Raising Cane's founder Todd Graves has spoken about the viral dunk tank stunt at Fanatics Fest in New York, in which NFL legend Tom Brady dunked former teammate Rob Gronkowski into a tank filled with the chicken chain's signature sauce. The moment, staged at the fast-food brand's activation on the opening day of the fan convention, quickly went viral, underscoring how celebrity-driven stunts can generate huge buzz at large sports and entertainment gatherings.

The stunt took place at the Javits Center on Thursday, the first day of the four-day Fanatics Fest, which organisers expect to draw around 200,000 attendees this year, reflecting its rapid growth since 2022. The dunk tank was filled with roughly 500 gallons of Raising Cane's sauce, and Brady, known for his pinpoint throwing accuracy, used it to soak his former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers team-mate Gronkowski in front of the crowd. The event also drew other major sports stars, including Serena Williams, David Beckham and LeBron James.