Astro Chicken Culture: The Family Feeling Behind Layne’s Chicken Fingers’ Retention and People Development

In the booming fast-food chicken space, Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the rapidly growing chicken finger franchise, is doing things differently. Since its inception, the brand has emphasized providing both great food and great service to guests, and it’s this hometown feel that keeps people coming back. As it grows, Layne’s has also successfully maintained a strong employee retention rate, supporting team members in developing skills, building a career and even climbing the ladder. In an industry with an average turnover rate of 150%, Layne’s ability to keep team members on board — and happy — for years comes down to its emphasis on leadership over management, team problem-solving and caring for employees like family.

“It’s all about relationships and not having barriers,” CEO Garrett Reed said. “You have to be there to really feel it and know it, but here’s a good example: Just the other day, I was in my office writing an email. One of our shift managers came to see someone else in the office, but when he walked by my office, he came in and sat down, and we just talked. Having the CEO title and being in the middle of my workday doesn’t mean that I don’t have time for my people. If my door’s open, anyone can walk in and catch up. We’re all in this together, and a culture where everyone feels like they know what’s going on and can sit down with ’the bosses’ and be heard — that’s what fuels retention.”

“It’s the culture of the Astro Chicken,” said Chief Operating Officer Samir Wattar. “We take the business seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We can work through hiccups in the business together, and it’s about finding a solution, not someone getting in trouble. We treat people with respect. We’re retaining people because those values are inherent.”

One of the most obvious ways this manifests is in the team’s ability to serve as leaders, not just managers. Reed and Wattar agree that this is a distinction that can be easily overlooked, but it shouldn’t be. Managers may be able to run a tight operation and ensure everything is handled while they are on-site, but leaders provide the support and inspiration necessary to ensure things go well, even when they’re not around.

“A leader leaves a place better than they found it,” Reed said. “They inspire you to achieve a goal when they’re not around, and they believe in you and your purpose.”

This approach benefits everyone in the system, leading to happier employees, better service and delighted guests, but it is also a key contributor to the brand’s strong retention. 

Jason Cabrera, who started with Layne’s as a teenager, washing dishes and buttering toast, is a prime example of how the leadership team’s investment in people has major benefits to the entire system. Cabrera became a general manager at 19, and he’s now a training manager, traveling to help franchisees and their teams prepare to open new restaurants.

“The relationship that I have with almost anybody in the corporate office has been a huge part of my time at Layne’s,” Cabrera said. “I think back to when I was a GM; the easiest way to hold on to people in the restaurant was to build a connection. People want to feel welcome and valued. And that’s how it’s felt for me for the past five years — like I’m at home.”

Cabrera explained that, when he was working as a cook early in his Layne’s career, he had a perception that everyone at the corporate level had to be strict and uptight. Because Reed and Wattar were so laid back and understanding, he was able to build a relationship with them quickly. He has since carried that same value into his own work leading teams.

“I don’t look at cooks as robots who drop chicken all day. We’re all human, and we need to be treated as such,” he said. “We all have responsibilities, but at the end of the day, we also need care. I think that’s how Samir looks at me. He knows I have the job of making sure these managers get trained up to our standards, but we also connect on a father-son level now. It’s kind of weird to say, but it’s true.”

“As a brand, we believe in developing people. We take pride in taking people to the next level,” Wattar said. “That’s the story of Jason. I remember Jason coming into my office worried about a math test when he was in high school, and we talked through it. How we treat each other in moments like those defines the impact we’re making on the next generation of leaders, and the expectation of what this looks like at Layne’s goes above and beyond the standard quo in our industry.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/info.