Layne's Chicken Fingers is opening its second Richmond-area restaurant on October 24 at 8801 Staples Mill Rd. in Henrico, Virginia, as franchisee Khurram Burney accelerates his buildout of the Texas-born brand across the state. The first 50 dine-in guests at the grand opening will receive free Layne's for a year — a promotional hook the brand has used to generate early buzz at new locations.

The Franchisee Behind the Push

Burney was among the first operators to bring Layne's Chicken Fingers to Virginia, and the Henrico unit is his second location in the greater Richmond market. He has publicly committed to additional development across the state, positioning himself as a multi-unit anchor for the brand's Mid-Atlantic corridor. "I'm excited to bring Layne's back to the Richmond area with our new Henrico location," Burney said. "I'm looking forward to welcoming even more local guests and giving them a chance to try what makes Layne's special."

CEO Garrett Reed framed Henrico as a deliberate geographic step rather than opportunistic infill. "Khurram has been instrumental in bringing Layne's to Virginia, and Henrico is a natural next step," Reed said, citing the brand's emphasis on strong franchise partnerships and disciplined growth.

Menu and Market Context

The Henrico unit will carry the full Layne's menu: hand-breaded chicken finger baskets, Texas toast–stacked sandwiches, and a chicken club topped with brisket bacon and American cheese, all supported by a lineup of dipping sauces that includes the brand's signature house sauce, jalapeño ranch, honey mustard, BBQ, and gravy.

The opening lands in a competitive chicken-finger segment that has seen sustained consumer demand since the pandemic reshuffled fast-casual dining priorities. Founded in 1994 near Texas A&M University in College Station, Layne's has grown to more than 50 locations nationwide and positions itself against larger players through menu focus and franchisee-driven local hospitality — a model that operators tracking QSR expansion trends will recognize as a counterweight to the unit-count races run by Raising Cane's and Slim Chickens.

For foodservice operators evaluating franchise opportunities in underpenetrated Mid-Atlantic markets, Layne's Virginia push illustrates how regional anchoring by committed multi-unit franchisees can give emerging brands a credible presence before corporate resources scale. Readers following beverage and food franchise development will note that the brand's playful, sauce-forward identity mirrors strategies used by other regional concepts that grew loyal fanbases before national rollouts. Food & Beverage Magazine has tracked similar franchise-led market entries across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.