Layne’s Chicken Fingers, a Texas born restaurant chain known for its chicken tender focused menu, is stepping up its expansion efforts as demand for chicken tenders continues to grow across the United States.
The brand, which started in 1994 in College Station, Texas, built a loyal following among students at Texas A&M University with a simple menu built around chicken fingers, fries, Texas toast and its signature dipping sauce. For many years, the chain remained largely regional before shifting its focus toward franchising and national growth.
The company entered a new phase after entrepreneur Garrett Reed acquired the brand in 2017. Since then, Layne’s has accelerated development through franchise partnerships and multi-unit operators.
The chain now operates more than 40 restaurants across nine states, including Texas, Ohio, Wisconsin, Georgia, Utah and Virginia. Growth has picked up quickly in the past few years. In 2023 the brand had around 10 locations, but it more than doubled its footprint by 2025 as new franchise restaurants opened.
Layne’s has also strengthened its development pipeline. The company signed agreements for 68 new restaurants in late 2025, including a 44 unit deal in Texas. These agreements are expected to drive much of the brand’s expansion in the coming years, with franchise partners leading development in several markets.
The brand’s leadership believes there is significant room for growth in the premium chicken tender segment. Layne’s plans to continue expanding across the country and sees long term potential for thousands of locations in the United States over the next two decades.
The expansion push comes at a time when chicken tender concepts are gaining traction across the restaurant industry. Chains such as Raising Cane’s, Wingstop, Dave’s Hot Chicken and Zaxby’s have opened hundreds of restaurants in recent years as demand for chicken focused fast casual dining continues to rise.
Layne’s strategy centres on a small, focused menu and franchise led growth, a model the company believes can support steady national expansion while maintaining product quality.
