Todd Graves, cofounder and CEO of Raising Cane’s, turned a single Baton Rouge chicken-finger shop into one of America’s fastest-growing restaurant brands by doing one thing exceptionally well. Since opening the first location in 1996, Graves has built Raising Cane’s into a national powerhouse with a tightly focused menu, founder-led culture, and a marketing strategy that blends celebrity partnerships with cult-like customer loyalty. Known for relentless operational simplicity and brand discipline, he has become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in modern quick-service dining.

Peter Cancro, founder and chairman of Jersey Mike’s, built one of America’s fastest-growing restaurant chains by turning a single New Jersey sandwich shop he bought at 17 into a national franchising powerhouse. Over five decades, he expanded the brand through a simple model centered on fresh-sliced subs, operator loyalty, and strong local-store economics, helping Jersey Mike’s surpass 3,000 locations. After Blackstone’s 2024 acquisition of the company at an $8 billion valuation, Cancro stepped down as CEO in 2025 but remained chairman and a significant shareholder, continuing to shape the brand’s long-term growth.