Mainland

Most people usually don’t have a clue when it comes to the career path they want to take before entering college, but that wasn’t the case for Rockford, Michigan native Elliot Grandia. Grandia had his head and heart set on taking the journalism journey as early as high school. After Grandia gave a speech in his TV studio class, his teacher commended his confident presence and unique delivery.“My teacher, Mrs. Pearson, is the one who initially gave me the confidence to pursue broadcast journalism,” said Grandia. “She was like, ‘You should be on TV!’”With that, Grandia began his professional career during his sophomore year of high school by shadowing WOOD-TV’s local multimedia journalist Laurie Cook. While some people don’t prefer the fast-paced environment, Grandia said he thrived in it.“It was super cool how my day was jam-packed with meeting people and hearing their stories,” Grandia said. “Whether it was holding camera equipment or interviewing people, I was happy to get involved anyway I could.”At the beginning of Grandia’s college career at Michigan State University, not everyone was supportive of his choice to pursue journalism. After being told constantly that the field was too “low paying,” Grandia decided to give public relations a try. His initial foray didn’t go well.Following his first PR class, Grandia chafed at stock pitches because felt like he couldn’t fully access his creative storytelling side. He decided to go with his gut and become a broadcast journalism major. Because of Grandia’s positive experience with WOOD-TV, he decided to work another summer for the newscast in conjunction with his summer job as a pool attendant.&nbsp;Grandia said there was no such thing as sleep during round two of working for WOOD-TV. From being on-call during the night shifts to getting out of bed to report breaking news at the midnight hour, it was always “go, go, go” for Grandia.“That summer, there was a mass shooting in Grand Rapids and the death of our former U.S. President Gerald Ford’s wife, Betty Ford,” said Grandia. “I was able to cover those very intense events and interview people who had the craziest stories.”Post-graduation proved challenging when it came to hunkering down and finding a job. After applying and applying, an opportunity in Rockford, Illinois landed in Grandia’s lap when a TV director offered him a position as a multimedia journalist. While working as a morning show anchor, Grandia acquired some spirited fans.“I got a call from a woman who explained to me that her and her mother watched me every morning and I put a smile on their face whenever I was on,” Grandia said. “I loved being able to show off my personality.”Grandia had an itch to move to Chicago and when scanning job boards online, Mainland instantly stuck out to him.&nbsp;“I saw that Mainland’s main focus was storytelling and I was super passionate about the idea of telling real stories about real people,” Grandia said. “I’ve been on the media side and I hated getting fed borning PR crap for years. I knew what these media outlets were looking for and was confident I could bring my previous knowledge to Mainland.”Many PR firms put the brand first, but Grandia’s firmly believes in Mainland’s mission to put the people first.&nbsp;“I loved the idea of pitching the people to the media instead of the brand,” Grandia said.The skills and expertise Grandia gained from being a news anchor made for a smooth transition as he entered the world of pitching. Because he’s been on both sides of the media, Grandia knows what makes for a compelling story and what doesn’t. Grandia heard several media pitches in his time as a news anchor, which gave him a competitive advantage when it came time for him to begin pitching at Mainland.“I look at pitches through the eyes of a reporter and I do my best to create an interesting story that people will actually want to read or see covered on TV,” Grandia said.While Grandia can’t put his finger on one thing he loves most about working for Mainland, he says there’s nothing better than scoring press coverage for his clients.“It’s a lot of hard work, but the job is a fun challenge,” Grandia said.

Why I Left the Newsroom To Join Mainland: Account Executive Elliot Grandia Reveals His Story

1851 Franchise

From delivering local news on a TV screen to building relationships with franchisees, Elliot Grandia is all about sharing others’ stories.

This brand page has been paid for by MAINLAND. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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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.

The rapidly expanding chicken concept used expert operational insights and earned media placements to secure a landmark 44-unit deal and double its restaurant footprint in a single year.

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