Months after listing five Texas cities for expansion, a 44-unit deal between a Lubbock-born restaurant group and Texas-born Layne’s Chicken franchise is set to begin opening locations in 2026. Here’s what to know about the deal, including where and when restaurants will pop up.
The deal is between the “Texas-born and breaded” chicken franchise and Lubbock’s C5 Restaurants group. C5 recently made news for adding burger franchise Small Sliders to the 2026 Lubbock menu, and already owns six Fazoli’s restaurants across the West Texas area.
“The food’s fantastic, and they’re building an incredible business,” said Eli Cohen, C5 CEO. “The menu is simple, and the quality’s so high. If we didn’t feel that way, I think it would be hard to go into the chicken space. It’s crowded, but we believe this is a premium product, and it’s going to shine through.”
What is Layne’s Chicken?
Layne’s Chicken, which opened in College Station in 1994, specializes in chicken tenders, with in-house sauces and shakes. It prides itself on offering a premium product made-to-order, according to Layne’s CEO Garrett Reed…