A hit in Marlborough, Raising Cane's plans Framingham restaurant. Where they want to open
FRAMINGHAM —Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, which opened in Marlborough to great fanfare earlier this year, is now seeking to add a second MetroWest restaurant in Framingham.
The popular fast food chicken chain, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is targeting construction of a new restaurant at the site of the former Aegean Restaurant at 257 Cochituate Road (Route 30), according to planning documents filed with the city. That would put Raising Cane's in head-to-head competition with Dave's Hot Chicken, which opened in July at the Route 30 Mall at 341 Cochituate Road.
A KFC (149 Cochituate Road) and a Chick-fil-A (359 Cochituate Road) are also nearby, and Wings Over Framingham recently reopened at 680 Worcester Road (Route 9). Other fast food chains, such as McDonald's and Burger King, also sell chicken.
Raising Cane's is known for its chicken tenders — the only entrée on its menu. The tenders can be ordered in several ways, and come with sides such as crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast and coleslaw. The signature dipping sauce is the chain's "Cane Sauce" which is known for its sweet and tangy flavor.
Site has been vacant since 2020
The Framingham Aegean Restaurant closed in 2020, when it filed for bankruptcy. The site was purchased during an auction by Brookline developer Paul Linder, who later sold it to Bob Foley, who has since been searching for a tenant.
According to publicly available documents before the city, Raising Cane's is seeking to develop a new restaurant on the 0.79-acre plot. Raising Cane's plans to construct a brand-new building, complete with a double drive-thru feature, similar to Chick-fil-A's down the street.
'We've been counting it down': Excitement in Marlborough, as Raising Cane's holds grand opening
In a statement to the Daily News, a Raising Cane's spokesperson said the chain is excited to come to Framingham, is currently working out details but expects to begin construction next year.
"Raising Cane’s is excited to bring its one love — quality chicken fingers — to Framingham," the spokesperson said. "We are working through the final details and plan to begin construction late next year. As we get closer to an opening date, we will share more information. We are looking forward to serving Caniacs in the area."
After opening its first New England location in Boston back in 2009, it didn't open a second Massachusetts location until 2022, also in Boston. And in May, it finally came to the suburbs when the long-awaited Marlborough location opened.
Some say fast food tastes are shifting from burgers to chicken
Marcus Carter, a Raising Cane's regional manager, told the Daily News during the Marlborough grand opening that the restaurant was scouting other Massachusetts locations, but had not made any new locations official. The chain has since opened its fourth Bay State restaurant in Methuen.
Nashville-style chicken: Chain adds spice to Framingham restaurant scene
"Today's chicken is yesterday's burgers," Bob Quinlan, who owns the Dave's Hot Chicken in Framingham, said during his restaurant's grand opening in July. "People aren't looking for burgers maybe the way they were used to, and chicken is becoming very popular."
While Raising Cane's has submitted some documents to the city, no current proposals are before either the Framingham Planning Board or Board of License Commissioners.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Raising Cane's plans Framingham restaurant at former Aegean property
