'Definitely worth the wait': 150 line up for Raising Cane's chicken in Batavia

Despite falling snow and chilly, wet conditions, about 150 people waited in a line wrapping around the new Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers restaurant in Batavia for its grand opening Thursday.

The Batavia High School drum line and dance team kept people entertained, as did visits from local sports mascots Ozzie the Cougar, Staley from the Chicago Bears and Rusty from the Chicago Steel. A prize tent doled out swag.

Billy Chism of Somonauk was the first person in line, arriving at 5:30 a.m. Bundled up in warm gear that included a Raising Cane's scarf that he won on a prize wheel, Chism didn't mind the weather.

“I'm just excited about it being here. It's delicious,” Chism said. “Definitely worth the wait.”

Kyle Rorie of Aurora was among the “Lucky 20” who won free Cane's for a year. Rorie said he was encouraged by a friend from Texas to try out the restaurant and visited the location in Naperville. “We were instantly hooked.”

After acknowledgments and a ribbon cutting inside with GM Joe Ross and Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke, the restaurant let in its first 100 guests — each received a free T-shirt with the purchase of a combo meal and free box meal on their next visit.

Beau Cunningham, a senior at Batavia High School, was among the first to enter. He was also a “Lucky 20” winner earlier and said his mom had called the school to tell them he'd be absent today. His excuse: “She flat out told them the truth,” he said.