Mainland

Are leads down for other brands in 2025? Are franchisees not buying as much? How do I compete in this crazy franchise world for more deals? What are the new franchise metrics?Before diving into each part of this complex question, let’s look at the competitive equation, as it will help you see the depth of challenge and the depth of opportunity.&nbsp;<ul><li>Every brand competes against the franchise brokers.</li><li>Franchise brokers are becoming desperate for deals – as more brokers are born each day – taking away deals; and there is an uptick to franchise sales deception (it is up to franchisors to solve this).</li><li>Go back 24 months, you won’t see many restaurant brands in the broker ecosystem. Now, there are brands populating the inventory in the restaurant space that showcase subpar numbers. The challenge isn’t overselling and hyping up a brand. It is the failure of performance once the franchisee opens and gets activated.</li><li>Failure of performance slows development agreements. Slowing developing agreements turns into a major double edged sword in that multi-unit agreements are the norm, thus, the territory is cannibalized and limited.</li><li>Investment costs are skyrocketing – and franchisors are not innovating enough to pull up the AUV. There are solutions in the construct of the business opportunity – ie, the Grand Opening Marketing costs aligned to customers acquisition cost and the lifetime value of the customer.</li><li>There are plenty of deals, just franchisors are not spending enough to create the snowball effect. The brands that spend right are the ones who gain the momentum others want. The challenge is where does the capital come from? What is the proper investment? Is it the franchise fee? Should we rework the franchise fee to be called the franchisee acquisition fee? Or onboard fee? Something that creates more transparency?</li></ul>In 2025, franchising isn’t slipping—it’s evolving. Lead volumes vary by brand and category and investment, but the overall ecosystem remains robust. Brand expansion remains real, even amid higher costs.Still, some brands are indeed finding leads more elusive. Many franchise development teams report rising cost-per-lead across platforms like Google, Meta, broker networks, and portals—and yet they’re doubling down on the same channels. In short: leads haven’t dried up, but they’ve become more expensive and competitive for some (which if you look at deal value you can get to a fair number to budget for investment).&nbsp;As for franchisees, whether they’re buying less depends on how well brands adapt. Systems that shift from quantity to quality—focusing on lead-fit over volume—are keeping pace. Broader macroeconomic headwinds may slow certain verticals, but sectors like personal services and fast-growing regions in the Southeast and Southwest are thriving.So what's the path forward in this fractious, cost-intensive franchise arena? First, diversify your lead channels. While Google remains ubiquitous, Meta growth is surging, content creation is growing the fastest, and even TikTok is gaining traction. Spread your model across content, PR, digital, localized, and referral-heavy systems to avoid overpaying for leads.Second, tighten your metrics—Franchisors are adopting more granular analytics. Key new metrics include net unit growth (accounting for closures too), territory saturation and penetration, lead-to-close ratios, and development cost per franchisee (including broker fees, salaries, and media). Capturing these will help you invest smarter, not harder.Third, pivot toward local and data-informed campaigns. National branding still matters, but local traction is king. Franchisors who empower franchisees with adaptable, data-driven marketing toolkits are capturing more wins.Fourth, lean into emerging sectors. In 2025, franchises in health and wellness, pet services, eco-friendly businesses, home improvement, and tech-enabled education are attracting investors due to rising consumer demand and strong recurrence models. If you are not in these spaces, create content that focuses on this buyer – educate then why they should consider your brand. Leverage franchisees (their backgrounds and stories) that align to those hot sectors.2025 franchising is not weaker—it’s smarter. While leads are pricier and the competition fiercer, brands that diversify acquisition, master modern metrics, localize then scale effectively, and lean into high-demand niches will stand out. It’s less about chasing volume and more about sharpening your edge.We dove in on this month’s discussion.

1851 Coffee & Analytics image with photo of Nick Powills

Franchise Growth in 2025: Strategies for More Leads & Deals

1851 Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/embed/HHxbPW3EXG8

In a fractious, cost-intensive franchise space, franchisors must adapt. Diversify lead channels, adopt new metrics, focus on data-informed campaigns and lean into emerging sectors to grow smarter.

The New 2025 Franchise Metrics: How to Invest Smarter, Not Harder

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Scaling the Soon-to-Be Famous: How Layne’s Chicken Fingers Leveraged a Mainland Franchise Assessment to Fuel a 110% Growth Surge

