Why This Multi-Unit Franchisee Family Continues to Invest in Layne’s and MOOYAH

As they grow Layne’s Chicken Fingers*, the rapidly expanding, Texas “Born and Breaded” chicken finger franchise, and MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, the “better burger” franchise, across Wisconsin, brothers Josh and Luke Bergeson have built a partnership structure that allows them to scale quickly while preserving the family values their operation was built on. By carefully evaluating the brands they choose to scale with, the Bergesons ensure their businesses are not only culturally aligned but also financially and operationally sound.

“We focus on operations and look for a system that our team can execute well — whether it’s busy or slow — and do it right every time,” Josh said. “That consistency is a game-changer in both the franchise and restaurant spaces. There are so many restaurants that come and go, but if you can consistently do things well and get it right every time, that’s incredibly important. That’s definitely something we saw with Layne’s.”

This operational simplicity is the catalyst for their current expansion. Because the model reduces friction and can be easily replicated, the Bergesons have the confidence to enter new markets knowing the Layne’s experience will remain consistent for the guest, even without their presence in each restaurant every day.

While the motivation to scale is largely driven by ease of operation, it’s also about creating capacity to support a growing team and carry on a legacy that began with their grandparents’ independent restaurants and their father’s Subway franchises. Growth is a way to serve the people and community they love.

“We’ll grow as we can grow, and to grow, we need the right people,” Josh said. “We recently launched an initiative to offer free healthcare to 100% of our employees. That’s probably not something we could afford if we only had one or two restaurants. But because of our growth, we’re able to provide better lives.”

The Decision to Franchise as a Family

While the Bergeson family has long been involved in the restaurant space, Josh and Luke’s path to partnership wasn’t always a given.

For Luke, the pull of the restaurant industry was always there.

“Growing up in our dad’s restaurants, and hearing his stories about working in his parents’ places, I just loved being part of it,” he said. “I enjoyed working with my dad, the customers and the employees. After school or practice, when other kids went to Subway — our dad’s store, I’d jump behind the counter to help with the rush and ‘earn my sub’ for the day. Everyone in town knew us and knew we were a family business. I never really imagined doing anything else.”

Josh, however, originally took a different route. After pursuing finance and economics in college, he made a pointed effort to move away from the family business. He landed in the insurance and financial planning space, but as someone who didn’t enjoy working for others and had a wide range of interests, being boxed in like this “just didn’t really fit” him.

“I remember my old boss, who worked with his own brother, talked about how special it was to be a part of a family business,” Josh said. “That stuck with me. I realized I didn’t need to go out and do something on my own. When my dad and brother began growing in the restaurant world, I asked if there was room for a third. Coming back to work with my family was the right choice.”

The “How” of a Family Partnership

“We get a lot of people who ask how we can work with family. They say something like, ‘I could never work with my brother, mother or father,’” Luke said. “It really helps that we don’t just love each other — we really like each other.”

Enjoying each other’s company on a fundamental level sets a great baseline for the Bergesons’ business operations. From there, they divide responsibilities based on each other’s natural strengths, allowing each person to lean into what they love and are good at.

With consistent communication, the three stay in touch on a regular basis and are able to collaborate to keep all aspects of the business running smoothly.

“We’re always in contact; I talk to Luke and Randall almost every day,” Josh said. “Sometimes, we’ll jump on a three-way call to go over plans for the week or make quick decisions. We each handle our own day-to-day, but for big-picture things, we like to check in with each other. We all see things differently, and that mix of perspectives helps a lot.”

And, notably, the Bergesons’ emphasis on family keeps them grounded outside of work, too. Though many restaurant owners are never really “off work,” when Josh and Luke gather their families, they stay connected to their loved ones.

“It’s not just a job; it’s integral to our lives. But our wives are great at helping us strike that balance,” Luke said. “It also helps to have young children running around. We don’t have too much time to talk about work when we’re running and playing with the kids and making sure they’re getting what they need.”

Growing the Family Through Franchising

Throughout their franchise journey, and as they prepare to further expand their Layne’s presence across Wisconsin, the Bergesons’ “franchise family” has grown consistently.

Even when they first began considering an investment in Layne’s, they were largely driven by the brand’s family feel.

“When we first visited Layne’s, it really felt like a family organization,” Josh said. “Having Garrett [Reed] and Matt [O’Reilly], who are not brothers but are awfully close, then Garrett and Eric [Reed], who are actually brothers … Then, bringing in Samir [Wattar], who is someone we knew from MOOYAH previously — that felt like a family. And given that Layne’s is very focused on their values of protecting the brand and protecting the franchisee, it felt very family-oriented.”

As the business has scaled, the Bergesons have found close connections with their fellow owners and team members.

“You start getting to know the franchisees; you’re on calls with them and start having text threads and sharing in something that most people don’t understand is a tough gig,” Josh said. “It’s great; it’s rewarding. But it’s tough. As we’ve gotten closer to some of the franchisees in the system, getting their numbers and talking to them as we navigate the business growth, we have started to extend the family because we have that shared commonality.”

A Legacy of Service and the Next Generation

While Luke puts it simply — “I’m a third-generation restaurant guy” — the Bergesons’ mission goes far beyond operating a group of successful restaurants. For them, being family-owned isn’t just something to paste on marketing materials. It’s the operational philosophy. It dictates how they make decisions, how they treat their teams and how they show up in their community.

“We all have that servant heart and the desire to make people feel comfortable or welcome, whether it’s personally or in the restaurants,” Luke said. “I think that's why I was so drawn to restaurants. Every customer that comes in, I enjoy making their day, making them smile and serving them.”

Josh has a similar, values-based approach.

“We’re all Christians, and I would like people to see the fruits of our Christian labor,” he said. “What I mean by that is, if someone looks at how we operate the restaurants, what we believe is reflected in that. People will see that this is a well-run organization that clearly cares about its people. I want people to be able to clearly see that whoever is running this business is a good human. I think we do a pretty good job of that. We’re never perfect, and we’re always growing, but we’re always looking toward that goal.”

As they build a legacy of service, stability and opportunity, they’re also laying the foundation for continued growth through the fourth generation.

“When I think about legacy, I think ‘legacy for my children,’” Josh said. “It’s an interesting thought. Grandma and grandpa had one restaurant. Our dad had up to four restaurants at a given time, and now, we’re at seven restaurants with plans to grow beyond that. I hope we can do this legacy proud, continue to grow it and leave something greater for our children.”

For more information on families in franchising, stay tuned as 1851 Franchise highlights more incredible franchise families over the next two weeks.