How Layne’s Chicken Fingers Stands Out in the QSR Chicken Market

Layne’s Soon to be Famous™ Chicken Fingers, born in 1994, quickly became a favorite of College Station, Texas residents. The down-home feel was welcoming, providing an easy lunch spot to college students, returning alumni, working professionals and anyone else searching for a classic chicken finger.

Layne’s Astro Chicken symbolizes the brand’s culture perfectly, according to Garrett Reed, the brand’s CEO.

“I wanted to find something that I believed would embody what Mike [Garratt] and I believed that Layne’s was all about… The Astro Chicken tells you three things. It’s a chicken in a space helmet, and it says, right across the front, ‘1994.’ That’s the year we were born, which is very important to us,” he said. “Then it tells you two more things: how to behave.”

For Reed, the chicken symbolizes the laid-back nature that employees should have with each other and themselves. On a farm, chickens are typically the calmest animal, simply taking everything in. “It’s the most nonchalant thing on the farm,” he explained. “But you can’t really run a business with a bunch of kids running around acting like chickens.”

Brand culture

Encapsulating the chicken in the most serious, complex thing he could think of — space travel — represents the care and precision that should be used in the business. “When it comes to the food and running the business, you have to do it with such precision that it’s as important as space travel,” he added.

Since the brand’s foundation, the mellow nature of its employees and leadership, in concert with a strong drive for excellence, has been instrumental to its success. Mike Layne opened the original Layne’s Chicken Fingers location in College Station, Texas; the rest is history.

Layne’s quickly became a community favorite, serving as an easy, stress-free spot for college students to drop in for a meal. Because the restaurant has always been so laid-back, employees and customers have had a chance to build a culture within the restaurant that fits everyone.

“You think, ‘we’re just a restaurant,’ but some people really really love Layne’s,” explained Mike Garratt, a Layne’s owner. “We’ve even seen people get married wearing Layne’s shirts.”

Growth plans

As the brand grows, it is looking to establish 100 units by 2025, bringing the fun of Layne’s to places like Florida, Texas, Arizona and more. It is uniquely positioned to maintain its small-town model while incorporating newer features commonly seen in larger restaurants. For both franchisees and diners, this creates a restaurant model that can be otherwise difficult to find.

With plenty of open markets and ambitious growth goals, prospective franchisees have an opportunity to join the brand at a time where they will receive the benefits and support associated with working with an emerging franchise brand, while still reaping the benefits of newer technologies, streamlined operations and a well-know, well-established reputation.

The Texas-born and breaded chicken concept boasts its balance of hometown culture and passion for innovation as a unique attribute, attracting franchisees and guests alike.