Last month MySA posed the question of whether Baton Rouge-born Raising Cane’s was in the middle of a chicken war with Layne’s Chicken Fingers out of College Station. Both brands invested millions into Texas expansion plans last year, with Cane’s targeting major cities as Layne’s looked at smaller communities. We never did hear back from Raising Cane’s, but Layne’s COO Samir Wattar gave us some insight on the Texas chain’s future plans.
Layne’s previously reported plans to open 15 restaurants between Austin and Waco over the next nine years, but Wattar does not see the company in a chicken war with Raising Cane’s. Instead, he says, “America loves chicken, and there’s room for multiple great brands in the category,” but he did champion Layne’s humble beginnings.
Layne’s started as a single chicken finger shop in College Station, Texas, in 1994. For decades it was a cult favorite for Aggies and locals who knew it as their chicken spot. Now the rest of the country is discovering what people in College Station have known and loved for 30+ years,” Wattar said to MySA. “We’re not trying to chase anyone else. We’re simply scaling a brand that has been loved for decades.”…