Texas-based chicken concept Layne’s Chicken Fingers has found its footing with substantial growth, more than doubling its unit count last year and expecting to do the same in 2026. As the brand grows, Vice President of Culture Operations Cuyler Esposito is ensuring culture doesn’t get left behind.
If Cuyler Esposito learned one thing from his years in franchising, it’s the power of culture.
Esposito signed multi-unit deals with Tropical Smoothie Cafe beginning in 2015 and operated five units in the Atlanta metro. He pivoted to Newk’s Eatery in 2019 with a handful of restaurants in the Dallas area, then operated Armor Coffee & Armor Brewing from 2021 through 2025.
Culture topped Esposito’s priority list through those years, and that hasn’t changed as he’s now tasked with bringing this mentality to rapidly growing Layne’s Chicken Fingers.
Nearly two months in as the company’s vice president of culture operations, Esposito said the Texas-based chicken concept fit the bill for his next career step.
“Being a part of something that is growing as fast as Layne’s is growing is really, really attractive,” Esposito said. “You tie that all in with the franchisees, how selective they are on who they choose and how great my experience has been with them so far, and it’s a full turnkey moment of excitement and energy that I wanted to be a part of.”
Esposito has long taken notice of the substantial growth happening at Layne’s.
The brand finished 2024 with 19 units, a 46.2 percent increase from 2023. A year later, that number has more than doubled with 40 units in operation.
Slowing down is far from the plan, said Esposito, who expects Layne’s to hit another year of 100 percent unit growth with up to 45 openings in 2026.
That number is guided by inking large multi-unit deals over the last year and a half, including a 25-unit deal for Texas, a 22-unit agreement in Ohio and its largest yet, another Texas deal for 44 units.
Cuyler Esposito, Layne’s vice president of culture operations, joined the brand in December of last year.
“Our goal this year is to continue to open up great units and then continue to support the franchisees who got us here, the units that have been open and are going to continue to make us great,” Esposito said. “I think from Layne’s, you can expect a lot of excitement.”
In his role, Esposito focuses on the hospitality side of operations, ensuring franchisees and staff are adhering to the “15-to-one” mentality: guest experience should be 15 times better than product quality.
“We know the quality of our product is good,” Esposito said, “so how do we get that experience to be 15 times better than that?”
Though he’s no longer a franchisee, having sold his stores over the years, Esposito is drawing on that experience to establish and professionalize systemwide standards and procedures at Layne’s. While in business since 1994, the company didn’t launch a franchise program until 2017.
“That’s the one thing I absolutely love about this role—I’ve been all of these guys,” he said. “Being able to actually have a conversation with these franchisees, and they know I’ve been in their shoes and experienced what they’ve experienced, really helps solidify the starting point in the relationship and helps bring some credit to what I’m saying.”
Early in his role, Esposito is touring the country to meet and connect with Layne’s operators—experience he described as “invaluable.” He’s also hopped on construction calls and the like to ensure franchisees have support through every step of development and operations.
Beyond franchisee support, Esposito is also locked in on leadership development. Organic, internal growth is key as he looks to implement the company’s leadership development programs and potentially introduce incentives at the store level.
He said it’s all part of the bigger picture—cultivating an above-and-beyond culture for all involved in the Layne’s system.
“What we’re building over here is absolutely an amazing thing to be a part of. I’m blessed to be on this team and blessed to be with the franchisees we have and leadership we have,” he said. “I think you’re going to expect a lot of excitement, and all of us at the support center are here to make sure this year goes off without a hitch.”