Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers 2 with John Early

"Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers 2 with John Early" is Episode 357 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell. "Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers 2 with John Early" was released on July 7, 2022.

## Synopsis

John Early (*Search Party*, *Would It Kill You to Laugh?*) joins the 'boys to discuss recovery foods and favorite sauces before a review of Raising Cane's. Plus, a brand new segment, Ruin My Day.

## Nick's intro

The 2018 U.S. midterm elections saw the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives, running on a platform of opposition to Trump and not much else. Though short of the predicted blue wave, it did usher in a new class of Democratic lawmakers — including first-term Congressman Chris Pappas of New Hampshire.

And Pappas had the platform for his political ascendance largely because he descends from New England restaurant royalty: his great-grandfather was Arthur Pappas, a Greek-American immigrant who co-founded Puritan Confectionary Company in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1917. Decades later, in 1974, the shop added a restaurant, the Puritan Backroom, and debuted its signature dish: a chicken breast sliced, breaded, and deep-fried. Known alternately as strips, fingers, tenders, or tendies, the textured protein logs became a staple at diners, bars, and fast-food outlets.

By 1996, chicken tenders were ubiquitous enough that a concept based entirely around the dish launched near the campus of LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The chain — which opts to call them chicken fingers — was an instant hit in the Pelican State, and in the 2010s grew into a national sensation, expanding to over 600 locations known for their traffic-altering drive-through lines (though the eatery has yet to dare expansion into the Mecca of tendies, Manchester itself).

As the 2022 midterm elections loom in November, the struggling economy and lack of Democratic legislative action point toward a possible defeat for Pappas, who’s done little notable in Congress besides vote against marijuana legalization. But since he, like most of Congress in both parties, comes from money, he can always fall back on the Puritan Backroom, the chicken-tender inventor he co-owns. Because as the popularity of the Louisiana chain shows, tendies will always be a hit in states red and blue.

This week on *Doughboys*… we return to Raising Cane’s.

## Fork rating

The first time the Doughboys reviewed Raising Cane's was in April 2021 (episode 296). Their ratings were all over the place: Mitch gave it a full 5 forks, Nick didn't rate it because he wasn't eating chicken at the time (and let Emma rate it 5), and Matt Selman also kept it out of the Golden Plate Club.

* The Box Combo
* The Sandwich
 Mike Mitchell
* Sweet Tea
* The Box Combo
* The Sandwich
 John Early
* The Box Combo
* The Sandwich

In giving his score for Raising Cane's, Nick also adjusts his prior score for Dave's Hot Chicken from episode 353.

With the 3-4-5 scores, they declare themselves the **Podium Pals** or **Stepladder Lads** (or something).

## Ruin My Day 😃🙁

This is the debut of a segment in which Mitch and the guest are given a bad scenario and they have to determine if it would ruin the other person's day or not.

They don't really keep score or anything, but I have added it here.

## Feedbag

* hot sauce
 Mike Mitchell
* Cheez-Its and Doritos
 John Early
* Szechuan Chinese food
* Babybel cheese and veiny pickles
* *Redbook*

## Photos

The Box ComboChicken FingerColeslawLemonadeOne LoveElvis and Ice-T and Iced Tea