PHOTOS BY SEAN COLLIER

Ordinarily, I would scoff at the notion of waiting in line for chicken tenders. Breaded strips of boneless poultry are one of the most ubiquitous foodstuffs in the country, after all; they’re available anywhere that has a freezer and an oven.

So why, this weekend, was I waiting in line (in a light rain, no less) for a box of chicken and fries?

Because Raising Cane’s has finally appeared in the Pittsburgh market.

I learned about the fast food chain on reputation; my brother spoke reverently of their perfect meat, simple sides and delectable sauce. Whenever he was traveling in the vicinity of a Raising Cane’s location — Columbus, say, or certain corners of Indiana — he would gladly drive an hour out of his way for a box.

So, in early 2022, I did just that. I was headed for St. Louis and started searched for Raising Cane’s locations sometime after I hit the Indiana border. I found one in Lafayette — a serious diversion from my route, but when else would I have an excuse to see the Purdue campus?

On arriving, I came to understand why Raising Cane’s had inspired such devotion: It’s simply the best of its kind. The chicken, indeed, soars high above the level set by its competitors, flavorful and tender without a hint of greasiness. The simplicity of the menu — you can get a sandwich if you must, but you’re almost certainly going to want a box containing chicken, some Texas toast, fries and maybe coleslaw — is refreshingly direct. And the sauce, the crowning achievement, is irresistible; there’s nothing you won’t want to dip in it.

Is it the best chicken I’ve ever tasted? Maybe not. But is it the best fast food chicken I’ve ever tasted? Easily. By a country mile.

The first Pittsburgh-area location opened last week on Fifth Avenue in Oakland. The first time I tried to go, I saw a line stretching down the block and gave up, more than a bit broken-hearted. On a return visit the next afternoon, there was still a bit of a line, but there was also a party atmosphere inside, as students and snack lovers posed for selfies next to well-sourced Pitt memorabilia and nodded their heads to an upbeat soundtrack.

The only downside to the current situation is that the first Raising Cane’s location is much more suited for those already in the neighborhood than visitors; there’s no drive-through lane or parking lot, so you’ll be searching for a hard-to-find street spot when you get a chicken craving. If my experience is any indication, it’s not an in-and-out commitment, either; even with the milder line on my visit, I waited about half an hour. (This will likely drop a bit as the novelty wears off, but I imagine it’ll always be hopping around meal times.)

There are plenty of places to get chicken in Pittsburgh, and yes, many are local businesses worthy of your support; make sure you’re patronizing them, not just hitting national chains. But, for the moment at least, Raising Cane’s is an event. It’s a chain that lives up to the hype, arriving in town for the first time.

If nothing else, this makes a certain other fast food chicken brand — you know, the red-and-white one with the cow mascots — completely obsolete. While that chain, with its cutesy spelling and Sunday closures, has its devotees, anyone who believes the chicken is as good as the product available at Raising Cane’s is simply mistaken.

Purveyors of that lesser tender can at least rest assured that suburban Pittsburghers are unlikely to venture all the way to Oakland, and deal with parking, for clearly superior chicken. At least those misguided souls who prefer inferior fingers have that on their side.

What’s that? Raising Cane’s locations are set to open soon in North Versailles and Bridgeville, with more on the way in ’24?

Looks like we never need to eat a “Fil-A” again.