With 11 restaurants open and more in development, Masroor Fatany, a multi-unit franchisee in the Houston area and the founder of AYG Food Services, has built a powerful team and footprint in the community. 

In 2016, Fatany launched The Halal Guys’ presence in Houston, attracting masses of guests who lined up down the block. Then, in 2020, he became Layne’s Chicken Fingers’ first franchisee, bringing a restaurant to the Houston metro area. As a Texas A&M alum, Fatany knew the power the chicken finger franchise held with members of the College Station community and knew he wanted to be a part of its expansion throughout the state. Now, Fatany has four operational Layne’s locations and is actively negotiating real estate agreements for another two.

“Masroor understands our vision and values, and he has proven his skills as a multi-unit operator,” said Samir Wattar, chief operating officer of Layne’s Chicken Fingers. “He has built a strong team around him, and he shares our passion for Layne’s and the belief that the sky’s the limit for our system.”

Since bringing the first Layne’s restaurant to the Houston area, Fatany has continued to expand the franchise aggressively. In February 2023, Fatany opened the brand’s first-ever drive-thru-only location. The Houston restaurant features a drive-thru tunnel complete with bold Layne’s graphics, creating a truly immersive experience for each guest. While this model is distinctly different from the standard Layne’s model, which focuses on dine-in and carry-out meals, it had an explosive launch and it continues to perform incredibly.

Last October, Fatany opened another Layne’s restaurant in Beaumont. During the first few months of operations, the Beaumont location served thousands of guests and consistently saw lines wrapped around the block.

“I remember all of the excitement around the brand when we opened in Beaumont. We were the talk of the town in Facebook groups and on the local news, and we had a really long line,” said Fatany. “That location is directly across the street from a [Raising] Cane’s, and seeing a huge line of cars waiting for us when there is a respectable competitor right across the street made us feel good. We knew we were bringing a really great product to the market, and the response from the community was proof that we were really on to something.”

Earlier this year, Fatany opened his fourth Layne’s restaurant, further expanding his presence in the Houston area. Though he has built an impressive track record with the brand already, Fatany is nowhere near done. The two restaurants that are currently in development are his immediate focus, but ultimately, Fatany says he plans to make Layne’s a household name.

Because Fatany has secured both the Houston and Beaumont territories, he and his team are able to take the time they need to develop more strategically, ensuring they grow the brand where and how it most makes sense.

In addition to his expansion with Layne’s, Fatany continues to grow with The Halal Guys, demonstrating the sheer power of the AYG Food Services team, the passion he brings to the table, and his own expertise in the restaurant space.

“We’re thrilled to have connected with Masroor and proud of the growth he has already seen with our system,” said Wattar. “He is a valued asset to the Layne’s team with a clear excitement about what we’re doing here, and we couldn’t be happier to be on this journey with him.”

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