Layne's Chicken Fingers Franchise
Founded in 1994 in College Station, the original location became a Texas A&M legend known for its small-town charm, friendly service, iconic chicken fingers and secret sauce.
$300,000
$40,000
13
2018
Frisco,TX
Garrett Reed
About Layne's Chicken Fingers
Layne’s was founded in 1994, and it quickly became a fan-favorite in College Station, Texas. Known best for its friendly service, crispy chicken fingers and flavorful secret sauce, the brand is on a mission to bring its Soon to be Famous™ chicken fingers to even more people nationwide by partnering with passionate franchisees.
“Our goal is to make Layne’s a household name, and we will help our franchisees bring our culture of delivering perfect food with outstanding service each and every order, guaranteeing return customers who can’t get enough,” said Garrett Reed, CEO of Layne’s. “We have the right brand at the right time to achieve major growth. We’re looking for franchise partners with the drive and ambition to help us do that.”
With 20 restaurants open and more than 220 sold, Layne’s is quickly laying the groundwork for a nationwide takeover. While the team is still interested in dominating the market in its home state of Texas and neighboring states, and the restaurant is also growing in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.
As visibility increases, demand from both guests and franchisees follows. Layne’s is currently experiencing exponential growth; entrepreneurs who are interested in joining the system have an opportunity to inquire and begin the development process before prime territories in their markets have been claimed.
Franchise Unit Trends & Revenue
13
8
$1,580,560
* in 2023
Franchise Fees
$40,000
5.0%
Gross Revenues
2.0%
Gross Revenues
Why Choose Layne's Chicken Fingers?
The Layne’s business model presents a unique opportunity. In the rapidly growing fast food chicken market, very few restaurants provide the level of quality and service that Layne’s does. Guests are far more likely to return to Layne’s, even when there are multiple chicken options available in the area. That’s how the brand has grown its raving fan base and why Layne’s owners everywhere continue to enjoy reliable repeat business.
However, the small-town feel that Layne’s offers doesn’t detract from the strength of the model and powerful leadership team.
Franchisees who join the system will benefit from decades of combined experience in the leadership team, a proven business model and a modern flexibility that keeps Layne’s current without sacrificing what makes the model special.
Layne’s has worked diligently to create a flexible real estate model, embracing drive-thru-only, in-line, endcap and stand-alone locations. Further, Chief Operating Officer Samir Wattar has leveraged years of operational experience to create a smooth, efficient operating model that helps owners thrive.
“We knew we needed to create systems that would allow us to take the brand to franchisees,” said Wattar. “The voice of the brand, systems, supply chain and the way that we market were all finalized a few years ago, and more recently, we began to look at product offerings that would differentiate us and take us to the next level. Now, franchisees have a polished outline to follow that helps them create the same success the very first Layne’s locations saw.”
Starting Costs & Investment Requirements
$446,500 - $1,015,000
$1,000,000
$300,000
Training & Support
In terms of launching and scaling the business, the Layne’s franchise system offers comprehensive support, covering everything from operations to marketing. Layne’s provides extensive training to help new owners understand every aspect of running their business, from hiring and onboarding team members to maintaining product quality. This support doesn’t end once the doors open. Layne’s offers continuous guidance through a network of experienced business consultants and a dedicated support team. Franchisees can count on regular check-ins, access to best practices and the latest operational tools to help them succeed.
“I’ve never looked back and questioned my decision to go with Layne’s,” said Jake Willett, the franchisee bringing Layne’s to Arkansas. “Everything that Layne’s told me they were going to do, not only have they done it but they’ve exceeded expectations. It’s a lot of work to get the business off the ground, but there’s a team in place to answer calls and questions no matter when they come up.”
History
Layne’s first opened in 1994 near Texas A&M University. It was the first restaurant in Texas to specialize in chicken tenders and has grown into this really unique cult brand. Today, it retains this really cool culture. You walk in and the guests are happy. The employees are happy. It has a fantastic vibe. Mike Layne, who created the original recipes, really came up with a way to do chicken tenders that were beyond anything else. The brand's CEO, Garrett Reed, grew up in College Station, so in 2016, when Franchise Liaison Matt O'Reilly and Reed were looking for an investment opportunity, he thought of Layne’s. They bought the brand with a strategy to spend their first few years transforming from a mom-and-pop style business to one that had the structure and systems it needed to franchise. The brand officially launched franchising in 2020. Fast forward to 2025 and there's 20+ locations open with 220+ in development.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a multi-unit franchisee who already operates restaurants successfully and is looking to diversify their portfolio.