Riding high from the Dodgers’ World Series triumph, the clutch-hitting catcher joined Raising Cane’s to serve Craveable Chicken Finger Meals® to Fans and Receive a $100,000 Check from Owner and Founder Todd Graves for his Foundation Catching Hope. (Cover Photo Credit: Raising Cane’s)
LOS ANGELES (Nov. 5, 2025) – Where there’s a Will (Smith), there’s a way! Saturday night, the Dodgers defeated the Blue Jays 5-4 in a winner-take-all Game 7 to secure back-to-back World Series titles, becoming the first team to do in 25 years. At the helm was Dodgers catcher, three-time All-Star and three-time World Series champ Will Smith, who scored a game-winning home run in the 11th inning to secure the Dodgers’ ninth World Series title and Smith’s third.
To continue the World Series excitement and celebration, hundreds of fans chanting, “Let’s Go Dodgers!” gathered at Raising Cane’s new Restaurant on Sunset Boulevard today to celebrate the Dodgers’ World Series win with Smith and Raising Cane’s owner and founder Todd Graves and his daughter Sophia Graves. During his “shift,” Smith greeted Customers and fans; took selfies and signed autographs including baseballs, jerseys, shirts, hats and posters; and learned the ropes of Fry Cook & Cashier from the legend himself. Graves showed Smith how to bag orders, fill drinks, take orders from the Drive-Thru, make Chicken Fingers, butter toast, and more.
After the “shift,” the duo took the stage to greet cheering fans chanting “Three-Peat!” Todd Graves then presented Will Smith with a $100,000 donation to his Catching Hope Foundation, which empowers under-resourced youth through leadership, literacy, and fitness programs.
“I grew up loving Cane’s, I love their chicken, their sauce, I love the Cane’s Toast too so I’m excited to be here.” said Smith. “It’s fun celebrating with all of these people and seeing what the Dodgers mean to them. It only adds motivation for the off-season and going into next year.”
Smith joined the lineup of Dodgers greats including Clayton Kershaw, Mookie Betts, and Kiké Hernández, who’ve all worked celebratory “shifts” at Raising Cane’s. Kershaw kicked things off in Dallas in 2022 and Betts served fans in LA in April 2024. Most recently, Hernández brought World Series swagger to Cane’s Alhambra after the team’s 2024 title. Today, it was Smith’s turn at bat, serving up some Raising Cane’s ONE LOVE® to Dodgers Nation.
“It was great having three-time World Series champ and three-time All-Star Will Smith out to our new Restaurant in Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. The energy throughout the season has been electric and it was no different today – LA really showed up to celebrate and support Will and the Dodgers on their incredible season. Will’s homer in the 11th inning of Game 7 made MLB history and was a true testament to the role that Will plays on the team and all the hard work he puts in each season,” said Graves. “Giving back to local Communities is very important to me and I love what Will and his wife Cara do for underprivileged youth through Catching Hope, which is why I wanted to present Will with this $100,000 check for Catching Hope today. Will is an incredible athlete and outstanding person, and I’m excited to continue watching him excel both personally and professionally.”
Athletes working celebratory “shifts” is a Raising Cane’s tradition and a way to celebrate championship wins with the fans who make it all possible. From the World Series to the NBA Finals to the Super Bowl, Cane’s teams up with sports’ biggest stars to keep the victory party going. These fan-favorite moments see athletes trade their uniforms for Cane’s Crew gear to serve hot Chicken Fingers, sign autographs and share their championship spirit. For Cane’s, it’s all about hard work, teamwork and ONE LOVE® — on the field and behind the counter.
Today’s event with Smith adds to Cane’s growing Los Angeles presence. Just last week, Graves lit up the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a 2,518-pound jack-o’-lantern celebration, and this week, Cane’s opened its newest Restaurant on Sunset — another big step in its West Coast expansion. With new spots coming soon to Victorville, Canoga Park, and Universal CityWalk, Cane’s is excited to bring even more Californians the Chicken Fingers they crave.
About Raising Cane’s®
Raising Cane’s is one of the fastest-growing Restaurant Brands, with 900+ Restaurants in 40+ states, and plans to open more than 100 new Restaurants across several new markets in 2025. The company recently announced plans to be one of the top 10 Restaurant Brands in the United States and is known for its ONE LOVE® – Craveable Chicken Finger Meals® – which includes the iconic “Cane’s Sauce®” – named the #1 most craveable sauce in the Restaurant industry and most craveable chicken. For more information, visit raisingcanes.com.
