US chicken chain Raising Cane’s is a quick-service restaurant that might not be well known to many Brits – unless of course their TikTok algorithm has served them one of the millions of videos hyping up the brand.
Founded in Louisiana in 1996, Raising Cane’s boasts more than 900 restaurants across the US and the Middle East. Now, in a move that co-CEO AJ Kumaran describes as “a dream for many years”, the brand’s chicken fingers and signature sauce will be making their way to the UK.
Raising Cane’s first UK flagship site will be opening in London’s Piccadilly Circus at the end of 2026 with several more locations to follow, including The Strand, Oxford Circus, Paddington, South Bank and drive-thru locations across greater London and beyond.
With natural rivals including KFC, Nando’s and a plethora of local fried chicken shops, Raising Cane’s has over five million social media followers, fuelled by celebrity endorsements and collaborations. Snoop Dogg worked the drive-thru at one of its Las Vegas branches for National Chicken Finger Day 2025, while Post Malone has collaborated with the viral fast food chain to design custom, one-of-a-kind themed restaurants featuring over-the-top theming and bespoke tattoo-themed displays.
So far, so Gen Z.
The chain first rose to TikTok fame in 2022 with influencers sharing their reviews and first-time experiences trying the food. This quickly sparked a trend where creators from across the globe, including several prominent UK TikTokers, would travel to the US for the sole purpose of trying the brand’s surprisingly limited menu.
Raising Cane’s offers just five menu items: chicken fingers, Texas toast, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw and the star of social media, its Cane’s Sauce. The ‘secret recipe’ sauce has gone so viral that the chain started selling 950ml cups of it for $7. And yes, people are actually buying it.
@thatfoodielyss DO YOU LIKE THE SLAW AND HOT SAUCE FROM CANES? LOOKS LIKE I’LL HAVE TO GO BACK SOON 🤭🙂↕️ #raisingcanes #friedchicken #crunchyfood #fyp #viralfood #canessauce #canestoast #mukbang #eatwithme #eatingvideo #foodie ♬ original sound - That Foodie Lyss
Raising Cane’s vs KFC
With just five locations in the pipeline, Raising Cane’s can’t compete with the more than 1,000 KFC restaurants in the UK. However, with time and investment, Raising Cane’s could become a real competitor in the UK, especially if its US success is anything to go by.
Last year, Raising Cane’s sales hit $5.1bn, marking its best year yet and – most importantly – surpassing KFC, which reported a 4% decline in US sales to $4.34bn.
In the UK, though, KFC is doubling down on its dominance in the fried chicken market.
In May, it unveiled plans to invest almost £1.5bn in the UK and Ireland market over the next five years, with £466m earmarked for creating an additional 500 new restaurants over the next 10 years.
Although it currently has a smaller TikTok presence, with 1.5 million followers versus Raising Cane’s 2.3 million, KFC has been working hard to change this. In June, it collaborated with TikTok sensation SpudBros to launch a limited-edition jacket potato which amassed widespread publicity.
Is it too late to the game?
Raising Cane’s success in the US and across social media is undeniable, but waiting until 2026 to enter the UK market means it’s got a whole host of rivals to compete with.
US-born fried chicken brands are increasingly dominating the UK fast food market. Wingstop, Popeyes and most recently Dave’s Hot Chicken are expanding across the country and stealing market share by appealing to a more premium segment of the market.
Popeyes now has over 85 UK restaurants, while Wingstop has around 60 and Dave’s Hot Chicken, which only launched in the UK last December, has plans to launch 60 locations across the UK this year.
Brand loyalty is crucial to success and, with so many competitors in the space, battling for that won’t come immediately.
While Raising Cane’s continues to hold firm online and in the US, trends come and go. It is vital that the brand ensures its UK followers still care about trying its products by the time it actually launches late next year.
Intrigue alone is likely to push many Brits through its doors, and if TikTok reviews are anything to go by, many of them will be returning customers.
If Raising Cane’s can invest in expansion and marketing, like it has in the US, there’s a chance it could become the UK’s new favourite chicken shop.
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