If you’re outside of Honolulu, you may be unaware of the chicken fight soon to arrive at a neighborhood near you.
December marked the arrival of two fast-food chicken outlets, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers from Louisiana, and ChiChop from Taiwan. Raising Cane’s specializes in white meat, jumbo chicken strips with Creole remoulade, fries and lemonade, while ChiChop’s claim to fame is the “cheers cut” — breaded, flattened and monster-size Samurai and Ninja crispy cutlets — flavored with five spice in the breading.
With about 400 storefronts nationwide, Raising Cane’s opened at the corner of King Street and University Avenue.
ChiChop, which launched in Taiwan in 2006, started its international expansion in 2015 and arrived in New York and Florida before finding its way to Ala Moana Center’s Makai Market Food Court.
Both are looking beyond these single locations. Raising Cane’s plans at least six more Hawaii restaurants within the next two years, with Mililani and Hawaii Kai expected in 2019. ChiChop has similar plans, with the next store likely to be in Waikiki before expanding to ’burbs.
Soon to enter the fray will be Georgia-based Chick-Fil-A, known for its fillet sandwiches.
Why chicken? Why now? It seems the perfect food for this generation, fast and easy for people on the go, filling and offered at a price people like. The amount of fried chicken on American restaurant menus has grown 21 percent since 2015, compared with a 9 percent increase for burgers, according to the market research company Mintel.
What’s more, the arrival of these companies has drawn industry attention and if successful, will likely draw more mainland-based chains in coming years.
