Love it or hate it, much of Texas’ wide open spaces have become dominated by chains. Whether it’s homegrown spots like Whataburger and Bill Miller, or national brands like Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s or even international chains like Tim Horton’s, all of them can be found in several spots across the Lone Star State. But, if you want a good bite and to support a homegrown label, one brand has been ramping up in recent years to become Texas’ new fast food giant.

Layne’s Chicken Fingers may have opened in College Station in 1994, but in recent years the company has aggressively expanded its offerings across Texas. With the likes of Raising Cane’s, Bojangles, Chick-fil-A and Popeye’s, among other chicken chains, dominating the field, Layne’s is giving Texans an option to, more or less, buy local.

“This brand didn’t start in a boardroom — it started in a college town in Texas with a simple idea: do chicken fingers extremely well and have fun while doing it,” Layne’s COO Samir Wattar previously said to MySA. “That philosophy still drives everything we do.”

Layne’s offers guests the option between original and spicy chicken fingers, along with crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast and six signature housemade sausages along with sandwiches, wraps and shakes. Wattar told MySA that “by staying focused, we can deliver great quality and speed every time.” And now Layne’s is available at 50 restaurants across Texas following the opening of its Lubbock location.

After submitting $5 million worth of plans with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) in 2025, Layne’s has not slowed down in 2026. So far this year the company has submitted $4.5 million worth of plans with new restaurants headed for San Antonio, New Braunfels, Brownsville, Lufkin and more. The latest marks Layne’s entrance into West Texas with construction planned for its first restaurant in Midland.

The new outpost will see a former Wendy’s transformed into a 2,600-square-foot Layne’s at 2000 Rankin Highway, Midland, TX 79701. Construction on the $200,000 Midland Layne’s is aiming to begin construction on July 15 and is expected to wrap up by November 15, according to the TDLR. All TDLR filings are subject to change without notice.

So, soon enough Layne’s will be available from the Rio Grande Valley to the Texas Panhandle and from West Texas to the Louisiana border.