The Cherry Hill Chicken Wars have begun on Route 70! Preliminary site work and curbing has started for a new (relocated) Chick-fil-A, and a half mile away construction fencing has gone up and a backhoe is on site where South Jersey’s first Raising Cane’s is being developed.
We had previously reported on both of these restaurant locations (Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane’s), and it’s interesting that the development of both new buildings are taking place at almost exactly the same time.
Coincidence… Or is it?
Well there is likely some connection to the timing of the construction. Read on for more.
Chick-Fil-A and Raising Cane’s
As a quick refresher. both eateries are fast food restaurants focused on delicious chicken items with secret recipes and sauces.
I’d imagine everyone in South Jersey is familiar with Chick-fil-A and their signature chicken sandwiches, as well as the frequent long lines of customers waiting at the drive-thru.
Raising Cane’s is new to the Philadelphia area but in other parts of the country they have a similar cult like following for their delicious chicken.
There are several “Cane’s” locations approved and planned for South Jersey but none have opened yet. (Cherry Hill, Deptford, Washington Township, Washington Township, Glassboro, Marlton)
For Raising Cane’s their signature chicken item is chicken fingers!
The Chicken Dance
Chick-fil-A currently has an operating restaurant at the Garden State Park shopping center on Route 70, which offers a variety of stores including Wegmans.
The current Chick-fil-A location is attached to a larger building of several stores, and does not have a drive-thru.
Drive-Thrus have become a very important part of the Chick-fil-A business model. The company has reported that drive-thru sales volume regularly outpaces sales of in-store dining.
To rectify the lack of a drive-thru at this location, Chick-fil-A is building a brand new freestanding building at the Garden State Pavilions shopping center just a 1/2 mile to the West where a Friendly’s restaurant used to stand.
Normally this would be seen as a decent loss for the Garden State park shopping center, as Chick-fil-A does draw a fair amount of traffic and shoppers into the complex.
But in the Cherry Hill Chicken Wars… all is fair in love, war and chicken!
To counter the loss of the Chick-fil-A, the Garden State Park center signed on Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers restaurant to join the popular shopping center.
That alone is a nice, interesting twist… swapping out one popular chicken restaurant for another.
But add to that the Raising Cane’s is literally being developed directly next to the current Chick-fil-A. I’m talking like 40-50 feet away.
The new Raising Cane’s will be developed in a parking lot area between the current Chick-fil-A and the next set of buildings which has a Vitamin Shoppe as the end cap store.
interestingly the Raising Cane’s is being developed with its own drive-thru!
So while Chick-fil-A chose to move to another complex to support their drive-thru needs, Raising Cane’s was able to make their new building with drive-thru work within the Garden State park complex.
Chicken or the Egg Chicken
What I don’t know is which aspect of this came first.
Likely I would assume that Chick-fil-A first made the move to exit it’s existing location (without a drive-thru) and develop 1/2 mile away. And then the Garden State park leasing team was able to quickly fill that void with Raising Cane’s.
But Raising Cane’s is pushing hard with new locations in South Jersey, so who knows how that really played out!
But we do know that Chick-fil-A has a front row seat to watching it’s newest area competitor get developed directly next store.
Speaking of Raising Cane’s if you’re unfamiliar with them, last year I did drive over to Philadelphia to try them out and I’ve shared that experience. To read more check out this article from when we broke the story on raising canes coming to Cherry Hill.
Links and Location
Raising Cane’s Cherry Hill – (Planned, Not Open)
Market Place at GSP
Rt 70 and Haddonfield Rd
Cherry Hill NJ
Raising Cane’s Corp Website
Raising Cane’s Corp Facebook
Chick-fil-A (Cherry Hill New Location Not Open)