Todd Graves (entrepreneur)

Todd Graves
Graves and his dog, Raising Cane II
Born	Todd Bartlett Graves 1972 (age 52–53) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Education	University of Georgia (BA)
Occupation(s)	Businessman, restaurateur
Office	Co-founder and CEO of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers [1]
Spouse	Gwen Drain Graves
Children	2

Todd Bartlett Graves (born 1972) is an American businessman and co-founder ^[1] of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, a fast food restaurant specializing in fried chicken finger meals.

As of April 2025, Forbes estimated his net worth is at $17.2 billion, making him the 116th wealthiest person in the world. He ranked #107 on the 2024 Forbes 400 List of richest Americans. ^[2]

Early life

Graves was born in New Orleans, and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Graves graduated from Episcopal School of Baton Rouge. ^[3] He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia. ^[2]

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. ^[1]

Graves opened Raising Cane's near the North Gates of Louisiana State University on Highland Road in 1996. ^[1] By 2022, the company expanded to more than 600 restaurants in the U.S. and the Middle East. ^{[4] [5]}

The restaurants are named after Raising Cane I, Graves' dog at the time of founding the first restaurant. They are headquartered in Baton Rouge. ^[1]

Personal life

In 2000, Graves married Gwen Drain, a McDonald's franchisee, who he had known since high school. ^{[6] [7]} They have two daughters 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. Sayre, Alan (June 12, 2007). "Finger joint beat the odds on fish turf". Atlanta Constitution. pp. D3. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
2. "Forbes profile: Todd Graves". Forbes. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
3. "Episcopal School of Baton Rouge holds groundbreaking for field house". June 27, 2018.
4. "A return to growth". July 5, 2022.
5. "Raising Cane's in downtown East Lansing is on the way. Here's where the project stands".
6. KASHYAP, HANIKA (October 18, 2024). "Who is Todd Graves' wife? 'Shark Tank' guest judge's love story is the sweetest". Meaww.com. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
7. "The Key Magazine Fall 2008 Page 45". thekey.kappa.org. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
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.