Frisco, Texas — Layne’s Chicken Fingers, a rapidly growing chicken finger franchise, closed out 2025 with historic growth, doubling its restaurant count and achieving record financial performance. Entering 2026 with 40 restaurants open and 10 new franchise owners in the system, Layne’s is prepared for another landmark year as it works toward the longer term vision of 300 units by 2030.
Layne’s posted a 50% year-over-year unit increase and a 67% increase in systemwide sales, with 2024 systemwide revenue reaching $30 million, placing the brand among the fastest-growing concepts in the country.
“We opened 21 restaurants last year, which is 110% growth over the prior year,” says Garrett Reed, chief executive officer. “We increased average unit volume across the system, and we brought on 10 new franchisees for a total of 40 restaurants awarded. We also developed the organization further to provide better support to our franchisees.”
Layne’s impressive growth included a 44-unit agreement, a 15-unit expansion by Wisconsin franchise owners and agreements signed by franchisees of other major brands like Wendy’s and Arby’s.
In line with the unit growth, Layne’s also welcomed Natalie Hurley as vice president of brand marketing and Cuyler Esposito as vice president of culture and operations and promoted Alex Camp to vice president of operations services.
“From day one, our goal wasn’t to sell franchises; our goal was to build an organization that provides services to the franchisees, and we’ve done that every year,” says Samir Wattar, chief operating officer. “If you look at our manpower growth compared to our restaurant growth, that’s clear. We now have 40 restaurants open, and we have 28 employees in the home office. We’re building a support organization for a brand that we’re really passionate about.”
As Layne’s looks toward 2026, the team is looking forward to an additional 40 restaurant openings, continued revenue growth and thoughtful footprint expansion. With a powerful support team and strong logistical framework, Layne’s maintains its focus on strategic national growth, emphasizing franchisee alignment and cultural fits on the path to 300 units.
Founded in 1994 in College Station, Texas, the original location became a Texas A&M legend known for its small-town charm, friendly service, iconic chicken fingers and secret sauce. While opening corporate locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the leadership team focused on fine-tuning its operations and starting to franchise.
SOURCE: Layne’s Chicken Fingers