Sal Afridi Bets Big on Layne’s With West Fort Worth Launch and Oklahoma Expansion Ahead

Sal Afridi’s path to franchising wasn’t a straight line — it was built on a foundation of entrepreneurship, resilience and a sharp eye for opportunity. After earning a double major in accounting and finance, a master’s degree and a CPA certification, Afridi entered the workforce during the 2008 economic downturn. Years later, with experience in startups and private investment under his belt, he shifted gears toward a more stable and scalable model: franchising.

“Before franchising, we were investing in startups,” Afridi said. “That’s actually what got us interested in franchising — we wanted to be involved in something with brand recognition.” He said the appeal of franchising came down to three key advantages: existing brand equity, operational systems and support. “On the startup side, we were creating everything from scratch. With a franchise, there’s already a system in place — it’s plug and play.”

Afridi found all of that — and more — with Layne’s and its Soon to be Famous™ chicken fingers. The brand’s Texas roots, Dallas-based leadership and loyal following in the DFW area made it a natural fit. He was also impressed by the level of involvement from the executive team. “The ownership group is involved, they show up to grand openings, they’re in meetings and they listen. That level of involvement is rare. You don’t get the ‘take it or leave it’ attitude here.”

Now focused on developing locations in West Fort Worth, Afridi is targeting underserved areas such as Weatherford, White Settlement, Lake Worth, Alliance and Granbury before expanding into Oklahoma. He said the concept’s simplicity and quality set it apart, but success still comes down to commitment. “Don’t go into franchising thinking you’re just going to put money in and it’ll run itself. At the end of the day, it’s still a business, and you have to be involved — especially in food.”

1851 Franchise spoke with Afridi about his franchising journey with Layne’s and his ambitious plans to grow the brand into Oklahoma. Here’s what he had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Sal Afridi: I have a background in accounting and finance. I double majored in both, got my master’s degree and became a CPA. I entered the workforce during a difficult time, around the 2008 economic downturn. But in the back of my mind, I always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I knew I wanted to eventually get into business.

It took several years for me to feel confident enough — to get the right experience, be comfortable analyzing numbers and really become a good finance guy. Once I got there, I executed on a restaurant. I had signed a deal in 2020 with a different franchise system, but then COVID hit and it became a disaster. Everything shut down, and no one was coming to restaurants. So that ended quickly, but I still wanted to continue on the entrepreneurial path. I didn’t want that one experience to be the end of the road.

I was lucky enough to get involved with a family office that included other entrepreneurs like me, and we started investing in different businesses — hospitality, hotels, restaurants, aviation, car washes and health care. 

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Afridi: Before franchising, we were investing in startups. That’s actually what got us interested in franchising — we wanted to be involved in something with brand recognition. When you start from scratch, there are growing pains. It takes time to get your name out there and build momentum. With a franchise, the brand already has a following.

Operations were another big factor. On the startup side, we were creating everything from scratch. With a franchise, there’s already a system in place — it’s plug and play. That’s what we were looking for. And then there’s the support. Once you open, you’re operating within someone else’s concept, so it’s important that they’re helping you execute it. The executive team is also a major consideration. Getting into a franchise system is like a marriage — you have to follow the vision of the brand, and you want to make sure that vision aligns with yours and that the team is competent enough to keep the brand growing.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Afridi: Before getting into franchising, I thought it was simply a matter of being given a proven system with policies and procedures which would be the recipe to success. But it is definitely not that simple. It is imperative to build a team around yourself with solid talent, even with franchise support. At the end of the day, it is your investment and its success only goes as far as you take it. The product is crucial — hype only takes you so far. The product has to be good, period.

Now that I’m a franchisee with Layne’s, I can say that everything I was looking for — brand recognition, operations, support, executive leadership and product — is present in this brand. The executive team really shines. I’ve talked to a lot of franchise systems, and the Layne’s executive team is by far superior. The ownership group is involved, they show up to grand openings, they’re in meetings and they listen. That level of involvement is rare. You don’t get the “take it or leave it” attitude here. That really drew me to the brand.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Afridi: Layne’s was a Texas A&M brand, but they moved their headquarters to Dallas. The team is local, and they have a strong presence here. I live in the DFW area, and I’ve tried Layne’s several times. I love the food. One of my close friends got involved in Layne’s, and that pushed me over the edge to reach out. 

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Afridi: My family has a restaurant background, so I’ve always believed that restaurants should serve the community. You need to offer something different — if you’re just duplicating what’s already out there, you’re not setting yourself up for success.

Layne’s does things differently. It’s a simple concept, easy to operate, and the food is delicious. The areas we’re targeting in West Fort Worth — places like Weatherford, White Settlement, Lake Worth, Alliance and Granbury — are on the outskirts of the metroplex thatare underserved. I think we’ll be offering something the community doesn’t currently have.

After we build our team in West Fort Worth, we plan to expand into Oklahoma. DFW has a lot of food options, and people can travel between cities if they want, but Oklahoma is an up-and-coming state with lots ofopportunity. West Fort Worth gets us started with the brand, and Oklahoma is the next level for our expansion plans.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Afridi: At a personal level, I think there has to be real ambition when you go into business. You can’t treat it like a side hustle. If you do, it usually fails. Whenever I get involved in something — whether it’s a startup or franchise — I roll up my sleeves and get involved, even if I’ve hired a full executive team. That’s just how I do things, and I’ve been successful with that mindset.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Afridi: Don’t go into franchising thinking you’re just going to put money in and it’ll run itself. At the end of the day, it’s still a business, and you have to be involved — especially in food.

In the food industry, you can’t afford to mess up. Every order that leaves the kitchen has to be 100%. Customer service has to be 100%. There can’t be any excuses or off days. If you mess up, it hurts the brand and your business.

ABOUT LAYNE'S CHICKEN FINGERS

Founded in 1994 in College Station, the original location became a Texas A&M legend known for its small-town charm, friendly service, iconic chicken fingers and secret sauce. While opening corporate locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the leadership team focused on fine tuning its operations and starting to franchise.  

Franchise opportunities range from $446,500 to $1,015,000 with different buildout options available. Learn more about franchising here.