Raising Cane’s, the popular chicken finger chain with a devoted fanbase known as “Caniacs,” is now banned from selling chicken at one of its locations in Indiana. This ban came as a surprise to the franchisee who had signed a 15-year lease for the property without knowing that it included a clause prohibiting the sale of boneless chicken products.
The issue began when Raising Cane’s signed a long-term lease for an Indiana shopping center owned by The Crossing of Hobart. The lease agreement failed to disclose that there was a clause banning the sale of boneless chicken products. According to court documents cited in an article by The Times of Northwest Indiana, McDonald’s had exclusive rights to sell boneless chicken products at the mall and Raising Cane’s was not aware of this until after they had signed the lease.
In response, Raising Cane’s filed a lawsuit against The Crossing of Hobart in November 2022. In their complaint, they argued that they were unaware of this restriction when they signed the lease and that it would cause them irreparable harm if enforced. They also argued that McDonald’s did not have exclusive rights to sell boneless chicken products at the mall and that other restaurants should be allowed to do so as well.
The case has yet to be decided but it has already caused quite a stir among Raising Cane’s fans who are disappointed that their favorite restaurant won’t be able to serve its signature dish at this location. Many have taken to social media to express their outrage over what they see as an unfair restriction on competition and free enterprise.
It remains unclear how this case will turn out but one thing is certain: Raising Cane’s fans will be watching closely to see if their beloved restaurant will be able to serve up its famous chicken fingers at this location after all. For now, though, they’ll just have to wait and see what happens next in this legal battle between two fast food giants.
