Raising Cane’s has expanded north and established a new restaurant in Towson. Mission BBQ recently opened in Hunt Valley. Royal Farms opened in Hereford this school year. Chain restaurants have touched the Northern Baltimore area, leaving many excited to dig into new fast food. 

The newest chain to Baltimore, Raising Cane’s, has drawn a lot of attention from teenagers excited to try the new cuisine. The popular southern chicken shop was named “America’s Fastest-Growing Chicken Brand” by Nation’s Restaurant News. Whether it is the crispy chicken, infamous sauce, or bread, the Baton Rouge based shop is all the craze in Maryland.  

All the excitement and craze came at a cost. For the grand premiere of Raising Canes in Towson, MD on Jan. 12, the line to get chicken was hours long. This did not hinder those eager to try a taste. Vinny Mendel (‘23), was one of those determined to attain the product. Mendel, a former Chick-fil-A employee, wanted to see which chicken restaurant was superior. 

“Despite the line being wrapped around the block, once you entered the restaurant, everything was organized, and orders came out quickly,” Mendel said.  

The fast-food chain trend of recent years has had unexpected consequences. Studies have shown that students who primarily eat fast food have lower test scores. Fast food often lacks important nutrients that aid students in school such as protein, carbohydrates, and iron. Fast food also has an excess of saturated fats and salts which have proven to hurt students’ learning.  

On the other hand, new chains have provided students with job opportunities. Ben Brosnan (‘24) works at the new Royal Farms in Hereford. He does all kinds of work, making him a jack of all trades. 

“I do cashier work, I do cooking, I clean, I stock, I make sandwiches,” Brosnan said. “I think it is important to have a wide knowledge of different areas.” 

Working in chain restaurants is very different than family-owned or smaller restaurants. Brayden Hicks (‘24), a Mission BBQ employee, has worked at both a chain and a family-owned restaurant. Mission BBQ attracted Hicks because he loves the food and its community. 

“The chain has a different environment with management, it’s much more organized,” Hicks said.  

Based on trends in recent years, expect more fast food places to expand into the Baltimore County area.