Established
1994
Franchise Units
30
Minimum Investment
$700,000
Franchise Fee
$35,000
Total Investment Range
$1,200,000
Home Based
No
Description
Layne’s Chicken Fingers has emerged as one of America’s fastest-growing chicken restaurant franchises, known for its cult-like following, southern hospitality, and a simple but highly scalable menu centered around premium chicken fingers. Often called “The Soon-To-Be-Famous Chicken Finger Franchise,” Layne’s blends a nostalgic brand story with a modern fast-casual operating system that appeals to today’s consumers—families, students, busy professionals, and chicken lovers across the country.
What makes Layne’s stand out is its unwavering commitment to quality and consistency. Every restaurant delivers the same crispy chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, and signature sauces that originally made the brand a local legend. Combined with strong unit-level economics and an efficient kitchen model, Layne’s has positioned itself as a powerful competitor in the booming chicken QSR segment, now one of the most profitable categories in American franchising.
For investors seeking a high-demand, streamlined, and recognizable concept, Layne’s Chicken Fingers offers a franchise opportunity grounded in tradition, operational simplicity, and explosive national expansion potential.
Why Invest in the Layne’s Chicken Fingers Franchise?
1. The Chicken QSR Market Is Exploding
Chicken remains one of the most in-demand categories in the fast-food industry. Layne’s taps into a massively growing market with a menu that is simple to manage, easy to train, and consistently profitable.
2. A Legendary Brand Story
Originally founded in College Station, Texas, Layne’s quickly built a devoted following. This emotional brand connection gives franchisees a unique advantage—customers feel attached to the heritage, not just the food.
3. Streamlined Operations
A limited, focused menu reduces waste, labor complexity, and training time. Franchisees can run a lean operation while delivering high customer satisfaction.
4. Proven Unit-Level Economics
With strong sales performance in existing locations, Layne’s offers attractive margins, fast throughput, and efficient labor distribution.
5. Hands-On Support From a National Growth Team
Layne’s provides robust operational, marketing, and management support from experienced restaurant operators and franchise experts.
6. Multi-Unit Growth Potential
The brand encourages multi-unit ownership, giving qualified franchisees opportunities to dominate territories and scale quickly.
Background
Layne’s Chicken Fingers was founded in 1994 in College Station, Texas, where it quickly became a beloved local institution known for its crispy chicken fingers, signature sauces, and warm southern hospitality. What started as a single, family-run restaurant near the Texas A&M campus evolved into a regional favorite, attracting long lines of students, families, and chicken enthusiasts who connected deeply with the brand’s nostalgic charm and simple, comfort-driven menu.
Building on decades of strong community support, Layne’s began franchising with a clear mission: take its “Soon-To-Be-Famous Chicken Fingers” legacy nationwide while maintaining the same quality, consistency, and personality that made the original store a Texas icon. Backed by an experienced leadership and franchise development team, the brand refined its operational systems, supply chain, training programs, and real-estate strategy to support multi-unit expansion across the country.
Franchise Active Units (Current Number):
Layne’s Chicken Fingers currently operates around 30 locations across the United States, with additional units in development as part of its accelerating national growth strategy.
Founders:
Layne’s was originally created by Mike and Cody Layne, who built the brand on principles of great food, friendly service, and a straightforward menu that has stood the test of time.
Brand Journey & Ownership:
While the founding recipes and brand personality remain at the core of every restaurant, the company has evolved under new ownership and an experienced executive team dedicated to scaling the franchise nationwide. This modernized approach—combined with the brand’s strong heritage—has helped position Layne’s as one of the country’s most promising and recognizable emerging chicken concepts.
Market Presence & Industry Category:
Layne’s operates within the fast-casual and quick-service chicken restaurant category, one of the fastest-growing segments in American franchising. With expanding locations across Texas and new territories throughout the Midwest, Southeast, and Mountain regions, the brand continues building a strong national footprint supported by rising consumer demand for premium chicken-focused dining options.
Support Training
Layne’s Chicken Fingers is committed to helping franchisees build a sustainable, well-run, and profitable business from day one. Their support system includes:
1. Pre-Launch Support
• Real Estate Guidance: Assistance evaluating trade areas, site selection, and negotiating leases.
• Restaurant Design & Construction: Full support for layout, architecture, equipment list, signage, and store build-out.
• Comprehensive Business Planning: Financial modeling, budgeting templates, operational planning, and vendor setup.
2. Onboarding & Training
• Hands-On Restaurant Training: In-store, classroom, and online instruction covering operations, food prep, inventory management, guest service, and team leadership.
• Manager & Staff Training: Restaurant leadership development, scheduling systems, and team training programs.
• Food Safety & Compliance: ServeSafe training, quality controls, and compliance audits.
3. Operational Support
• Dedicated franchise business consultants
• Access to supply chain partnerships
• Operational playbooks and SOPs
• Inventory and cost-management tools
• Technology systems and POS training
4. Marketing Support
• National and regional marketing campaigns
• Local store marketing strategy
• Digital advertising and social media tools
• Grand opening events and promotional support
• Brand-approved creative assets and continuing marketing assistance
5. Ongoing Support
• Franchise performance reviews and KPI tracking
• New menu items and seasonal promotions
• Continuous operational improvements
• Access to a national community of franchise owners
Ideal Candidate
Layne’s Chicken Fingers is best suited for investors and operators who want to run a high-performance restaurant brand with strong growth potential. Ideal candidates include:
1. Experienced Business Owners or Multi-Unit Operators
People with restaurant, retail, hospitality, or franchise experience, especially those looking to add a strong QSR brand to their portfolio.
2. Hands-On Operators or Semi-Absentee Investors
Entrepreneurs who want to be involved in the business or manage a strong leadership team.
3. Investors With Solid Financial Capability
Franchisees should be capable of funding build-out, managing working capital, and scaling into multiple locations in the future.
4. Passion for Hospitality
Layne’s attracts owners who value guest service, team culture, and consistent quality.
5. Location Preferences
High-traffic suburban areas, college towns, family-centered communities, and fast-growing urban corridors where QSR chicken concepts thrive.
Financial Detail
| Category | Amount / Range |
|---|---|
| Total Investment Required | $700,000 – $1,200,000 |
| Minimum Liquid Capital Required | $250,000 – $350,000 |
| Minimum Net Worth Required | $750,000+ |
| Franchise Fee | $35,000 – $50,000 |
| Royalty Fee | 5% – 6% of gross sales |
| National Marketing Fund | 1% – 2% of gross sales |
| Local Marketing Budget | 2% – 4% of revenue (recommended) |
| Store Build-Out & Infrastructure | $450,000 – $850,000 (location size & market dependent) |
| Kitchen Equipment & Technology | $120,000 – $180,000 |
| Furniture, Fixtures & Signage | $50,000 – $120,000 |
| Training & Opening Support | Included in franchise fee |
| Working Capital (First 3–6 Months) | $50,000 – $100,000 |
| Drive-Thru Installation (If Applicable) | $50,000 – $150,000 |
| Expected ROI | Strong ROI potential based on unit-level economics |
| Estimated Break-Even Timeline | 12 – 24 months |
| Potential Revenue Streams | Dine-in, Takeout, Delivery, Catering, Drive-thru |