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The chicken wars aren’t slowing down. If anything, the quick-service chicken category feels more crowded than ever, with brands battling for real estate, franchisees and customer loyalty. Some have hit a wall.&nbsp;<a href="https://layneschickenfranchising.com/">Layne’s Chicken Fingers</a> has not.&nbsp;In 2025, the Texas-founded Soon to Be Famous™ concept posted 110% footprint growth, doubling its restaurant count in a single year. For a brand that built its early following in College Station near Texas A&amp;M, the leap to national relevance has been swift — but it wasn’t accidental.Behind the expansion is a coordinated effort between Layne’s leadership and PR firm&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/">Mainland</a>. The partnership blended operational discipline with sustained media visibility, giving the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/info">Layne’s</a> brand both the infrastructure and the spotlight needed to grow. With a focus on perfecting chicken fingers, fries and toast, the Layne’s menu is pretty straightforward. But the growth strategy employed was anything but casual.<h2>A Defining Year</h2>By the end of 2025, Layne’s had 40 restaurants open and 10 new franchise owners added to the system. Development momentum continued with a 44-unit agreement and a 15-unit expansion in Wisconsin, pushing the brand toward its ambitiously stated goal of 300 units by 2030.Those numbers quickly began attracting national attention. Layne’s secured the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/future-50-2025/laynes-chicken-fingers">No. 6 position</a> on the Restaurant Business 2025 Future 50 list and ranked No. 366 on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500">Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500</a>. Systemwide sales grew as well, climbing 67% to reach an impressive $30 million.For the Layne’s leadership team, the growth traces back to a clear philosophy: delicious food and franchise support above all else. Layne’s COO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-wattar-0a4187a/">Samir Wattar</a> describes the company’s unique approach."Franchisees sign with us for services," he said. "That’s a mind shift because they run restaurants. Part of servicing franchisees is saying no to protect them and protect the brand. We’re building a support organization for a brand that we’re really passionate about."Layne’s treats franchisees as the primary customer. And it’s a mindset that shapes everything from operations to development strategy.<h2>Getting the Word Out Before the Doors Opened</h2>A central piece of Mainland’s approach was securing credible, third-party exposure. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertising, the focus was on great storytelling that would secure earned media in each new market.In Little Rock, Arkansas, Layne’s appeared on KARK-TV (CBS), where Director of Marketing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-reynolds-957a3151/">Ashley Reynolds</a> introduced local viewers to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kark.com/video/game-day-made-easy-with-layne%e2%80%99s-tailgate-packs/11136197/">brand’s tailgate packs</a>. In Oregon, KDRV-TV (ABC) profiled franchisee Dalton Dennis and his efforts to bring&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon-2730210">Layne’s to Grants Pass</a>. KWTX-TV (CBS) in Waco covered an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwtx.com/2025/12/06/restaurant-report-card-waco-central-texas-12525/">upcoming opening in Lampasas</a>.At the national level, outlets such as QSR Magazine, Nation’s Restaurant News and Franchise Times ran deeper features on the brand’s culture and leadership, including coverage of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuyler-e-51047a2a/">Cuyler Esposito’s</a> appointment as vice president of culture and operations.&nbsp;For prospective operators, this kind of coverage signals more than enthusiasm for the brand. It signifies organizational maturity.<h2>Turning Attention Into Traffic</h2>The real impact of that media push showed up at store openings.In Virginia, a franchisee reportedly opened without spending on traditional marketing. As a result of Mainland’s marketing efforts,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/laynes-chicken-fingers-franchise-six-figure-opening-2729437#stories">opening day traffic backed up onto the highway</a>. Local news coverage had already introduced the brand to the community and explained what made it different.That kind of momentum carries weight beyond consumer traffic. For potential franchisees, seeing a brand featured in Restaurant Business, or highlighted on local television, reinforces confidence. Visibility suggests stability. Stability supports multi-unit decisions.<h2>More Than a Vendor Relationship</h2>Wattar has worked with Mainland across three different concepts. He describes the relationship as long-term and built on trust rather than transaction."They’ve been there for me through thick and thin," Wattar said. "They’ve been there when things are bad and helped me out of it. And they’ve been there for me when things are good and helped me celebrate. I’ve never had the intention of looking elsewhere. The most important thing is having the relationship with the person you’re dealing with and building that trust."Layne’s sets development targets each year: how many restaurants to open, how many franchisees to bring on. And Mainland has become a significant part of that strategic conversation."I’m not an expert in getting leads or PR. But I know how to sell and I believe in our brand," Wattar said. "I rely on Mainland to come up with the ideas. ‘How am I going to achieve my goal?’"<h2>Scaling With Structure</h2>As Layne’s pushes toward 2026 and beyond, the company views public relations and media exposure as part of the scaffolding that supports growth. National expansion requires more than signed agreements. It requires awareness in markets where the brand name might still be unfamiliar. And Mainland can help.The investment to open a Layne’s Chicken Fingers franchise ranges from $451,500 to $1,050,000. For many operators, that figure represents years of saving, planning and personal commitment. It’s something Layne’s Chicken Fingers not only understands but embraces, supporting franchisees at the local level which helps further scale the brand."To us, it’s a job. To them, it’s a livelihood," Wattar said. "The restaurant business has evolved, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. Service. Transparency. Be open. Franchisees are your bread and butter. They’re making the investment. We have to listen to them.”Layne’s growth story isn’t built solely on a hot category or a trending menu item. It’s built on disciplined operations, selective franchise development and a steady drumbeat of visibility in the markets it enters.For brands hoping to follow a similar path, the lesson is straightforward: growth requires both a strong internal foundation and a clear external voice. When those two move in sync, a regional favorite can begin to look like a national contender. And a&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/company/#our-services">Mainland franchise assessment</a> can help deliver strategic growth.Growing and selling franchises is difficult. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.1851growthclub.com">www.1851growthclub.com</a> and see what we can do for you.

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image of morgan wood, content manager at mainland, pr methods at mainland

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