Pierce County is set to get its first Raising Cane's, with the chicken finger chain planning a restaurant at 10025 Lakewood Drive SW that would land just down the block from an existing Chick-fil-A. A state stormwater record lists October 21, 2026, as the planned construction start date, with work expected to wrap up by May 29, 2027.
Permits Point to an October Groundbreaking
According to MyNorthwest, the Lakewood project already has active state stormwater coverage, and the city has a hearing examiner decision on file concerning a second drive-thru lane for the site. The outlet reports that Raising Cane's has not responded to emails asking about the new Washington locations, so the timeline and design details are coming from public permitting records rather than the company itself.
Those permitting details line up with filings reported separately by The News Tribune, which found that Raising Cane's Restaurants LLC filed initial plans with the City of Lakewood for a restaurant at 10025 Lakewood Drive SW, Unit A. Per The News Tribune, the proposal calls for demolishing existing buildings on the site and constructing a new Raising Cane's with parking, two drive-through lanes, a patio area and associated utilities.
Puyallup and Burlington Also in the Pipeline
Lakewood isn't the only Pierce County-area location in the works. The same MyNorthwest report notes that Puyallup's 2026 major development map shows a planned Raising Cane's at 4110 S. Meridian, where the project would replace an existing building with a restaurant featuring two drive-thru lanes and outdoor seating. However, the station's report states there is no verified construction start or opening date yet for the Puyallup site.
Further north, the company has filed with the City of Burlington for a restaurant at 1075 S. Burlington Blvd., according to the same account. A state stormwater record for that project lists a construction start date of January 19, 2027, and a finish date of August 26, 2027. Fox 13 Seattle previously reported that a Raising Cane's representative said the company is actively exploring new opportunities in the Evergreen state, as Fox 13 Seattle noted in its coverage of the Burlington filing.
A Chain Still Expanding Across Washington
As of the MyNorthwest report's publication, Raising Cane's Washington restaurants were located in Vancouver, Spokane, Seattle and Lynnwood. The company previously told Fox 13 Seattle it planned to open its first Spokane restaurant later that year and bring a Seattle University District location at 4345 University Way NE online in early 2026.
Expansion interest isn't limited to the Puget Sound region, either. A proposed Raising Cane's restaurant in Spokane Valley, estimated at $4 million and planned for 15612 E. Sprague, would become the second Raising Cane's location in Spokane County, according to the Spokane Journal. The outlet cautions that a predevelopment conference application for that project does not guarantee it will move forward.
Not every Washington plan has stuck. The Raising Cane's website still lists a canceled Renton location at 250 Rainier Ave. S, a site the company ultimately scrapped after signing a lease there, per the MyNorthwest report. It's a reminder that even with permits filed and stormwater coverage active, Pierce County diners hungry for their own Raising Cane's will want to watch for an official opening announcement before marking their calendars.
