For 50 years, Captain D’s has continued to catch a growing share of the fast-casual market because there is no other franchise quite like us. Aside from maintaining a long and steady run of success, we have also disrupted the market with a truly unique model in an underserved category.
Disrupting the Sea of Sameness in Restaurant Franchises
Captain D’s does more than stand out. We stand alone.
As the nation’s leading fast-casual seafood restaurant, we are the only fish in the sea. By providing an alternative to burgers, pizza, and chicken, we have positioned ourselves to be the franchise of the future with no competition in the fast-casual space.Interested in a fresh alternative to the QSR sea of sameness?
Our hybrid concept that combines casual dining food quality, a QSR price point, and a fast-casual service experience is creating all kinds of buzz!
Captain D’s is making serious waves in the industry and was ranked as Best Food and Restaurant Franchise by Entrepreneur and Top 50 Beloved Brands by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Choose the brand with no direct competition that complements rather than competes with your other brands. Choose Captain D’s.
At Captain D’s, We’re All in the Same Boat.
Another strong selling point of Captain D’s is that over 50% of our 500+ restaurants in 22 states are corporately owned.This means that we are as invested in our restaurant’s success as our Franchise Owners. The corporate team is made up of proven restaurateurs that have some serious skin in the game and are implementing the same practices as their Franchise Owners.
AT CAPTAIN D'S SUCCESS IS SUSTAINABLE
Based on customer demand, it is the perfect time to own a Captain D’s! We all know that today’s customer is looking for healthier options, excellent service, food quality, and meal customization.But, what’s really interesting is how this directly relates to seafood. People are consuming much more fish than in previous decades, with average worldwide per capita consumption hitting 43 pounds per year according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The global seafood industry contributes $870 billion to the worldwide economy (Future of Fish, 2014). We’re gonna need a bigger boat!
A SHORE THING
To attract and maintain customer loyalty, we offer an excellent product at a phenomenal price, with a dining experience that will keep customers coming back.Simply by focusing on seafood options, we already stand out. But, that’s only one part of it.
The quality of our product also sets us apart.
Our chef-driven menu starts with whole cut filets, no square patties made of processed seafood here. All of this at an affordable price—including a $4.99 value offering that will keep customers coming back again and again.AUTHENTIC BRAND. SUPERIOR PRODUCT.
- Captain D’s will not be outdone when it comes to quality seafood. We can tell you where your fish is caught, thanks to our use of sustainable fishing grounds near Alaska.
- We also use the entire cut, or fillet, of the fish for our products—no piecing together scraps and then breading it to hold the whole thing together. Our fish fillet flakes when it’s cut, just like it’s supposed to.
Smooth Seas Ahead
Captain D’s is not a publicly traded company so we can provide as much support to our Franchise Owners as we see fit!And we do A LOT. Our pre-opening marketing plans, scheduled and unscheduled restaurant visits, and our ongoing educational tools maximize our Franchise Owners success.
- 7 Certified Trainers on Opening Day
- 68 Restaurant Operators on Training Team
- 750+ Grand Opening Training Hours
A GREAT CATCH
Our revenues are rising every year, making it a great time to own a Captain D’s!WE SEA YOU OWNING A CAPTAIN D'S FRANCHISE!
PLEASE COMPLETE OUR FORM, AND A MEMBER OF THE CAPTAIN D’S FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT TEAM WILL CONTACT YOU.
Captain D's Financial Data
The following financial information was provided by Captain D's to give you more information about the costs associated with a Captain D's opportunity
Minimum Cash Required
$350,000
Franchise Fee
$35,000
Net Worth Required
$1,000,000
Total Investment Range
$781,000 - $1,013,000
Captain D's News
Captain D’s Opens First Ocala Location September 2
Captain D’s, the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant, is setting sail in Ocala with the opening of its first location in the market on Tuesday, September 2. The new restaurant is located at 2510 SW 27th Avenue, Unit 101, in a newly constructed shopping center near College Road and I-75, one of the city’s busiest intersections.
Captain D’s Makes Canadian Debut with Grand Opening of Toronto Restaurant
Captain D’s, a leading fast-casual seafood restaurant, is excited to announce the grand opening of its first Canadian location in Toronto.
