The night was cold and the concrete was hard, but the chicken was hot—and juicy.
Dos Pueblos High School junior Rex Blevins arrived at 9 p.m. on Sunday in anticipation of the opening of the new Raising Cane’s in Goleta. He was first in line for the fast food and the restaurant’s grand opening.
The concrete sleep was worth the wait. He won a free meal for being first in line Monday morning and was one of 20 people to win a year of free Raising Cane’s chicken in a raffle.
“Honestly, we just wanted free Cane’s,” Blevins told the News-Press.
Blevins camped out with his friend Oliver Reynold.
Raising Cane’s, a rapidly growing fast-food chain founded in 1996, opened its first location in the South Coast along 7000 Hollister Ave. in Goleta on Monday.
About 365 people lined up around the parking lot of the former Kylie’s Kitchen restaurant, waiting to eat fried chicken, Texas toast, and crinkle-cut fries. DJ Kryp2nite, played music for the group.
Nearby, people from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, a non-profit animal rights organization, protested the restaurant.
Mason Melito, PETA senior campaigner, said the food company has expanded throughout the country, prompting him and others at the non-profit organization to protest animal welfare at most grand openings.
“Nothing exciting about chickens being murdered,” Melito said.
But the protest couldn’t stop the party.
Crowds cheered for Raising Cane’s fried chicken throughout the event.
During the grand opening, the first 100 customers received free Raising Cane’s hats and a free box combo meal for their next visit.
The food company also held a raffle where the first 20 winners were awarded one free box combo meal every month for a year. The winners were announced and celebrated as each ran through a victory tunnel made up of students from the Dos Pueblos High School Leadership class.
At the grand opening, the students received a $1,000 check from Raising Cane’s that will go towards funding their homecoming football game half time show this Friday. The restaurant was adorned with blue and gold tables, as well as UC Santa Barbara memorabilia.
Jasper Meller, ASB President and senior at Dos Pueblos High School, said he was excited to attend the event.
“I love seeing my friends out here,” Meller said.
Zach Wittenberg, manager of the Raising Cane’s in Goleta, said he was prepared for how busy the location was going to be in the next few days.
“I’ve worked at busy restaurants, I’ve worked at slow restaurants,” Wittenberg said. “The busier the restaurant, the more fun it always is.”
The turnout on Monday morning was nothing like he had seen before, Wittenberg said, who attended other grand openings for the company in the past.
Wittenberg has worked with the company for six years. He’s moved up the ranks since to manage the Goleta location. Since working with Raising Cane’s, the company has opened numerous locations across the country, Wittenberg said.
He added that the company has had plans to grow more than 200 locations in California since he started.
“As we open in new areas, we’re doing nothing but creating new jobs and hopefully creating promotions for other people,” Wittenberg said.
The new location will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight every day.
