More than 30 years after opening its doors in College Station, a Texas-born chicken chain is entering the chicken empire phase of its life. Layne’s Chicken Fingers stands tall as the homegrown rival to Louisiana’s Raising Cane’s, and now the Texas brand is about to open a landmark restaurant.
Layne’s is set to open its first restaurant in Lubbock on June 13, marking the 50th Layne’s Chicken Fingers opening as the company is in the midst of rapid nationwide expansion. In celebration, Layne’s will offer free Layne’s chicken for a year to the first 50 dine-in customers. Then, for the rest of the week, 50 additional guests will also be surprised with free Layne’s chicken for a year. So, if you’re in the Lubbock area, don’t be afraid to score your chance at free chicken.
“This opening means a lot to us,” Garrett Reed, CEO of Layne’s Chicken Fingers, said in a news release. “50 restaurants is a huge milestone, but what really stands out is how we got here: great franchise partners, strong communities, and a lot of people who just really love chicken fingers. Lubbock felt like the perfect place to celebrate that.”
The Lubbock Layne’s was first announced in December 2025 when the company filed plans for a 3,000-square-foot restaurant less than five miles from Texas Tech University. Now with the opening days away, Layne’s is also partnering with Texas Tech Athletics to become an NIL partner for Red Raider stars, according to the release.
Layne’s had 30 more restaurant openings planned for 2026 across the country and awarded more than 50 future restaurants in the first quarter of 2026 alone. If College Station and Lubbock are any example, college towns are prime destinations for Layne’s Chicken Fingers fans.
Find it: 7902 University Ave., Lubbock, TX 79423
This article originally published at Texas-born Raising Cane’s rival sets opening for 50th chicken hut.