Raising Cane’s celebrates golden anniversary with opening of gold-plated store in Boston

Everyone – even Chicken Finger Chains – has a Golden Birthday, that is, the birthday on which someone turns the same age as their actual birthday.

To celebrate Raising Cane’s golden anniversary, the company has decided to open its first and only all-gold restaurant in downtown Boston this week.

Raising Cane’s opened its 828th location on Wednesday, August 28, to celebrate the brand’s 28th anniversary.

“I wanted to create something special for Boston and the tourists who visit this great city,” said Todd Graves, founder and owner of Raising Cane, at the opening. “That’s why we created the gold restaurant, which is very fitting.”

Graves said the restaurant is clad in 10,000 feet of gold made from automotive vinyl wrap, gold leaf and gold epoxy. The company brought in three color consultants to ensure the gold blended throughout the space. The restaurant features an all-gold exterior and interior, with gold walls, disco balls, seating, counters, floors and a gold cabinet with exclusive merchandising.

“We really want to celebrate,” Graves said. “We want (a place) where people go to experience something special.”

The grand opening featured Olympic gold medalist Jrue Holiday, former Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz and singer JVKE, who performed his hit “Golden Hour.”

“We just opened our first Cane’s location a few months ago and it’s my first stop,” JVKE, a Rhode Island native, told reporters during the opening Thursday. “It really brings things full circle for me.”

More than 300 Raising Cane’s fans attended the opening, some of whom lined up outside the gold-plated restaurant the night before, including Kevin Hernandez of East Boston, who managed to secure the first spot in line by arriving at 2 a.m.

“My girlfriend and I have a little tradition every year,” Hernandez told MassLive. “We always go to (Raising Cane’s) in New York. We love the atmosphere, the DJ there. It’s different. It’s a different vibe and we just love it overall.”

Hernandez entered the “Lucky 28” drawing in hopes of being one of only 28 customers to win free Raising Cane’s for a year. While Hernandez was not selected, Suffolk University student Raffaella Shanahan was.

“My friends and I lined up at 8:30 this morning and we were like, ‘We just have to do this,'” the Roswell, Georgia native told MassLive. “I’ve never really won anything before, so this is totally crazy to me.”

Hernandez and Shanahan both said Raising Cane’s sauce is what primarily sets the chain apart from other chicken chains.

“I’ve brought it to the attention of so many people. My brother and I in Georgia would drive 40 minutes round trip just to get Cane’s,” Shanahan said. “Now that it’s downtown, I’m like, ‘This is dangerously good.'”

Raising Cane’s will continue its 28th anniversary celebrations with additional Golden Birthday festivities across the country and will donate $28 million to local communities.

Raising Cane’s has five stores in Massachusetts and is opening four more in the next six months, Graves said Thursday. Raising Cane’s also has stores in Enfield, Connecticut, and Johnston, Rhode Island.

The new location is at 101 Arch St. in Boston, near the Downtown Crossing MBTA station.