Layne’s Chicken Fingers hatches a new franchise in Clearfield
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- Scott and Heather Davis, owners of Utah’s first Layne’s Chicken Fingers, in Clearfield.
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- Chicken fingers are the stars of the Layne’s menu, accompanied by crinkle-cut fries and Texas toast.
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- The grilled cheese sandwich at Layne’s Chicken Fingers in Clearfield is a “best kept secret” on the menu.
Clearfield is currently home to the only Layne’s Chicken Fingers west of Texas.
But franchise owners Scott and Heather Davis are changing that. They plan to open 15 locations in Utah over the next five to six years, starting with the one that opened in Clearfield last month. The next Layne’s will open in Herriman in late May, and another in the old prison development in Draper next year.
With a name that rhymes with “Cane’s” and a menu of chicken fingers and fries, people might assume that Layne’s is a knockoff of that other fried-chicken chain. But the Davises point out that Layne’s came first. It was founded in 1994, two years before Raising Cane’s opened.
Layne’s was initially started by Mike Layne in College Station, Texas, where it developed a cult following of students at Texas A&M University. Eventually, an employee, Mike Garratt, became the owner.
Heather Davis, a Texas A&M graduate, was already familiar with Layne’s when they heard about a franchising opportunity.
“We love the brand and thought it was a great concept,” said Scott Davis.
They own an entertainment center in Chicago, and another Layne’s location in Dallas. During COVID, the couple built a house outside of Park City, with the idea of escaping the Texas heat in the summer. As they began spending more time in Utah, they studied the restaurant market and decided to bring the Layne’s franchise to Utah. In scouting for their first location, they found a building in Clearfield, the former site of the short-lived Dirty Bird Chicken.
“It’s a great location,” Scott Davis said. “We like to be embedded in the community, instead of being right along a highway. Layne’s started in a college town, and we look forward to sponsoring sports teams and being involved. We have 10 or 12 kids from the high school who work for us part time.”
The wall décor pays tribute to Clearfield and Syracuse high schools.
Layne’s is typical of the current crop of fried chicken restaurants with a fast-casual format.
“You are seeing a shift in preferences of the consumer,” Scott Davis said. “People are looking for good-quality food that they can get quickly. They’re busy with kids, sports and jobs. They’re moving away from sitting down at the table to order and having an hourlong meal and having to tip. And dine-in has gotten expensive.”
He said that so far, 60% of the restaurant’s sales are drive-thru. And the orders are bigger than they initially expected, with more family-size packs sold than individual meals.
Chicken fingers are the star of the menu, with crispy crinkle-cut fries and Texas toast. The only salad offering is potato salad, with bits of sweet-pickle. The only nonfried options are a grilled chicken wrap or grilled cheese sandwich.
“We want to specialize in what we do great,” said Scott Davis. “They (the company) have explored expanding the menu, but they want to focus on what we can really do well and not deviate.”
The chicken is marinated on-site for 48 hours minimum, “which drives the tenderness,” he added.
It comes with a choice of regular or spicy seasoning. The regular is very mild, and the spicy packs more heat.
There are six choices of dipping sauces: honey mustard, buttermilk ranch, jalapeno ranch, BBQ, gravy and Layne’s sauce. The signature Layne’s sauce has creamy similarities to Utah fry sauce, but is stronger flavored.
Heather Davis said the amount of Utahns ordering gravy has been a surprise.
“Gravy is more of a Southern tradition, and we didn’t think we would even carry it,” she said. “But now we have to make several batches of gravy a day.”
For a variation, you can order a “club sandwich” that includes bacon, American cheese and chicken fingers, between slices of Texas toast.
The Davises say the grilled cheese sandwich — American cheese melted between two buttery slices of Texas toast — is a hidden gem on the menu.
“It’s stellar. Nothing fancy, but it’s amazingly good,” Scott Davis said.
To polish off the meal, Layne’s offers milkshakes, which are popular at the Clearfield store.
“Utah is a big milkshake market,” Scott Davis said.
IF YOU GO
Layne’s Chicken Fingers
Location: 846 W. 1700 South, Clearfield
Contact: https://www.layneschickenfingers.com or 385-247-5089
Price range: $9-$15 for chicken, fries and drink
Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to midnight Monday-Saturdays, closing at 10 p.m. Sundays.
