A Raising Cane’s location in Boston is in hot grease with its landlord, who is allegedly trying to evict the restaurant over the smell of its chicken fingers.
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The popular chicken finger chain filed a lawsuit after its landlord, 755 Boylston LLC, allegedly threatened to evict them last month. The landlord claims the smell of the restaurant’s chicken is drifting into the apartments above it.
“This action arises from (the) defendant’s concoction of specious accusations that Raising Cane’s — a restaurant specializing in chicken fingers — has breached its lease simply because the location it leases and occupies smells like chicken fingers,” a lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court reads, per the Boston Business Journal.
Raising Cane’s Restaurants LLC has sued 755 Boylston LLC, a company linked to Boston-based Heath Properties, in Suffolk Superior Court. The restaurant claims it spent over $200,000 addressing odor concerns raised by the landlord and that its HVAC plans had been approved. Despite this, the landlord allegedly demanded an additional $100,000 for specialized odor-reduction measures.
“Defendant’s own experts have, however, since confirmed that these systems were not necessary to address any purported ‘odor’ issues at the premises,” the lawsuit claims.
According to the complaint, the Raising Cane’s on Boylston Street occupies one floor, while the second floor—previously part of the restaurant—is now an office where the smell of fried chicken is apparently not a welcome perk.
Chicken Fight: Raising Cane’s vs. Landlord Over Smells, Panda Express… and Deboned Drama
Early last month, Raising Cane’s informed its landlord that it would no longer pay to address complaints about the “odor” of its chicken fingers. According to the lawsuit, the landlord served Raising Cane’s an eviction notice one week later.
Raising Cane’s claims its landlord wants them to drop their exclusivity clause to make room for a Panda Express at the former Starbucks site.
Raising Cane’s lease prohibits the landlord from allowing another restaurant selling deboned chicken on the property without their approval. They argue Panda Express is a competitor.
The chicken-finger restaurant moved into the building in 2022 and has a lease until 2037, with an option for a 10-year extension.