I guess a lot of franchise owners are betting on the fact that Lubbock really, really loves chicken.

On the surface, that feels a little odd. Lubbock, Texas sounds like it should be a beef-and-tacos kind of town. Brisket. Burgers. Barbacoa. Carne guisada. Then again, tacos don’t eat up all seven days of the week. That leaves plenty of calendar space for chicken — apparently a whole lot of it.

Chicken Is Everywhere in Lubbock

If you want chicken in Lubbock, congratulations: you have options. Lots of them. Off the top of your head you can probably rattle off Buffalo Wild Wings, Wingstop, River Smith’s Chicken & Catfish, Bucket of Love Southern Fried Chicken, Kokio Korean Fried Chicken, Dimba’s, Big Chicken, Slim Chickens, Dirk’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken, KFC, Church’s Chicken, Chick-fil-A, and Raising Cane’s. And that’s just the easy list. Most of these brands also come with multiple locations, meaning the actual number of places selling fried chicken is significantly higher.

At a certain point, you stop asking where to get chicken and start asking which one is closest.

The Rise of the “Chicken Strip”

Now we can add another name to the growing pile: Layne’s Chicken Fingers. The first Lubbock location is expected near 79th and University. While an exact address hasn’t been officially locked down, the working rumor is that it may move into an existing KFC location. If that’s true, it would put Layne’s dangerously close to Slim Chickens and reinforce what feels like a brand-new zoning category — the “Chicken Strip.” Yes, pun fully intended.

And we’ve seen this movie before.

The Original Chicken Strip

Over on 4th Street just outside of West Loop 289, there’s already a poultry powder keg. Slim Chickens, Raising Cane’s, and Chick-fil-A all sit within easy walking distance of each other. Toss in nearby Whataburger and Wendy’s (both quietly excellent at chicken strips), and you’ve got enough breading to choke a drive-thru lane. You can even grab fried chicken from Walmart if you’re feeling chaotic.

Read More: Health Alert: Sick Geese Raise Concerns At McAllister Park

Is It Too Much Chicken?

Maybe. Or maybe Lubbock simply knows a good thing when it sees it. Chicken is fast, relatively affordable, wildly customizable, and easy to build a franchise around. For now, the oil keeps bubbling and the baskets keep dropping.

Whether we’re nearing peak poultry or just getting started — time will tell.

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Gallery Credit: Renee Raven

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Want to dine around the world without leaving Lubbock? Try 34th Street, which is full of delicious, high-quality options from across the globe.

Gallery Credit: Renee Raven