Layne’s Chicken Fingers reaches huge deal in Texas

Texas has been a hot spot for industry franchise agreements and the latest is one of the biggest of the year.

Layne’s Chicken Fingers has signed a huge 44-unit agreement with Eli Cohen, a real estate and restaurant developer. The move will result in the chicken finger franchise expanding across West Texas, San Antonio and the Coastal Bend.

According to Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the franchise is now 90% sold out in Texas. But there is still room for franchisees in El Paso and a several smaller, single-unit territories.

“Sealing an over-40-unit deal in our home state is a major milestone for us as we approach 100% market saturation across Texas,” said Garret Reed, CEO of Layne’s Chicken. “And given our focus on real estate, the opportunity to pursue this expansion with a seasoned developer is even more meaningful.”

As part of the agreement, Cohen’s team plans to open multiple new Layne’s locations in their home base of Lubbock next year — with two sites already confirmed and a potential third under consideration — marking an exciting first step in bringing Layne’s signature chicken fingers to markets across West Texas. This franchise deal marks the largest to date for Layne’s Chicken Fingers.

“When a franchisor has a strong culture and a clear playbook, it allows local teams like ours to focus on execution, leadership and community impact,” Reed said. “That combination of structure and autonomy is what makes the model work.”

In another deal, Layne’s recently reached a 12-unit agreement with a Wendy’s operator for the Rio Grande Valley market, an 8-unit deal with former water bottling entrepreneur for the Big Country region, and a four-unit agreement in South Fort Worth with an experienced hospitality developer.

Franchise opportunities range from $451,500 to $1,050,000 with different buildout options available, the company said.