Layne’s Chicken Fingers Fires Up Franchise Growth Plan, Seeks To Close Out All Texas Territories in Three Years

Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the emerging chicken franchise, already a cult favorite with the Texas A&M crowd, is making a major play for the rest of the state with a plan to open 60 franchise and corporate-owned locations across the state in just three years.

The brand is currently recruiting franchise partners in major markets across Texas, including Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and El Paso, as well as other large markets, to effectively sell out all franchise territories in Texas, which is the fastest-growing state in America. The company is now speaking with individual and multi-unit operators interested in growing with the brand alongside its franchise owner who has signed to develop Houston as the team corporately develops the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Layne’s leadership, however, says it plans to be selective when it comes to awarding franchises. “We’re not just looking for a warm body,” Garrett Reed, CEO, said. “We are looking for people who are dedicated to making themselves better. We’re in this business because we want to give people the opportunity to be successful. We’re not going to sell something to someone just for the sake of selling.” 

The first Layne’s opened in 1994 in College Station, Texas near the Campus of Texas A&M campus, where it now has three locations. In 2017, a new ownership team led by Reed began a calculated strategy to expand the brand, opening four stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, and the first franchisee-owned location will open this summer in the Houston market, with additional stores already in the works.

The rapid expansion plans come after Layne’s experienced a remarkable 2020, defying pandemic challenges by posting 40% year-over-year sales growth. Even with dining rooms closed, Layne’s robust off-premise strategy meant that drive-thru and delivery channels were able to provide 80% of its sales.  

Based on that proven success, the brand is also introducing a new model with smaller footprints that come at a more accessible point of entry for franchise prospects. 

The company believes that the franchise model is the best way to achieve its development goals, and it’s currently vetting potential partners. 

“I don’t believe in simply selling franchises. I believe in opening successful restaurants,”  Samir Wattar, Layne’s COO said. “The Layne’s leadership team believes that the strength of this brand, its menu, its built-in fanbase, and the support network we’ve built are the right formula that can help make the dream of business ownership a reality for the right investor.” 

In addition to bringing the brand to major metro areas, Layne’s franchise plans also include introducing the brand to areas with large military base presences, including Abilene, Brooks City and San Angelo. 

The company has a partnership-based philosophy that is at the heart of its expansion strategy and approach. “We treat our partnership like it’s our money, on the line,”  Matt O’Reilly, partner and brand investor said. “We have a proven playbook that will allow franchisees to make strong debuts, as well as continue to succeed, as we grow this brand well into the future” 

After the home state market is wrapped up, the booming brand will continue franchise expansion, partnering with investors to bring Texas’ original chicken finger restaurant to Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida and beyond.

ABOUT LAYNE’S CHICKEN FINGERS

Founded in 1994 in College Station, the original Layne’s Chicken Fingers 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. Now, the company is planning to bring Layne’s Soon to be Famous™ Chicken Fingers to the rest of the world with plans to open 100 locations in the next four years.