For University of Texas alum Taylor Thomas, franchising is a family legacy. As he grew up in the business, Thomas learned the ins and outs of restaurant operations from his father, a multi-unit Whataburger franchisee. His master’s degree in business administration developed his skills further and, equipped with this knowledge, he decided to join the family business.

Thomas played a key role in growing the family’s portfolio to 23 Whataburger locations, but as their territory with the burger brand became more and more saturated, they began looking for a way to diversify. In addition to an objectively strong business opportunity, the Thomas family wanted to partner with a brand that aligned with their values and would offer a collaborative, family-like atmosphere.

“When we first started looking, we were only looking at major brands,” Thomas said. “But we realized that the bigger the brand, the more likely that the family-owned atmosphere goes away. There was a disconnect there. We want to feel like we can bounce ideas off of each other and help the whole brand grow.”

As Thomas continued the search for “the one,” a conversation over lunch with a real estate contact brought Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the Texas “Born and Breaded” chicken finger franchise that now has 30 open restaurants and another 300 awarded, to the forefront.

“He asked if I’d ever heard of Layne’s; I told him I had no idea what he was talking about,” Thomas said. “He explained it was a small brand out of College Station, Texas, and he suggested I reach out. I sent a message, and [Chief Operating Officer] Samir [Wattar] got back to us.”

Thomas had an opportunity to connect with Wattar as a road trip took him through College Station, and he got to learn more about the brand, the team’s goals and the long-term vision.

“Everything Samir said aligned perfectly with what we were looking for,” he said.

A meeting with CEO Garrett Reed — and his son — sealed the deal.

“Garrett brought his son along to our meeting, which I thought was great,” Thomas said. “We hadn’t experienced a true family-owned business in a long time, so seeing the Reeds’ involvement was great. After speaking with Garrett, I was confident Layne’s checked the simplicity, quality and family-focused marks, and their strong Texas roots only made the decision easier.”

In addition to seeing this emphasis on family at the top of the Layne’s leadership team, Thomas learned about the brand’s approach to operations and innovation. Layne’s is a chicken finger brand. This is what it’s known and loved for, and the team respects that. With a simple, streamlined model, Layne’s focuses on taking what it’s good at and being great at it, keeping day-to-day operations running smoothly for franchisees and their teams while further solidifying their niche in the wide-reaching chicken market.

“A lot of brands try to be okay at a lot of different things,” Thomas said. “But Garrett and Samir want Layne’s to be the best at one thing — chicken tenders. That focus speaks volumes.”

Since signing a 25-unit franchise agreement with Layne’s last May, Thomas and his family have successfully opened multiple locations in East Texas, further expanding the Soon to be FamousTM chicken brand’s presence across its home state. 

As Thomas, his family and their teams continue to build out their territory, they’re reaching beyond just business growth to create new jobs, share a Texas tradition with their neighbors and build a long-lasting legacy in the same community where Thomas got his start.

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