Todd Bartlett Graves (born 1972) is an American businessman and co-founder of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, a fast food restaurant specializing in fried chicken finger meals. As of November 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth is at $9.5 billion, making him the 274th wealthiest person in the world. He ranked #107 on the 2024 Forbes 400 List of richest Americans.

Early life

Graves was born in New Orleans, and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Graves graduated from Episcopal High School in Baton Rouge. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University Of Georgia.

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

Graves and long-time friend Craig Silvey used Silvey's business plan course at LSU to create their business plan. Graves opened Raising Cane's near the North Gates of Louisiana State University on Highland Road in 1996. By 2022, the company expanded to more than 600 restaurants in the U.S. and the Middle East. The restaurants are named after Raising Cane I, Graves' dog at the time of founding the first restaurant. They are headquartered in Baton Rouge.

Personal life

In 2000, Graves married Gwen Drain, a McDonald's franchisee, who he had known since high school. They have two daughters and reside in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with their yellow Labrador, Raising Cane III.

Collections

An avid collector, Graves has loaned a 66-million-year-old triceratops skull to the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum. He has also loaned the hearse that carried Martin Luther King, Jr. to exhibits across the country.