Todd Graves | |
|---|---|
 Todd Graves (left) at Eat Las Vegas | |
| Born | Todd Bartlett Graves 1972 (age 53–54) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Education | University of Georgia (BA) |
| Office | Co-founder and CEO of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers[1] |
| Spouse | Gwen Drain |
| Children | 2 |
Todd Bartlett Graves (born February 20, 1972) is an American businessman and co-founder of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, a fast food restaurant chain specializing in fried chicken finger meals.[1]
Early life
Graves was born in New Orleans and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He graduated from Episcopal School of Baton Rouge.[2] Graves earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia.[3]
Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
In 1996, Graves opened Raising Cane's near the North Gates of Louisiana State University on Highland Road.[1] Graves has attributed the company's business plan to the content of a course at LSU.[1]
The restaurants are named after Raising Cane I, Graves' dog at the time of founding the first restaurant. The company is headquartered in Baton Rouge.[1] As of 2025, the company operated nearly 1000 restaurants in the U.S.[4][5]
Graves ranked in the 46th position on the 2025 Forbes 400 List of richest Americans.[6] The next year, Forbes estimated Graves' net worth at $20 billion, making him the 137th wealthiest person in the world at the time.[3]
Personal life
In 2000, Graves married Gwen Drain, a McDonald's franchisee, whom he had known since high school.[7][8] They have two daughters and reside in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with their yellow Labrador, Raising Cane III.[9]
Collections
An avid collector, Graves has loaned a 66-million-year-old triceratops skull to the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum.[10] He has also loaned the hearse that carried Martin Luther King Jr. to exhibits across the country.[11]
References
- Sayre, Alan (June 12, 2007). "Finger joint beat the odds on fish turf". Atlanta Constitution. pp. D3. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- "Episcopal School of Baton Rouge holds groundbreaking for field house". June 27, 2018.
- "Forbes profile: Todd Graves". Forbes. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
- "Todd Graves". Forbes. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
- Airgood, Bryce. "Raising Cane's in downtown East Lansing is on the way. Here's where the project stands". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
- "Forbes 400 - The Definitive Ranking Of America's Richest People 2025". Forbes. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
- 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.
- "The Key Magazine Fall 2008 Page 45". thekey.kappa.org. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
- "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.
- Miller, Robin (February 29, 2016). "There's a 66 million-year-old triceratops in Baton Rouge". The Advocate.
- Miller, Robin (January 14, 2019). "Hearse that carried the body of Martin Luther King Jr. comes to Baton Rouge". The Advocate.