Chicken finger franchise Layne's Chicken Fingers is closing another year of growth. In 2025, the brand had multiple six-figure openings, opened in new states and signed a 44-unit development deal. In support of its continued growth, Layne's is appointing Cuyler Esposito as vice president of culture operations and promoting Alex Camp to vice president of operations services.

With extensive experience as a multiunit franchisee, Esposito will prioritize culture throughout the Layne's franchise system while serving as a voice for franchisees to ensure Layne's culture remains the foundation of its operational excellence as it scales.

"We are building a team that doesn't just understand the restaurant business but understands the human side of it, too," said CEO Garrett Reed. "Cuyler has been following our story for years, and as a former food service franchisee, he's uniquely qualified to support our teams and ensure our values remain a priority as we scale our footprint."

While Cuyler will focus on strong operations, a hallmark of the Layne's business model, that is not his only guiding principle. "In this industry, it's easy to get lost in the numbers, but Layne's is special because everyone here is aligned on the brand's core pillars," Esposito said. "My philosophy is 'culture first, operations very close behind.' My job is to ensure our franchisees and their teams are operating with that high level of hospitality that separates us from the competition."

As he gets integrated into the system, Esposito says his primary focus will be supporting multiunit franchisees in building their own internal "benches," helping them develop teams to support long-term success without friction.

As Layne's expands beyond its home state of Texas, Camp will support the brand by overseeing the intersection of corporate infrastructure and real operations throughout the franchise network.

"We have always had our eye on proactive development of our support teams, and Alex's promotion is in line with this philosophy," said CEO Garrett Reed. "He has been with us through a pivotal season of growth, understands that our leadership team is in the service business, and is committed to interdepartmental connection and cooperation. His new role will ensure that, as we scale, we maintain the agility and operational excellence our franchisees rely on."

Camp describes his role as the organization's "central nervous system," designed to hone processes and turn the leadership team's strategic vision into reality for franchisees.

"It's a multidepartmental role focused on turning thoughts into actions while relaying sensory feedback for critical evaluation," Camp said. "My goal is to build new feedback pathways as the organization grows. Whether it's working with IT, marketing, or design and construction, Operations Services ensures we get initiatives across the finish line so the franchisee can even better serve the guest."

While he plans to lean more into the strategic side of the business as it grows, Camp remains committed to a service-first mindset. Across the leadership team, the vision is clear: Protect the brand and protect the franchisee.

In his new role, Camp will serve as a voice for franchisees at the corporate table, ensuring that, as the brand grows and brings on new departments and personnel, the profitability and operational success of local owners remain the top priority.

"We're adding incredible talent to our team, from marketing to IT, but we need to ensure all those efforts come together and 'sing the same song' for the operators in their markets," Camp said. "I know the Layne's model and culture, and now, my focus will be cross-functional support and feedback to ensure the base of the organization — our owners and their teams — have what they need to succeed."

Source: Layne's Chicken Fingers