Layne’s Chicken Fingers awards 50-plus new locations as franchise demand surges

Layne’s Chicken Fingers handed out more than 50 new locations in the first quarter, a pace nearly 50% above last year that turns franchise demand into a hard operational test on the ground. The chain said it signed agreements with new and existing franchisees, opened new restaurants and executed 16 leases for future development, all while trying to keep enough managers, shift leaders and crew lined up to open each unit without cutting corners on training.

The pressure points are already visible in the map. Waycross, Georgia became the brand’s second restaurant in the state and its entry into a new market, while new Texas openings in Leander, Rosenberg, Rockwall and Palestine kept the company pushing deeper into familiar territory. Palestine delivered a record-breaking opening week, the kind of launch that can help a new store build momentum fast, but also raises the bar for the kitchen team expected to keep ticket times, food quality and service steady after the rush fades.

Layne’s entered 2026 with 40 restaurants open and 10 new franchise owners in the system after closing 2025 with historic growth that doubled its restaurant count. That kind of jump can create opportunity for restaurant workers, but it also means more stores competing for the same pool of experienced managers, trainers and hourly employees. In a business built on speed and consistency, rapid expansion can stretch support teams thin if hiring and onboarding do not keep up with the development schedule.

The company’s pipeline was already heavy before this quarter. In the third quarter of 2025, Layne’s signed five franchise agreements covering more than 55 upcoming restaurants, opened seven new units and hit a record $1.2 million systemwide sales week. A 44-unit West Texas deal and an eight-unit West Texas deal helped push the Texas market to 95% sold out, a sign that much of the brand’s growth engine is moving from one set of franchisees to the next. Layne’s has also been building out franchise support infrastructure as it works toward a long-term goal of 300 units by 2030.

The growth story has brought outside validation too. Layne’s earned an inaugural spot on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list at No. 366, and Restaurant Business ranked it No. 6 on its 2025 Future 50 list after a 50% year-over-year unit increase and a 67% gain in systemwide sales. Founded in 1994 in College Station, Texas, the chain still trades on Texas A&M roots and small-town charm. The next test is whether that identity can hold as the brand scales from a strong regional run into a much larger hiring and training machine.