Why People Are Buying Into Hospitality. Convo with Garrett Reed, CEO of Layne’s Chicken Fingers

If quick service is supposed to be about speed and efficiency, why are people still paying for hospitality?

Garrett Reed, CEO of Layne’s Chicken Fingers, joins James Tice to break down what’s really driving the brand’s explosive 100% year-over-year growth. From expanding beyond Texas for the first time to screening franchisees with extreme discipline, Reed explains why great food is only half the equation. Hospitality is what people are actually buying.

He shares how Layne’s evaluates new markets, why real estate and operations bookend success, and how culture must be intentionally built before growth accelerates..

What You’ll Learn:

- Why hospitality, not food alone, drives repeat business

- How Layne’s screens franchise partners for cultural alignment

- Why real estate and operations determine long-term success

- How investing in corporate support early protects culture at scale

- Why restaurant profitability is a game of pennies, not ego

Episode Links:

Garrett Reed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-reed-5a724a152/

Layne’s Chicken Fingers: https://www.layneschickenfingers.com/