The Worst Time To Order Raising Cane's, And When To Go Instead

Some popular fast food restaurants can be a victim of their own success, especially when it comes to peak dining times at lunch and dinner. One example includes Chick-fil-A — a chain that consistently has one of the busiest drive-thrus but still manages to handle it efficiently. The same can be said for Raising Cane's — the chicken finger spot that opened in 1996 with humble beginnings (and almost with a confusing name) but has since expanded to nearly 900 locations across the United States.

According to Raising Cane's co-founder, Todd Graves, the best time to visit the chicken finger chain is during the off-peak hours. As he told Mashed, "I would go at 2:00 and just avoid the rush," referring to the typical lunchtime business at Raising Cane's. But Graves had more opinions on when you might have the speediest of experiences at his chain.

If 2 p.m. is a little too late for lunch, Graves recommended an earlier visit for a shorter wait. "I like it when people come 11:00, early for lunch." And as far as dinner goes, he says the busiest times are typically between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. — so go before that time frame to move through the drive thru faster.

Even with the longer lines, Raising Cane's moves fast and efficiently. A lot of that has to do with its limited menu — which is pretty much just chicken fingers, fries, Texas toast, coleslaw, the famous Cane's sauce and drinks. The restaurant also offers one of the best fast food chicken sandwiches out there — a simple combination of three chicken fingers on a toasted bun with Cane's sauce and lettuce. That's about as simple and straightforward as you can get for a fast food restaurant, which helps keep the lines moving. That efficiency and speed can only help Raising Cane's reputation — which continues to shine after being named one of the 10 best fast food chains by Newsweek. 

Of course, if you just feel like the wait is too long — no matter how fast the line moves — you can always just walk in and place your order. Or consider ordering online or through the Raising Cane's mobile app to have your food ready when you get there. Sign up for the chain's Caniac Club for an even better on-the-go experience with special deals and offers exclusive to members.

With more than 900 Raising Cane's locations now throughout the United States, you're bound to find a location or two that might be slower than the others. But, overall, an overwhelming number of customers typically leave Raising Cane's satisfied with their experience. In the world of fast food drive-thrus, that's an impressive accomplishment.

Static Media owns and operates Chowhound and Mashed.