1263: Eric Reed, Chief Development Officer at Layne's Chicken Fingers

Eric Reed and Natalie Hurley (also of Layne's) join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 20th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Eric Reed is the Chief Development Officer at Layne's Chicken Fingers, where he leads the brand's aggressive growth and real estate strategy as the company scales its footprint across existing and new markets. With more than two decades of experience in restaurant and retail real estate development, Eric has held leadership roles at brands including Raising Cane's, Brinker International, Payless ShoeSource, and Sally Beauty, giving him a deep understanding of site selection, market planning, and franchise expansion. Before joining Layne's in 2024, he also served as Chief Growth Officer at Main & Main Capital and previously as Vice President at Main and Main Development, working on growth strategies for a variety of concepts. Eric is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he earned his BBA in Finance, and he now applies that background to building what Layne's calls its "soon to be famous" chicken empire. Join RULibrary: www.restaurantunstoppable.com/RULibrary Join RULive: www.restaurantunstoppable.com/live Set Up your RUEvolve 1:1: www.restaurantunstoppable.com/evolve Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/restaurantunstoppable Subscribe to our email newsletter: https://www.restaurantunstoppable.com/ Today's sponsors: - Restaurant Technologies — the leader in automated cooking oil management. Their Total Oil Management solution is an end-to-end closed loop automated system that delivers, monitors, filters, collects, and recycles your cooking oil eliminating one of the dirtiest jobs in the kitchen.. Automate your oil and elevate your kitchen by visiting rti-inc.com or call 888-779-5314 to get started! - Cerboni - Cerboni is an all-in-one financial solution for restaurants. Reliable tax preparation & Business incorporation. Seamless Payroll and compliance report. Strategic CFO Services That Drive Business Growth. Detailed, custom reporting for complete financial clarity. Dedicated support for restaurants & Multi-location businesses. End-to-end financial management under one roof. Call (281) 888-2413 and mention Restaurant Unstoppable to get 20% off your first month of service. - US Foods®. Running a restaurant takes MORE than great food—it takes reliable deliveries, quality products, and smart tools. US Foods® helps you make it. Ready to level up?  Visit: usfoods.com/expectmore. - Guest contact info:  Website: https://www.layneschickenfingers.com Email: [email protected] Thanks for listening! Rate the podcast, subscribe, and share!