Layne’s Chicken Fingers is a rising star in the chicken franchising space, and the brand’s commitment to developing great franchisees has been a big contributor to its success. Comprehensive training is a cornerstone of the franchisee support system, and the results speak for themselves.

Rather than viewing training as an expense for franchisees to foot, Layne’s sees it as an investment in the future of both the individual franchisee and the larger brand. By equipping franchisees with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive, the Soon to be Famous™ franchise is able to protect the brand and the franchisee — a key focus of Chief Operating Officer Samir Wattar. 

“We can pat ourselves on the back as much as we want when we talk about our approach, but as an executive in the company, I’m focused on validation,” Wattar said. “Are franchisees opening above expected sales metrics? Are we trending up in sales compared to last year? Those are some of the things that let us know we’re on the right track.”

Hands-on Support Through Real-World Experience

While there is plenty of documentation available for franchisees to reference, Layne’s focuses on hands-on, real-life training and support scenarios that allow franchisees and their teams to develop skills they’ll actually use on a daily basis.

“Our entire team has restaurant experience and we’ve run restaurants before, but having someone there to help with the nuances of starting and opening a Layne’s is invaluable,” said Josh Bergeson, one of the owners of Layne’s of Janesville, Wisconsin. “There are just so many variables in the early stages of a new restaurant, and having someone you trust there to help you handle anything that might come up is so helpful.”

“My number one thing is to protect the brand and the franchisees,” Wattar said. “Opening a restaurant, especially in a new market, is a major milestone that can lay the foundation for the future of the brand in the area. If a restaurant opening goes poorly, the market is tainted and it can take a long time to recover from something like that. We want the exact opposite, and I’ve never regretted sending the amount of support that we do to a new restaurant opening.”

Comprehensive Support: From Pre-Opening to Grand Opening and Beyond

Layne’s training program is designed to be incredibly thorough, covering everything from the technical aspects of running a restaurant to the nuances of customer service and brand awareness. 

“Layne’s is investing a lot of time and money into corporate staff at all levels for training, operational and marketing support,” said Lucas Bergeson, who co-owns Layne’s of Janesville, Wisconsin with his brother. “When you open a restaurant, Layne’s does way more than just send a few trainers to show you how to drop bird in the fryer. You need help with your grand opening marketing, PR, social media and building buzz. They’re great at helping with all of that.”

The Bergesons also shared that they both feel confident in Layne’s support structure because of Wattar’s commitment to protecting the brand and the franchisee. Even as experienced restaurant operators, the Bergesons were not left to figure it out on their own.

Ongoing support is available to help franchisees navigate the challenges of running a business, whether they need help with marketing, operations, supply chain management or more. 

“Any time I need anything, I can pick up the phone. Samir is always available,” said Jake Willett, a mult-unit franchisee in Arkansas. “The rest of the operations team is always available. Anyone in the system is happy to talk, and having that support from both the franchisor and my fellow franchisees is an important part of the Layne’s experience.”

“We’re working to build successful franchisees, yes, but we’re doing that through relationships,” Wattar said. “When a franchisee buys a Layne’s, that’s a substantial investment, and they’re making it because they trust us. By maintaining our standard of training, we’re upholding our commitment to them to the benefit of the entire system.”

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