Raising Cane’s to open sixth Las Vegas restaurant in 2013

Raising Cane's chicken fingers will open its sixth restaurant in Southern Nevada early next year on Lake Mead Boulevard and U.S. 95, the privately held company said Tuesday.

"We've signed the lease and we expect to begin construction soon to be able to deliver the restaurant by the end of the first quarter of 2013," said Justin Micatrotto, chief marketing officer of Las Vegas-based Micatrotto Restaurant Group.

Micatrotto said the company is still looking for its first location in Henderson and continues to search for available space to build a restaurant near Nellis Air Force Base.

The Micatrotto Restaurant Group, which owns the franchise rights in Nevada and Arizona, opened its first Las Vegas restaurant in 2006. The company expects to open its third location in Arizona, with its Tempe location expected to go online in the first quarter of 2013.

The restaurant features a limited menu, which makes Raising Cane's different. The menu features five basic items: fresh chicken fingers, crinkle-cut french fries, coleslaw, toast and Cane's dipping sauce.

Micatrotto, along with his brother, Joe; his father, Joe Sr.; and their partner Michael Santos, opened their first restaurants on Charleston and Decatur boulevards six years ago. Raising Cane's was founded in 1996 in Baton Rouge, La.

Raising Cane's has more than 126 locations across 16 states. Each restaurant employs between 40 and 60 full- and part-time workers.

A new report by the National Restaurant Association shows that the industry continues to serve as a leading job creator, outpacing overall employment growth.

In the 12 months ended June 30, employment jumped 2.7 percent, more than double the 1.3 percent increase in total U.S. employment growth. Restaurants added a net 116,000 positions in the first half of 2012.

Micatrotto said the company was looking for other locations in Nevada and Arizona.

"We just took a trip to Reno, but we haven't finalized a site," he said.

Micatrotto said he was in Utah looking at possible sites, but instead decided to concentrate on expansion in the two states where the company already holds the franchise rights. He said Reno and Flagstaff, Ariz., were two of the top markets on the company's expansion list.

Contact reporter Chris Sieroty at csieroty@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.