---
title: "Layne’s Chicken Fingers Debuts in Arkansas with Benton Location"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/913e276c-c952-4877-8b35-6ecada666743
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/the-saline-courier-laynes-chicken-fingers-expands-to-arkansas-with-new-benton-location-2728141
category: "Chicken"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Chicken"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2024-12-20T15:10:07.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T01:02:47.909Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/7bad79f68ee3a6d6684d3d061996af994636.jpg
---

# Layne’s Chicken Fingers Debuts in Arkansas with Benton Location

**TL;DR:** Layne's Chicken Fingers has opened its first Arkansas location in Benton, marking the brand's expansion into the state. The Benton franchise is owned by Jake Willett, who was attracted to the brand's emphasis on real estate development and quality franchising.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2024-12-20. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/the-saline-courier-laynes-chicken-fingers-expands-to-arkansas-with-new-benton-location-2728141).*

## Story

Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the Soon to be Famous™ chicken finger franchise, opened its first Arkansas location in Benton on December 16, The Saline Courier reported. Known for its signature chicken fingers, family meals, sandwiches, wraps and shakes, the restaurant will be located at 2110 Arkansas 5 North.

The Benton franchise is owned by Jake Willett, who returned to Arkansas after selling his landscaping business in Colorado. The move aligns with Willett’s goal of being closer to family and exploring new business opportunities in franchising.

“We sold the business because the price is right,” he said. “My wife and I are both from the South and when we had the opportunity to sell the business in Denver, it was important to be somewhere close to family.”

There were a number of factors that attracted Willett to Layne’s, but first and foremost was the brand’s emphasis on real estate development. “It’s a way for me to go out and develop real estate for Layne’s, but also put a fantastic operating business in it at the same time,” he said. “Really, it was the menu, it’s the executive team that they’ve built and got in place, and the quality of franchising. Their goal is not to accept everybody that walks through the door looking to do this. Their selection process is pretty intense.”

The Benton community has responded positively to the opening. Following this launch, a second Layne’s location is planned for McCain Boulevard in North Little Rock, with further expansion envisioned in central Arkansas.

“I think people are very excited to have their first Layne’s here in Arkansas,” Willett said. “We’re excited to be back in the area and we look forward to being able to serve the community for many years around central Arkansas.”

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- unit expansion (topic)
- franchising (topic)
- location opening (topic)
- Layne's Chicken Fingers (company)
- Arkansas (location)
- Jake Willett (person)
- Benton (location)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/the-saline-courier-laynes-chicken-fingers-expands-to-arkansas-with-new-benton-location-2728141). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/913e276c-c952-4877-8b35-6ecada666743).