Layne's Chicken Fingers

After launching an insurance agency immediately after college, selling it 12 years later, and spending some time in corporate roles,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dutch-mcneal-cic-8351ba18?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=laynes-chicken-fingers-georgia-florida-expansion-2730524" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dutch McNeal</a> knew entrepreneurship and being his own boss was the best pathway for him. To get back into business ownership, but this time with a franchise model, McNeal and his partners acquired five Huddle House restaurants. As he considered further growth, he knew he would need to diversify the portfolio to stay in his preferred geographical range.McNeal set out on a franchise research journey, focusing on coffee and chicken concepts that he knew would have quick transaction speeds and position him for the type of business volume he desired. As he built a list of brands to explore,&nbsp;<a href="http://layneschickenfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=laynes-chicken-fingers-georgia-florida-expansion-2730524" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Layne’s Chicken Fingers</a>, the 30-unit Texas “born and breaded” chicken finger franchise, joined the ranks. A taste test and meeting with the leadership team sealed the deal, as McNeal could tell the team “wasn’t just talking that talk; they were walking the walk, too.” Now, he has signed a five-unit deal to grow the brand across Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida with plans to open his first two locations in Kingsland and Waycross, Georgia.McNeal took the time to chat with 1851 Franchise about his franchising journey with the Soon to be Famous™ chicken fingers franchise. Here’s what he had to say:1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?Dutch McNeal:&nbsp;Out of college, I started an insurance agency with a business partner. We had that for 12 years. After we sold it, I did the corporate thing for a few years, but after being my own boss for so many years, the corporate life was not for me. I got my feet wet in franchising by acquiring five Huddle House restaurants.1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?McNeal:&nbsp;With prior experience opening my own business and acquiring the Huddle House franchises, I knew the support of the franchise model would be very helpful.I started thinking about how to grow, and geographically, there wasn’t much potential left with Huddle House. I decided to look at coffee and chicken concepts to stay in the quick-service space.Franchising made sense because of the speed. Volume is the goal, and franchises already have a lot of the processes already figured out. We just have to execute.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?McNeal:&nbsp;I felt franchising made a lot of sense as a pathway to venture into something new. That is still true, but I think people should also understand how important it is to choose the right brand. If you’re partnering with the right brand, they’ve figured out the business model, they have a quality product, and they’ve got the processes down. It speeds you up compared to having to go through those learning curves on your own.There’s also an economic upside. A franchise is going to be able to buy food at better costs than I would be able to on my own operating just a couple of restaurants.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?McNeal:&nbsp;I was looking at a few different QSR concepts and planning a trip to visit a few different brands. I noticed&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/info">Layne’s</a> along that route and decided to add it on. After doing taste tests, Layne’s just had the best chicken, best fries and best sauces. That’s what blew me away.It’s also important to find a franchisor with the right attitude. One of the first things that they said that hooked me was explaining that their customers aren’t the people in these restaurants eating chicken; their customer is me, the franchisee. That’s a good franchise partner. After meeting the leadership team, it was almost infectious. They weren’t just talking that talk; I could tell they were walking the walk, too. With the Layne’s team, I feel like I know what I’m getting, and we’re not going to be managed or supported strictly based off of a balance sheet or how we did last quarter.1851:&nbsp;What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?&nbsp;McNeal:&nbsp;If the first five units perform how I’m expecting them to, I’d happily sign an additional development agreement — maybe even before I have all five open and operating. We can serve Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida, and I would consider expanding to multiple new markets as long as we stay within a radius of a two-hour drive.1851:&nbsp;Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?McNeal:&nbsp;I’m really excited about this. I love the product, and I think the people in my community will love it, too. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be bringing it to them.ABOUT LAYNE'S CHICKEN FINGERSFounded in 1994 in College Station, the original location became a Texas A&amp;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.&nbsp;&nbsp;Franchise opportunities range from $451,500 to $1,050,000 with different buildout options available. Learn more about franchising&nbsp;<a href="http://layneschickenfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=laynes-chicken-fingers-georgia-florida-expansion-2730524" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>.

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Dutch McNeal and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Why a Multi-Unit Huddle House Operator Invested in Layne’s Chicken Fingers

1851 Franchise

The quickly growing chicken finger franchise offered Dutch McNeal an opportunity to diversify his portfolio with a high-volume, high growth potential business model.

Multi-Unit Huddle House Franchisee Signs 5-Unit Deal to Bring Layne’s Chicken Fingers to Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida

laynes-chicken-fingers-georgia-florida-expansion

FRANCHISE INFORMATION

Own a Layne's Chicken Fingers

Layne’s Chicken Fingers Growth

Franchisee Highlight

Why Layne's Chicken Fingers

Superior Training & Support

Learn

Visit Website

LAYNE'S CHICKEN FINGERS

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

YouTube

SOCIAL MEDIA

Layne’s Chicken Fingers Supports Franchisees With Top-Notch Development Team

Why This 50 Unit Wendy’s Franchisee Is Betting on Layne’s for His Next Big Move

Layne’s Chicken Fingers’ First Franchisee Opens 7 Restaurants in 4 Years With 3 More on the Way

LAYNE'S CHICKEN FINGERS MOST READ STORIES

1851 LOGIN

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

ABOUT LAYNE'S CHICKEN FINGERS

CONTACT LAYNE'S CHICKEN FINGERS

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

First Name

Last Name

Email

Phone

City Of Interest

Why are you interested in owning?

When do you envision becoming a franchise owner?

Do you have $300,000 without the bank to invest?

READY TO OWN A LAYNE'S CHICKEN FINGERS?

Layne's Opening Blueprint Drives Success From Day One

franchise-opening-playbook

image of Taylor Thomas laynes chicken finger franchisee in Texas

Why This University of Texas Alum Invested in Layne’s Chicken Fingers

university-texas-alum-invests-laynes-chicken

image of Masroor Fatany, a prolific laynes chicken franchisee

Why This Texas A&M Alum Invested in Layne’s, Committing to 10-Plus Restaurants in the Houston Area

why-texas-a-and-m-alum-bought-laynes-franchise

Design with photos of six Layne's Chicken Fingers franchisees and the Layne's logo

Why Franchisees Love Layne’s: Support, Culture and Growth

why-franchise-with-laynes

image of laynes chicken rising restaurant chain to watch 2026 daily meal

Daily Meal: Layne’s Chicken Fingers Earns National Attention as a Breakout Brand for 2026

laynes-chicken-fingers-rising-restaurant-chain-2026

image of laynes chicken finger franchise expansion into texas

 Layne’s Chicken Fingers Signs 44-Unit Deal, Reaches Near-Total Market Saturation Across Home State

44-unit-texas-deal

Photo of Layne's restaurant with red light around the top of the building

Doing Your Homework: How to Perform Due Diligence Before Becoming a Layne’s Franchisee

franchise-due-diligence

Photo of exterior of Layne's Chicken Fingers restaurant

Layne’s Chicken Fingers Signs Landmark 44-Restaurant Deal, Shatters Records in Monumental Third Quarter

laynes-chicken-franchise-growth-records

Multi-Unit Huddle House Franchisee Signs 5-Unit Deal to Bring Layne’s Chicken Fingers to Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS