New Fairview Heights restaurant announces opening date. Here’s how you can work there.

Raising Cane’s drops opening date, accepts job applications

The wait is nearly over! Since first reporting in December that Raising Cane’s was coming to Fairview Heights, I’ve been following the progress on the project.

The chicken-finger restaurant chain has announced an opening date of Tuesday, Aug. 10, for the new Fairview Heights location, the 13th in the St. Louis area and the first in southern Illinois.

Raising Cane’s Fairview Heights is preparing for its debut by seeking 95 local Crewmembers, according to a June 30 release. Available positions range from management-level to hourly crew.

“This is an exciting time for me personally and professionally!” stated Restaurant Leader Nicole Costello in the release. “I’ve supported multiple Raising Cane’s Restaurants throughout the St. Louis area over the years, but this one is special because I live in the Fairview Heights area and I’m proud to raise my family here. This truly is the Crossroads of Prosperity, and we want to support that with 95 new jobs. We offer competitive pay, a fun work environment and more that set us apart from our competitors. I can’t wait to meet some great individuals who will join us as we work to become an integral part of this Community.”

From Saturday, July 3, through Monday, Aug. 9, candidates are invited to apply for various positions. Applicants can apply online at workatcanes.com and will be contacted for interviews after submitting applications, according to the release. Walk-in applicants are welcome by visiting the restaurant from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. any day of the week through Aug. 9.

I took another trip to the site to take new photos of the building. Tim Pelham, a field operations manager for The MAPP Group, LLC, who took over as the project’s supervisor in May, let me into the building for a sneak peek.

Plenty of seating will be available to patrons, and some will get to sit under the trio of disco balls hanging from the ceiling. Finishing touches are being added, and there’s still the cleanup to be done, but the place looks ready for business.

Raising Cane’s was founded in 1996 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by Todd Graves and specializes in quick-serve chicken finger meals. The menu consists of chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, Cane’s sauce and soft drinks. A variety of combo meals are available.

The business was named for Graves’ dog, Raising Cane, a yellow Labrador retriever who “loved to be around people,” according to the company’s website. A banner with a photo of the restaurant’s namesake is displayed on the side of the new building. A decorative mural on the other side of the building includes the image of a Labrador wearing sunglasses.

Raising Cane’s is located at 6565 N. Illinois St. in Fairview Heights. Hours of operation will be announced closer to the opening date. For more information about Raising Cane’s, visit raisingcanes.com.

This story was originally published July 4, 2021 at 6:00 AM.