Chapel Hill gained two new restaurants this week, as both the chicken fingers chain Raising Cane’s and the breakfast eatery Snooze officially opened their doors to patrons.
Raising Cane’s held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday morning, opening the restaurant earlier than normal to celebrate its new location at the corner of East Franklin Street and Columbia Street in downtown Chapel Hill. Among the festivities, the business gave away access to free Raising Cane’s for a year to 20 people who stood in a line down the block ahead of the grand opening. The business’ first 100 customers to purchase a combo meal also got a separate gift. According to a spokesperson, the first customers got into line at 6:30 p.m. on Monday to be among the popular chicken restaurant’s initial patrons.
The 101 East Franklin Street address is no stranger to fried chicken, as it previously was home to Lula’s of the Chapel Hill Restaurant Group, which closed in 2020. Prior to that, the corner was home to Spanky’s for many years before it rebranded in 2018. Raising Cane’s did a significant interior redevelopment, which now features a counter-style ordering area and a copious amount of Carolina-themed decorations. The national company first bought the space in late 2021.
Jeremy Strayhorn, one of the “restaurant leaders” of the Chapel Hill location, spoke to the waiting crowd minutes before Raising Cane’s drew its 20 winners and opened its doors. He said each location of the restaurant gets its own unique name based on its owners and relationship to the area. Strayhorn said after running through different ideas, he landed on his branch of the business being called “Dream Hill.”
“I had a dream of coming home,” Strayhorn said into the microphone, “and being a part of Raising Cane’s, and that dream has become a success. So, I want to welcome you guys to ‘Dream Hill,’ and when you come in, please dream as much as you want. Because whatever you want to do, you can do it. Just put your mind to it.”
Manager Jeremy Strayhorn (center) prepares to cut the ribbon to officially open the Chapel Hill location of Raising Cane’s.
The line of first customers for the popular chicken fingers restaurant was nearly a block long from the business’ entrance.
One of the 20 winners of free Raising Cane’s for a year wore a chicken head during his celebration running toward the entrance.
Among the festivities for Raising Cane’s opening, the restaurant also presented a $1,000 check to the organizers of the annual Eve Carson Memorial 5K race — representing an example of how the franchise wants to help be part of the community, said Strayhorn.
Over in the Eastgate Crossing shopping center, Snooze also began its time in Chapel Hill by supporting a local cause. The breakfast food restaurant held a soft opening over the weekend ahead of its grand opening on Wednesday, with the nonprofit PORCH as one of the beneficiaries. The Carrboro-based organization which helps food insecure children collected donations from visiting patrons as a substitute for the Snooze staff earning tips. Best Buddies North Carolina was the other featured community partner during the restaurant’s soft opening period.
The interior of Snooze matches the Colorado-based chain’s brand of alluding to throwback breakfast diners with a packed menu. The suite in Eastgate was previously a Performance Bicycle location until 2019 and was vacant until Snooze decided it wanted to shift from establishing its first Triangle location from Raleigh to Chapel Hill.
Snooze A.M. Eatery will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Meanwhile, Raising Cane’s hours will be from 10 a.m. to midnight from Sundays through Wednesday and from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct calling Raising Cane’s a “franchise” and to clarify Jeremy Strayhorn is not a manager, but instead a “restaurant leader.”
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