Bucks Co.'s 1st Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers To Open In Falls

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A new drive-thru chicken finger restaurant will open on Commerce Boulevard by spring of 2022, Falls Township supervisors announced Monday.

A 3,329-square-foot Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers will replace the shuttered Macaroni Grill on the boulevard. The chain restaurant will employ "in excess" of 50 workers, according to Mike Meginniss, an attorney for the developer.

The Falls Township Board of Supervisors granted preliminary and final land development approval during Monday night's hybrid meeting for both the demolition of the 7,582-square-foot Macaroni Grill and the construction of the brand-new chicken tender restaurant. The new restaurant will feature indoor seating as well as a 541-square-foot patio canopy and two drive-thru lanes.

The Falls Township location will be one of the newest for the Louisiana-based chicken chain, which operates more than 500 Raising Cane's spots throughout the country.

"They pride themselves on being a local business, getting involved in the local community," Meginniss said, adding that the company created a COVID Relief Fund to assist employees struggling during the pandemic and has not laid off any workers.

Supervisors were excited about opening a new spot on the boulevard, adjacent to an existing Outback Steakhouse. The former Macaroni Grill has been closed since March of 2020.
"I'm happy to get another restaurant in there," said Supervisor John Palmer. "The site is perfectly suitable for this type of establishment."

Although Raising Cane's is a fast-food restaurant with essentially one item on its menu — chicken tenders — Meginniss said the company is pulling out all the stops to offer a "very aesthetically pleasing" outdoor dining option.

Based on a traffic analysis and comparative data from a similar Raising Cane's, the fast-food chain has no more than 22 cars in the drive-thru queue even during its busiest times of day, according to a news release. The drive-thru at the Falls Township location would be able to handle more than 30 vehicles at a time in its two drive-thru lanes.

Since Raising Cane's only offers chicken tenders, aside from their sides and drink menus, Meginniss said the food preparation is even speedier than other fast-food restaurants. He explained that, on average, it takes a customer two-and-a-half minutes to place an order and pick up their food.

"All of us are happy to see that building get filled," said Jeff Boraski, vice chairman of the board. "It's a really nice location."

Stay informed about what's going on in Bucks County, or in your local area. Sign up for Patch emails and don't miss a minute of local and state news.

Got tips, story ideas, or questions in Lower Bucks County? Email kate.fishman@patch.com.