Hospitality Industry Leader Natalie Hurley Joins Layne’s Chicken Fingers to Support Nationwide Expansion

As the Texas-based chicken finger franchise continues to experience rapid growth, Layne’s is strengthening its leadership team to take the brand to the next level.

Frisco, TX  (RestaurantNews.com)  Midway through another year of remarkable growth, Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the Soon to be Famous™ chicken finger franchise, has announced the addition of Natalie Hurley as vice president of marketing. Hurley joins the brand with nearly 20 years of high impact hospitality and restaurant-industry experience. She will lead brand strategy and growth initiatives as the franchise scales nationwide, bringing a career rooted in hospitality, guest engagement and experiential brand-building to the fast-growing concept.

“After a year of incredible momentum, bringing Natalie on board is a great next step in our journey,” said CEO Garrett Reed. “Her hospitality background and deep understanding of what makes brands truly resonate with guests will be instrumental as we continue our evolution from a beloved Texas classic to a household name nationwide. Natalie understands what makes Layne’s special, and she has the vision and expertise necessary to share that story while keeping the heart of the brand intact.”

“At the core, hospitality is hospitality, no matter if it’s full service, hotels or fast food,” Hurley said. “My goal here is to build the brand up even more and carry that through all the work we do at Layne’s.”

Hurley’s decision to join Layne’s came after recognizing the shifting restaurant landscape and the brand’s unique position in the market.

“The growth potential in the QSR space really interests me,” she said. “What really solidified that interest to me was meeting with Garrett and the team. Garrett was very inspiring and had such passion for this brand. There’s nothing he won’t do for it, and that caught my attention.”

Hurley’s immediate focus is on strengthening and maintaining brand cohesion as Layne’s grows beyond its home state.

“As we continue to grow nationwide, it’s important that all locations ‘sing the same song,’ tell the same story and have a very strong visual identity,” she said. “Layne’s has the cult following. It has the compelling story built in. My ultimate goal is to ensure that story translates in new markets, too, and to spread the love in the markets we enter.”

Balancing brand consistency with local personality will be key to the brand’s expansion strategy, and Hurley will maintain system-wide standards while empowering franchisees to bring localized flair to their locations.

“What will keep Layne’s unique as we grow is keeping that localized story,” she said. “You can replicate that passion in different markets while staying true to Layne’s and the core foundation of the brand.”

As she grows in her role at Layne’s, Hurley will continue to prioritize fun, embracing the ethos of the Astro Chicken.

“We’re in the business of creating great experiences. It should be fun,” she said. “But like the Astro Chicken heading into space, there’s a level of precision and intention behind everything we do. That mix of playful exploration and operational excellence is what will carry Layne’s into its next chapter.”

About Layne’s Chicken Fingers

Founded in 1994 in College Station, the original location became a Texas A&M legend known for its small-town charm, friendly service, iconic chicken fingers and secret sauce. While opening corporate locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the leadership team focused on fine tuning its operations and starting to franchise. 

Franchise opportunities range from $451,500 to $1,050,000 with different buildout options available. Learn more about franchising here.

Contact:
Julie Maw
Mainland
312-526-2996
jmaw@hellomainland.com