TL;DR
Layne's Chicken Fingers has been named to Nation's Restaurant News' 2025 '100 Under 100' list, recognizing the brand as one of the top 100 growth brands. The franchise has seen rapid expansion, reaching the 30-restaurant mark and signing agreements for over 60 more restaurants.
FRISCO, Texas — Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the rapidly growing chicken finger franchise, secured a spot on Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2025 100 Under 100 ranking. The report notes that, overall, growth in 2024 “wasn’t particularly eye-popping,” but some brands had “truly staggering results.” Layne’s Chicken Fingers is one of those brands.
As a part of the 2025 100 Under 100 list, Layne’s is recognized as one of the top 100 growth brands, as determined by a percentage of unit-count growth between 2023 and 2024. Layne’s, and all the brands it stands alongside, boast double-digit growth percentages.
“We are thrilled by the growth we’ve experienced in recent years,” said CEO Garrett Reed. “Being recognized on the 100 Under 100 list is an honor, and the team and I are especially proud to have achieved this while maintaining incredible franchisee support and a system of satisfied owners.”
Layne’s continues to see rapid expansion, having reached the 30-restaurant mark and opened two restaurants, in two different states, on the same day early in Q3 2025. Year-to-date, the brand has signed agreements for over 60 more restaurants and opened 11 total new restaurants, continuing its growth in major markets nationwide.
“As we continue to grow, seeing Layne’s success in markets in Texas and beyond is incredibly heartening,” Reed said. “This brand, and the people throughout the system, have proven themselves time and time again. We’re all excited for the future we’ve laid the foundation for, and we have no intentions of slowing down.”
With ongoing growth on the horizon, Layne’s is targeting markets in Minnesota, Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, the Carolinas and more.
Founded in 1994 in College Station, 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.
In this story
This story was originally published in 1851 Franchise on September 2, 2025. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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