaurants Christoper Esteban (left) cheers at the parking lot of the new Raising Cane’s restaurant in Colma, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. The raffle awarded 20 grand opening attendees with free meals at Raising Cane’s for a year. (Dan Hernandez / Golden Gate Xpress)
Denise Franciso runs through a row of cheerleaders from El Camino High School as she has been called as a raffle winner outside the new Raising Cane’s restaurant in Colma, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. The raffle awarded 20 grand opening attendees with free meals at Raising Cane’s for a year. (Dan Hernandez / Golden Gate Xpress)
People wrapped in blankets and hoodies rest in camping chairs for the grand opening of the new Raising Cane’s restaurant in Colma, Calif. on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. People formed a line outside of the restaurant on Monday for the chance to be some of the first customers inside the new location. (Dan Hernandez / Golden Gate Xpress)
Raising Cane’s representatives talk together in the drive-thru line hours before the opening of the new restaurant in Colma, Calif. on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. An inflated dog with sunglasses, representing the chain’s mascot Raising Cane, sits atop the building. (Dan Hernandez / Golden Gate Xpress)
People inflate balloons with the Raising Cane’s logo hours before the grand opening of the new restaurant in Colma, Calif. on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. The balloons will be attached to strings and float above the building. (Dan Hernandez / Golden Gate Xpress)
