Raising Cane’s is a popular fast food chicken finger restaurant chain known for its limited menu of chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, and Cane’s sauce. With food allergies on the rise, especially peanut allergies which can be life-threatening, it’s important for customers to know whether Raising Cane’s uses peanut oil for frying or cooking.
Does Raising Cane’s Use Peanut Oil for Frying?
The good news is that Raising Cane’s does not use peanut oil for frying their chicken fingers or crinkle-cut fries. According to their website, Raising Cane’s uses a proprietary blend of canola and sunflower oil for all their frying. This oil blend is peanut-free, so customers with peanut allergies can enjoy Raising Cane’s chicken fingers without worry.
On their website’s allergen information page, Raising Cane’s states: “Our restaurants do not use peanut oil in our fryers. We use a proprietary blend of canola and sunflower oil.” They go on to say that their kitchens take every precaution to prevent cross-contact with peanut oil, though their food is prepared in shared fryers.
Raising Cane’s preference for canola and sunflower oil makes sense, as these oils have high smoke points, making them ideal for frying foods crispy and golden brown without burning. Peanut oil can also achieve high frying temperatures, but since peanuts are one of the top food allergens, most quick-service restaurants avoid using peanut oil today.
Does Raising Cane’s Prepare Other Menu Items with Peanut Oil?
Besides frying, Raising Cane’s does not cook any of their menu items in peanut oil. Their chicken fingers, fries, Texas toast, and coleslaw are all peanut-free based on the frying oil and ingredients used.
The one exception is Raising Cane’sChicken Cane’s signature Cane’s Sauce. While the sauce does not contain peanut oil, it does contain both soybean oil and peanut allergens according to Raising Cane’s website. The restaurant chain states that the peanut allergen in Cane’s Sauce comes from natural flavors.
So those with peanut allergies can enjoy Raising Cane’s chicken fingers, fries, toast, and coleslaw safely, but they will need to avoid the Cane’s Sauce, which contains peanut allergens from natural flavors. Raising Cane’s restaurants do not offer any alternative signature sauce options.
Does Raising Cane’s Have Procedures to Avoid Peanut Cross-Contact?
Since Raising Cane’s fries all their food in shared peanut-free fryers, they do have procedures in place to avoid cross-contact with peanut oil and peanuts:
- All fryers use peanut-free canola/sunflower oil only
- Fryers are filtered regularly to remove food debris
- Fry baskets are shaken off above the fryer before cooking to avoid oil drips
- Fryers are cleaned thoroughly each day including removing and replacing oil
- Oil is tested to ensure quality and purity with no peanut contamination
Their website also states: “Every restaurant team member is trained to change gloves between preparing different menu items to avoid cross-contamination.”
Despite these precautions, Raising Cane’s cannot guarantee a 100% peanut-free environment or prevent trace amounts of peanut from inadvertently coming in contact with food during preparation. So those with severe peanut allergies are advised to exercise caution.
Can You Request Peanut-Free Preparation at Raising Cane’s?
On their website and allergen information page, Raising Cane’s states that guests are welcome to ask about additional peanut precautions when ordering in-restaurant. However, they advise that they cannot guarantee peanut-free preparation.
Some options for guests with peanut allergies include:
- Asking for chicken fingers and fries from fresh oil that has just been filtered or replaced
- Making it clear to the cashier you have a peanut allergy so they can take extra care
- Avoiding Cane’s Sauce, where the peanut allergen is present
- Only consuming food in its original packaging to prevent cross-contact
Raising Cane’s does not offer a designated peanut-free fryer or prep area at this time. Guests with very severe peanut allergies may want to avoid eating at Raising Cane’s just to be safe, given the shared equipment.
What About Other Allergens Besides Peanuts?
In addition to being peanut-free for frying, Raising Cane’s uses non-GMO canola and sunflower oil. Their oil does not contain corn, soy, or other major allergen ingredients besides canola.
Raising Cane’s chicken fingers are breaded with a simple mixture of wheat flour, salt, pepper, and spices. The flour bun for the Texas toast is also wheat-based. So those with wheat allergies will need to avoid these menu items.
The coleslaw is made fresh in each restaurant with cabbageshreds, carrots, and Raising Cane’s coleslaw dressing. The dressing contains soybean oil, eggs, and milk, so those with soy, egg, or dairy/milk allergies should also steer clear of the coleslaw.
Be sure to review Raising Cane’s allergen information online for details on which menu items contain which major allergens like wheat, eggs, dairy, soy, fish, shellfish, and tree nuts.
Does Raising Cane’s Have Allergy-Friendly Menu Options?
Those with food allergies will find it challenging to order allergy-friendly options off the Raising Cane’s menu. Since the menu is extremely limited and focused on chicken fingers, fries, toast, slaw, and sauce, alternatives are sparse.
Some options include:
- 3 Piece Chicken Fingers & Fries Box – Avoid slaw and sauce. Request peanut precautions.
- 6 Piece Chicken Fingers A La Carte – Avoid slaw, toast, and sauce. Request peanut precautions.
- French Fries – Avoid slaw and sauce. Request peanut precautions.
Those with peanut, wheat, egg, dairy or soy allergies don’t have many choices. Raising Cane’s is best avoided by those with multiple food intolerances or allergies due to the high risk of cross-contact.
Does Raising Cane’s Offer Allergen Info and Nutrition Facts?
Yes, Raising Cane’s offers complete allergen and nutrition information for all menu items both online and in-restaurant. Guests can view their allergen info here.
The nutrition facts and ingredients for everyRaising Cane’s menu item are also available on their website. Calorie counts, fat, sodium, carbs, sugar, protein, and more are listed.
Raising Cane’s provides this helpful nutritional resource so guests, especially those with food allergies or diet restrictions, can make informed choices. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask your Raising Cane’s cashier or restaurant manager for the most up-to-date allergen and nutrition info as well.
Conclusion
In summary, Raising Cane’s fries all their fresh chicken fingers and crinkle-cut fries in a proprietary peanut-free blend of canola and sunflower oil. Their food prep procedures also help avoid cross-contact with peanuts. But guests with severe peanut allergies are still advised to exercise caution given the shared equipment.
While their frying oil is peanut-free, Raising Cane’s signature Cane’s Sauce does contain peanut allergens from included natural flavors. Those with peanut allergies will want to avoid the Cane’s Sauce.
In general, Raising Cane’s menu options are limited for those with multiple food allergies. But people with peanut allergies can enjoy their chicken fingers, fries, and toast as long as they request peanut precautions and avoid the Cane’s Sauce.
Always review Raising Cane’s published allergen information and nutrition facts online or request it from your cashier. Being informed about ingredients and preparation procedures is key for anyone with food allergies dining at quick-service restaurants like Raising Cane’s.