Customers camped outside of Harford County’s first Raising Cane’s Monday night to beat the line of over 100 customers that celebrated the restaurant’s grand opening Tuesday morning.
Festivities started around 8 a.m. Tuesday, as music from a DJ and the Bel Air High School Marching Band poured from the parking lot of the Raising Cane’s located at 336 Baltimore Pike in the same lot as the former Pete’s Cycle location.
“We got here at midnight and we just sat and played card games,” said 18-year-old George Herrin, who was with his friends Riplae Phillips, 19 and Caden Parsons, 18.
Despite arriving over eight hours before the grand opening, Herrin, Phillips and Parsons sported red lanyards — handed out by Raising Cane’s staff to customers Tuesday morning — indicating places 12th, 13th and 14th in line.
Ahead of them, just outside of the entrance, was Bree Beanum, who arrived at 6:40 p.m. Monday night after driving four hours from her home in Virginia.
She said her motivation to be the first customer stems from a Cane’s grand opening three years ago in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where she said she camped in her car and overslept — surrendering the first customer award to another woman.
“When I saw her have that first place basket, I thought ‘that should be mine,’ so I dedicated myself to going so I could make sure to get that first place basket myself,” Beanum said.
Since then, she has attended grand openings in New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia, making her Bel Air Raising Cane’s “first customer” award the 12th basket.
Duane Donn, the area leader of restaurants for Raising Cane’s, said of the nine Maryland locations, he has never seen customers camp out the night before a grand opening.
“This is one of the most amazing ribbon cuttings that I’ve ever hosted and that the chamber has ever hosted,” said the Harford County Chamber of Commerce’s Membership Director Phil Logan.
Once the restaurant officially opened, Beanum was greeted by a line of Bel Air cheerleaders that shook silver pom poms as she made her way to the counter to place her go-to-order: a four chicken finger Box Combo with the chicken and fries extra crispy and the Texas toast buttered on both sides with sweet tea and Cane’s sauce.
“If there is a Raising Cane’s near you, make sure you come out,” Beanum said. “You don’t have to be as early as me, but the community is great, you feel welcome, you feel part of a family and it’s always a great time.”
The first 100 customers received a commemorative hat and a free voucher for a Cane’s Box Combo menu item. According to Bel Air Town Commissioner Jake Taylor, the prizes for the first 100 customers were gone before 8 a.m.
Before the ribbon-cutting, 20 customers celebrated as their winning raffle tickets during the “Lucky 20” drawing that awarded free Raising Cane’s for a year.
“I can see a lot of excitement,” said Bel Air Mayor Paula Etting, noting the eager crowd of customers. “I think you guys are going to do well here. We are thrilled to have you.”
In return, Raising Cane’s donated $1,000 to the Harford County Humane Society, and $500 to the Brandon Tolson Foundation, a local organization dedicated to supporting families who have experienced the loss of a child.
Have a news tip? Contact Matt Hubbard at mhubbard@baltsun.com, 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.
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