Raising Cane’s is known for its small, focused menu<\/a> of hand-battered, cooked-to-order fried chicken fingers and signature Cane’s sauce \u2014 a secret recipe known only to its managers. Its combo meals \u2014 available with two, three, four, or six chicken fingers \u2014 come with crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, and coleslaw made in-house daily. A chicken sandwich \u2014 made with three chicken fingers \u2014 is also available.<\/p>\n Social media is abuzz with speculation about when the Mandarin and Southside restaurants will open. Both took over former Pollo Tropical sites.<\/p>\n More restaurant news: Sign up for Dining Notes, our free weekly newsletter for the latest restaurant news in Jacksonville<\/a><\/p>\n Raising Cane’s new Jacksonville restaurant, pictured Oct. 17, 2026, is nearing completion at 10989 San Jose Blvd. in the Walmart-anchored Mandarin Corners shopping center in Mandarin. It will join the first location at 8308 Merchants Way in Oakleaf Station.\u00a0A third is under construction at 4863 Gate Parkway in The Markets at Town Center.<\/p>\n When is Raising Cane’s aiming to open its new Jacksonville restaurants? Raising Cane’s Box Combo, with chicken fingers, crinkle fries, coleslaw, bread and beverage.<\/p>\n Pollo Tropical<\/a> vacated the spots when the Miami-based chain abruptly closed its last three Jacksonville locations in February 2025.<\/p>\n A Raising Cane’s representative told the Times-Union that the specific opening dates haven’t been finalized, but both new locations are getting close.<\/p>\n Built from the ground up, the Mandarin Corners restaurant is slated to open in early 2027.<\/p>\n The old Pollo Tropical was torn down to clear the way for the planned 2,770-square-foot Raising Cane’s near the main entrance to the shopping center. Demolition of the old building was estimated at $50,000, according to a June 2 city building permit.<\/p>\n Estimated at $1.65 million, construction of the new restaurant included a drive-thru, outdoor patio seating, free-standing drive-thru canopy, and dumpster enclosure, a May 29 building permit showed.<\/p>\n On the menu: 5 Jacksonville-area restaurants open, 6 permanently close in September<\/a><\/p>\n On the Southside, Raising Cane’s plans to open a nearly 3,000-square-foot restaurant “in late November or early December” at The Markets at Town Center, the representative said.<\/p>\n The restaurant will have an outdoor covered patio with a seating area, a drive-thru lane and a drive-thru canopy.<\/p>\n There, Raising Cane’s is renovating the former Pollo Tropical restaurant, which is next door to competitor Zaxbys. That buildout is estimated at $1.65 million, according to a May 20 city building permit.<\/p>\n Potential 4th Jacksonville site?<\/p>\n Raising Cane’s has been exploring a potential fourth location at 9501 Arlington Expressway on an outparcel at the former Regency Square Mall property, according to a JEA service availability request.<\/p>\n A Raising Cane’s representative previously told the Times-Union that the restaurant chain is looking at the Regency site, “but cannot confirm anything at this time.”<\/p>\n The availability request showed a proposed 2,786-square-foot restaurant with 75 seats and a two-lane drive-thru on the east side of the mall’s main entrance off Atlantic Boulevard.<\/p>\n Founded in 1996, Raising Cane’s is one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in the nation. It has more than 1,000 restaurants in 43 states, according to the company’s LinkedIn profile.<\/p>\n 26 restaurants are in the works in Jacksonville in 2026. See the list<\/p>\n 1 of 26<\/p>\n Asado Life Asado Life, a popular live-fire grilling restaurant established in St. Augustine three years ago, is coming to downtown Jacksonville. The concept from Nick Carrera is slated to join the\u00a0Shipyards project\u00a0under construction across from EverBank Stadium, Jaguars team owner Shad Khan\u2019s Iguana Investments announced in September. The 140-seat, full-service restaurant with indoor and patio dining will be part of the development\u2019s marina support building located on the Northbank Riverwalk just west of the\u00a0Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Jacksonville\u00a0and south of a nearby office building, both taking shape at the site.\u00a0Diners can expect chef-cut steaks ranging from an 8-ounce Hanger to a 36-ounce Porterhouse; fresh catch seafood; grilled vegetables and more, all prepared on a parilla, a traditional Argentinian barbecue grill. | Read more<\/a><\/p>\n (Provided by Iguana Investments)<\/p>\n Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.<\/p>\n If you’re a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber<\/a> to get the latest dining coverage.<\/p>\n![\"Raising](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/the-florida-times-union\/fa3c75ad8bce836bbced307eda14f11d.jpg\"\/)
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Jacksonville Shipyards, downtown Jacksonville waterfront, asadolife.com<\/a><\/p>\n