After months of mouth-watering anticipation, popular chicken finger restaurant Raising Cane's opened its doors in Provo on Tuesday to tremendous fanfare. A line of more than 200 people waiting to order snaked outside the building earlier than 8 a.m. along with dozens of cars piling up in the drive thru.
'Any time you show up to work and there's already 200 people in line ready and excited for some quality chicken, it sets the tone for the day,' Cane's Regional Vice President Jason Zwerin said.
Originally based in Louisiana, Cane's has over 500 restaurant locations in 32 states, primarily in the South. The Provo location is the second in Utah, with South Jordan debuting in mid-June.
The restaurant sits just a short walk away from campus on Cougar Boulevard, right in the heart of Provo's 'fast food district' near student late night favorites McDonald's and Rancheritos.
With its menu of chicken fingers, crinkle fries and Texas toast, Cane's has been a hit in college towns across the country, and Provo is expected to be no different.
'It's exciting not only to be part of Provo but also BYU as well,' Zwerin said. 'We're excited to see all the students and be part of the new school year here.'
BYU students came out in droves on Tuesday, including cybersecurity major and Provo native Daniel Meyers, who arrived at Cane's at 7 a.m. and went home having won free chicken for a year as part of a grand opening promotion.
'I served my mission in California so I had a taste of Cane's out there and was really excited to hear they were coming to Provo,' Meyers said. 'It's so close to campus, I'd be crazy not to wear out free chicken for a year.'
Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi and Cosmo the Cougar were on hand for the early festivities, and a group of about 15 people even camped out the night before to be first in line for chicken.
'It's so fun to be part of something that excites people enough to come camp out overnight or wait in line for three hours just to get their chicken finger fix,' Cane's divisional leader of marketing Kelly Hansen said.
The Cane's team has been appreciative of the immediate support and looks forward to being a Provo staple for years to come.
'We're just very grateful that we have an opportunity to do what we do here at Cane's, and what makes it all worth it is the great crew that work here and the great community that comes out and supports us,' Hansen said.