Layne's Chicken Fingers

Founded by Mike Layne in 1994 in College Station, Texas, Layne's Chicken Fingers is all about chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries and Texas toast, as well as sandwiches, dipping sauces and shakes. Texas A&M grad Mike Garratt joined Layne at the original location as an employee, and then later took over the business, though he doesn't run the day-to-day. The chain began franchising in 2021, and Layne's said it has grown its unit count by more than 50% in the first half of 2025, passing the 30-restaurant mark. The brand's home state of Texas is mostly sold out for franchising, so Layne's is pushing into Wisconsin, Arkansas and Ohio. By the end of 2026, Layne's expects to pass the 80-unit mark.