A chicken finger frenzy is taking over Austin, and Layne's Chicken Fingers is plucking a substantial share of the market. Shahroz Khan, an engineer with an MBA, has teamed up with seven of his cousins, all boasting impressive academic backgrounds in engineering, health, and finance, to quickly open a multitude of Layne's franchises across the Austin-Waco corridor, as reported by KXAN. The group's franchisee fervor is not just leading them to establish up to 15 locations but boldly setting their sights on cornering the chicken finger niche in the bustling Texas metro area.

Choosing Layne's over competing chains like Raising Cane’s and Chick-fil-A was a strategic move for Khan and his family. Layne's welcoming culture and supportive franchise model proved to be the deciding factors. Khan told the Austin Business Journal, “The one thing that actually sold the deal for me was when the owner of Layne’s told me, ‘imagine that Chick-fil-A had 15 locations today, would you join?’” With their decision to join Layne's, the Khan family has set in motion expansion plans that could see the brand's presence in Central Texas grow to as many as 25 locations.

The Austinite franchisees are currently scouting the hyper-competitive Austin real estate market for optimal store locations, a task proving to be as challenging as they come. According to the Austin Business Journal, Khan revealed, “We’ve been working deals for the past four months, and it's very tough to get the right deal for the right place in the right moment." To successfully launch a Layne's in Austin, potential franchisees are looking at costs between $700,000 and $1.5 million, depending on the nature of the property—a price point reflecting the city's robust and competitive real estate market.

The groundwork for this cluck-worthy expansion is already underway, with Khan securing his first lease near an H-E-B Plus grocery store in Leander, expected to serve up chicken fingers by spring of 2026.