Todd Graves' idea to open a restaurant in Louisiana with his partner Craig Silvey got them the lowest grade in Silvey's undergraduate business class because they planned to sell only chicken fingers. Their business concept was also rejected by banks when they applied for loans. However, the rejections didn't deter Graves from bringing his fast-food concept to life, which eventually became known as Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers. In the fast half of 2024, the restaurant chain generated $2.3 billion in revenues while expanding outreach with dozens of new stores in the US, taking the total store count to over 800.
Founded in 1996, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers' rapid expansion and consistently high demand have made Graves one of the wealthiest men in America, with a net worth of approximately $9.5 billion. The 52-year-old founder is a majority stakeholder, owning 90% of the company.
