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Todd Graves
Born1972 (age 51–52)
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, Restaurateur
OfficeCo-founder and CEO of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
Children2

Todd Graves (born 1972) is an American entrepreneur and founder of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, a fast food restaurant specializing in fried chicken finger meals.

In 2023, Bloomberg estimated his net worth at $7.6 billion, making him the wealthiest person in the state of Louisiana and the 307th richest in the world.[1][2][3]

Early life

Graves was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Graves graduated from Episcopal High School in Baton Rouge.[4]

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

Graves and long-time friend Craig Silvey used Silvey's business plan course at LSU to create their business plan.[5]

Graves opened Raising Cane's near the North Gates of Louisiana State University on Highland Road in 1996.[5] By 2022, the company expanded to more than 600 restaurants in the U.S. and the Middle East.[6][7]

The restaurants are named after Raising Cane I, Graves’ dog at the time of founding the first restaurant. They are headquartered in Baton Rouge.[5]

Personal life

Graves and his wife, Gwen, have two children and reside in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with their yellow Labrador, Raising Cane III.[8]

Collections

Todd Graves at the Raising Cane's Dog Park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

An avid collector, Graves has loaned a 66-million-year-old triceratops skull to the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum.[9] He has also loaned the hearse that carried Martin Luther King, Jr. to exhibits across the country.[10]

Todd Graves at Eat Las Vegas

References

  1. ^ Tobin, Michael; Maloney, Tom (November 16, 2023). "Raising Cane's Founder Turns Chicken Fingers Into $7.6 Billion Fortune". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  2. ^ Wells, Carlie (November 17, 2023). "Louisiana's richest person is Todd Graves, Bloomberg says". Axios. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  3. ^ "Bloomberg Billionaires Index". Bloomberg.com. April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  4. ^ "Episcopal School of Baton Rouge holds groundbreaking for field house". June 27, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Sayre, Alan (June 12, 2007). "Finger joint beat the odds on fish turf". Atlanta Constitution. pp. D3. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  6. ^ "A return to growth". July 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "Raising Cane's in downtown East Lansing is on the way. Here's where the project stands".
  8. ^ "Dog Days of Summer: Our tails are wagging for Todd Graves' new shelter pup and the entrants of this year's contest". July 3, 2022.
  9. ^ Miller, Robin (February 29, 2016). "There's a 66 million-year-old triceratops in Baton Rouge". The Advocate.
  10. ^ Miller, Robin (January 14, 2019). "Hearse that carried the body of Martin Luther King Jr. comes to Baton Rouge". The Advocate.