Willett To Open 10 Layne's Chicken Fingers Units

Jake Willett, the former owner of a successful Denver-based landscaping business, is taking a leap of faith with Layne's Chicken Fingers. He will develop 10 restaurants across Arkansas in the next five years. The first restaurant will be located in the Hurricane Creek Village shopping center at I-30 and Alcoa Road in Benton and is expected to open by the end of 2024.

After selling his landscaping business to a private equity firm, Willett began looking for his next opportunity. Following the numbers, he decided to break into the QSR industry and become a franchisee with Layne's Chicken Fingers, which was founded in 1994 in College Station, Texas.

"We're happy to welcome Jake to the system," said Chief Operating Officer Samir Wattar. "We know he will bring the same value to Layne's as he did with his landscaping business. This multi-unit deal will introduce Layne's to the state of Arkansas, and we're optimistic about the success."

The menu will feature twists on classic fried chicken fare, including a three-finger chicken sandwich served on Texas toast, a fried chicken club sandwich with bacon, cheese, and, of course, chicken fingers served with sauces like buttermilk ranch, honey mustard, BBQ and Layne's, an in-house creation that has become a go-to among loyal customers.