Pensacola’s first Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is now open after holding its long-awaited grand opening June 16 at 5110 N. Ninth Ave., just outside Cordova Mall.
The fast-casual restaurant held “an all-out celebration,” offering Free Cane’s for a Year to some lucky customers, hosting community givebacks and more.
Several hundred people lined up outside the new restaurant. Despite it being overcast and, at times, dreary outside, people were still dancing and mingling as music blasted over loudspeakers, giving the event the atmosphere of a festival.
Wendy Bonal-Smith was first in line, and she said she arrived at 6:15 a.m. the previous day to secure her spot.
“It’s my son’s favorite place and he’s in college, and it’s less money that I’ll have to fork over,” she said, explaining her reasoning for camping out overnight for a shot at free food for a year.
Raising Cane’s is beloved for its cooked-to-order chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries and its top-secret addictive Cane’s sauce.
Late last year, the city of Pensacola approved a request to demolish the former Red Lobster that once stood at the site. Raising Cane’s submitted its initial application to the city of Pensacola last May.
“Pensacola has been on our radar as we’ve continued expanding our footprint across Florida and the Gulf Coast,” Raising Cane’s Divisional Leader of Restaurants Jeremy Sheffield wrote in a statement for the News Journal. “The city is a natural fit within our growth strategy along the I-10 corridor, connecting several established Raising Cane’s markets while introducing our ONE LOVE – Craveable Chicken Finger Meals – to more Customers throughout the region.”
The inside of the new store reflects Pensacola with “local high school and university tributes, as well as nods to athletes and performers originating from the area,” Raising Cane’s shared in a statement. The new building also comes equipped with a drive-through, making it convenient to grab a Cane’s combo on the run.
The Pensacola Raising Cane’s has assembled a crew of 188 people ready to serve their favorite signature items, such as hand-battered, cooked-to-order chicken fingers and famed Cane’s Sauce.
“We’re thrilled to bring Raising Cane’s to Pensacola and introduce more people to our Craveable Chicken Finger Meals,” Raising Cane’s Area Leader of Restaurants Rogelio Ruiz shared in a statement. “This Restaurant represents more than great food; it’s about investing in the community, creating opportunities to give back and building relationships with our customers. We look forward to serving Pensacola for many years to come.”
The popular fast-casual concept was founded in 1996 by Todd Graves and has grown to over 1,000 restaurants worldwide with plans to open nearly 100 locations in 2026. The restaurant is named after Graves’ yellow Labrador, Raising Cane, who serves as the company’s mascot.
The company has a major following, as reflected in USA TODAY’s 10Best, which named Raising Cane’s No. 8 among the top 10 best food restaurants of 2025 and runner-up for both best fast-food fried chicken and best fast-food fries, based on reader votes.
Now, Raising Cane’s is looking forward to becoming part of the Pensacola community and possibly adding more Panhandle locations down the road.
‘We’ve been building our presence in Florida for several years, and the Pensacola Restaurant is an important step in that growth,” Sheffield wrote. “Beyond serving great food, we’re excited to become part of the Community through local partnerships, events and support initiatives…Pensacola also represents an opportunity to continue growing throughout Florida’s Panhandle. While it’s still early, we’re optimistic about future opportunities in neighboring beach communities and look forward to bringing Raising Cane’s to more Customers across the region.”
Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Hungry for more? Stay updated on the latest restaurant news by subscribing to our free Pensacola Eats newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign up for the newsletter at profile.pnj.com/newsletters/Pensacola-eats/.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Raising Cane’s finally opens in Pensacola
Reporting by Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
