This podcast is a visit with Layne's Chicken Fingers chief executive officer Garrett Reed, chief operating officer Samir Wattar, and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

2024 marks 30 years in business for a fast food restaurant that originated in College Station and is now in a nationwide expansion.

Layne's Chicken Fingers chief executive officer and College Station native Garrett Reed and chief operating officer Samir Wattar visited with WTAW's Bill Oliver about the evolution of the company, which is now based in the north Dallas suburb of Frisco, and its place in the QSR (quick service restaurant) business.

Additional information from Layne's Chicken Fingers corporate office:

Layne’s, the Soon-to-be Famous chicken concept with 13 restaurants open and another 113 franchises sold, is making great bounds toward its goal of having 50 units open and 200 franchises sold by 2025.

This year alone (2023), it opened four new restaurants, acquired the original three in College Station, Texas, and signed multiple deals — including one that sold out all of Nashville — that account for a total of 48 restaurants awarded.

Not only did the concept expand outside of its home state of Texas for the first time this year (2023), but Layne's opened its first-ever drive-thru-only model which has become one of the top-performing restaurants.

Not only was it a great year for sales, but Layne's seems to have put their finger on the labor wars issue: hiring teenagers and helping them develop into managers and eventually, owners of Layne's locations.