Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the Texas “born and breaded” famous chicken franchise with 17 restaurants open across the U.S. and another 226 sold, is coming to Georgia. After building a name (and cult following) for itself in its hometown of College Station, Texas, with its laid-back guest experience and some of the crispiest chicken tenders in the state, the brand began offering franchises and quickly expanded across multiple states. Now, it has signed an 18-unit deal with Alvin Shah, Shahid Panjwani, and Seth Bickle. The first location is anticipated to open in Roswell this October at 2000 Holcomb Bridge Rd., with an additional 17 locations planned throughout the Atlanta market.
Shah has worked on the other side of the business as a national mortgage lender and grew up in the restaurant industry with his father owning several quick-service restaurants. Panjwani also grew up around the industry with his parents owning Dunkin’ franchises, while Bickle has worked on both the corporate and ownership side for brands such as Subway. They realized they all had different skill sets and traits that complement each other, so they decided to join forces and bring Layne’s to Georgia for the first-time.
The Georgia deal will bring the first locations to the state with Shah, Panjwani, and Bickle serving as key players in Layne’s continued expansion. Since its 2021 foray into franchising, the brand has awarded more than 200 restaurants to passionate franchisees and is showing no sign of slowing down. With this entry to Georgia, Layne’s is one step closer to its goal of having 50 units open and 200 sold by 2025.
“After learning about the history of Layne’s and meeting the leadership team, I knew this was an opportunity like no other,” said Shah. “I’m excited to bring Layne’s to my own community and proud to be a part of an iconic brand’s takeover story.”
“We’re happy to welcome Shah, Panjwani, and Bickle to the system and know they will represent the brand well in Georgia,” said Chief Operating Officer Samir Wattar. “These are the first locations in the state, and we’re optimistic about our growth in the market.”
Through its national expansion, Layne’s simple but delicious menu and welcoming restaurant atmosphere have helped it stand out above other competitors in the chicken market. In the over $59 billion fast food chicken segment, Layne’s finds an attractive balance between modern innovation and the proven classics, incorporating new flavors and technological advancements without losing the heart of what makes them special.
For franchisees looking to grow in the booming fast food chicken industry, Layne’s offers a standout product, a unique guest experience, and internal corporate support to encourage long-term success.
As it continues to grow, Layne’s is looking to sell out its home state of Texas and begin planting flags in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Florida.
