Raising Cane's Exploring New Loudoun Location

Popular chicken finger chain eyes former TGIFridays site at Leesburg Premium Outlets

Apr. 7, 2026 at 7:34pm

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a stack of golden-fried chicken tenders, a side of crispy french fries, and a glass of iced tea, conceptually representing the premium quality and corporate strategy behind Raising Cane's expansion into Leesburg.The potential new Raising Cane's location in Leesburg would bring the popular chicken finger chain's signature menu items to another Loudoun County community.Sterling Today

Raising Cane's, the popular chicken finger restaurant chain, is considering opening a new location in Leesburg, Virginia, according to documents filed with the Town of Leesburg. The company is interested in demolishing the former TGIFridays building at the Leesburg Premium Outlets and constructing a new Raising Cane's restaurant with a drive-thru lane.

Why it matters

The potential new Raising Cane's location would be the second for the brand in Loudoun County, following the opening of a Sterling location in 2022. Raising Cane's has been steadily expanding across Northern Virginia, and the Leesburg site could provide the company with a prime spot near a major retail outlet mall.

The details

According to the documents, Raising Cane's is seeking to get the necessary zoning approvals to allow for a drive-thru at the former TGIFridays location. This is not the first time plans have been submitted for the site, as a Chili's Grill & Bar was previously proposed in 2024 but never materialized.

  • In 2022, Raising Cane's opened its first Loudoun County location in Sterling.
  • In 2024, plans were submitted to the Town of Leesburg to build a Chili's Grill & Bar at the former TGIFridays site, but those plans never came to fruition.
  • In 2026, Raising Cane's has filed documents with the Town of Leesburg to demolish the former TGIFridays building and construct a new Raising Cane's restaurant with a drive-thru.

The players

Raising Cane's

A popular fast-casual restaurant chain that specializes in chicken fingers, chicken sandwiches, and krinkle cut French fries. Raising Cane's has over 900 locations worldwide and has been expanding across Northern Virginia.

Leesburg Premium Outlets

A major retail outlet mall located in Leesburg, Virginia, which previously housed a TGIFridays restaurant that has since closed.

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What’s next

The next step in the process is for Raising Cane's to receive the necessary zoning approvals from the Town of Leesburg to allow for a drive-thru at the former TGIFridays site. If approved, the company could then move forward with demolishing the existing building and constructing a new Raising Cane's location.

The takeaway

Raising Cane's continued expansion into Loudoun County, with a potential new location at the Leesburg Premium Outlets, demonstrates the brand's growing popularity and desire to establish a stronger presence in Northern Virginia's thriving suburban communities.