Layne’s Chicken Fingers, a Texas-based fried chicken chain, is planning its first California locations across Sacramento, Placer, Fresno and Monterey counties, with franchisee Tariq Munir leading the effort. Munir, based in Granite Bay, has signed an agreement to open 12 Layne’s locations, with 10 of those planned within the chain’s first 10 years in the state.
Layne’s started in 1994 in College Station, Texas, and now operates 53 locations across nine states, with plans to reach 75 by the end of the year. CEO Garrett Reed and business partner Matthew O’Reilly acquired the company in 2017. According to the Sacramento Business Journal, Reed said the brand had always planned to enter California but wanted an experienced operator to lead the expansion, ultimately landing on Munir for the job.
Munir has franchised restaurants for more than 35 years, currently operating 31 IHOP locations stretching from Redding to Bakersfield and into the Bay Area, along with Pinkberry frozen yogurt franchises and a past run with Johnny Rockets. He’s working alongside operations manager Ali Khan, based in the Fresno area, who brings his own 30 plus years in the restaurant industry.
The pair are specifically eyeing sites in Roseville, Elk Grove and Sacramento’s Arden area, along with Clovis and northern Fresno County. Munir said Layne’s stands out for hand cutting and hand dipping each piece of chicken rather than relying on machines, something he said drew him to the brand.
Munir said the first California locations will likely open in early or mid 2027, with the team currently scouting second generation restaurant spaces before considering ground up builds down the line.