Captain D’s Newest Restaurant Drops Anchor in Jackson, Tennessee
Captain D's, the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant, is thrilled to announce the opening of its newest store in Jackson, Tennessee, on Memorial Day -May 26, 2025. The new Captain D’s is located at 73 Chloe Place Dr. in Park Place West. This is the 24th store opening for experienced multi-unit franchisee Joe Springer. He is the second largest operator in Captain D’s system, with 23 other stores located in the Memphis area. This is the second store in Jackson and expands Captain D’s footprint in Tennessee to 74 stores.
Captain D's First UK Location Set to Open in London This Summer
Fast Casual Seafood Leader Brings on Seasoned Master Franchisees to Spearhead UK Expansion
Captain D's Announces Major Development Agreement for United Kingdom
Captain D's, the nation's leading fast-casual seafood restaurant, has taken the next major step in its global expansion strategy by signing a 20-unit multi-unit franchise agreement for the United Kingdom. The agreement, signed with an experienced team of restaurant operators, will introduce Captain D's signature seafood offerings to Europe, starting with the first restaurant in the London area in 2025.
Captain D’s Continues Dallas-Area Growth with Grand Opening in Euless, Texas
Captain D’s, the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today its newest opening in Euless, Texas, marking a significant milestone as the brand debuts its closest location yet to the heart of metro Dallas. The new Captain D’s is at 121 Airport Freeway, in JAMS Shopping Center. As the 12th location for the brand in the Greater Dallas Area and 21st in Texas, Captain D’s in Euless is owned and operated by local businessman Jewel Chowdhury, who also owns the adjacent retail center.
Captain D’s Continues Conversion Growth with New Opening in McDonough, Georgia
Captain D’s, the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today its newest opening in McDonough, Georgia. The new Captain D’s is located at 3056 Jodeco Rd., on the site of a former Hardee’s restaurant. As the 62nd restaurant for the brand in the Atlanta area and 113th in Georgia, the new McDonough location is owned and operated by experienced multi-unit franchisee Farid Khan.
Captain D’s Signs Largest Franchise Agreement to Develop 26 Locations
Captain D’s, the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today the signing of a 26-store franchise development agreement. This agreement will bring Captain D’s restaurants to St. Louis, Indianapolis, and North Carolina over the next several years led by experienced multi-brand franchisees Keith Johnson and Kevin Davis of Amazing Food Concepts. The business partners also acquired and currently operate 15 Captain D’s in the St. Louis-area and Illinois.
Captain D’s Promotes Nan Ward to Chief Operating Officer
Captain D’s announced today that Nan Ward has been promoted to chief operating officer. Ward has been with the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant since 2012 and most recently served as chief people development officer.
Captain D’s Kicks Off 2024 Development with Oakland Grand Opening and Tennessee Expansion
Captain D’s, the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today its newest opening in Oakland, Tennessee. Located at 35 West Land Way Cove, this new restaurant is operated by Joe Springer, owner of Nufish LLC, the brand’s second largest franchisee. Since joining forces with Captain D’s in 2009, the Nufish group has helped expand the brand’s footprint across Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, with the Oakland restaurant marking its 21st location.
Captain D's Testimonials
When we were researching franchise opportunities, Captain D’s immediately went to the top of the list. The company is moving up, and management is moving the brand to the middle of the QSR space where there really is no competition. Today Captain D’s is in the best position that it has been in over the course of the brand’s 45-year history.
We looked at several franchise brands — from Jimmy John’s to Steak ’n Shake to Newk’s Eatery. Captain D’s, with their new management team, has really improved the brand. My wife doesn’t eat fried food, so the grilled menu really appealed to us. Having the grilled menu on top of the classic menu gives everyone an option, and anyone can find something they like. We like that they are constantly trying different food and menu items and that they test them in company stores before they roll them out to us. We only get the items that work well. They make sure there are good options for franchisees and that we make a good margin. Then you add in the training they provide; they really show you how to be successful. If you meet with the management team, you’ll see how excited they are about what they are doing. You can really see progress and changes they’ve made.
I’ve been in the restaurant business for over 46 years, and I started at an hourly, entry-level position in 1968. I worked my way up to become a Wendy’s franchisee for 25 years and sold my interests in them in 2003. Since then, I’ve been concentrating on Captain D’s. 2011 was a big year, 2012 was really big, 2013 was even bigger, 2014 was huge. I was anticipating 2015 for our ability to keep growing at that pace, and sure enough our sales are even stronger this year! When you experience growth like that and are a restaurant owner, you credit it to your management of operations. In reality, a lot of the credit goes to the corporate management team and our CEO in particular. They’ve done a great job building up Captain D’s, and I make sure they know I appreciate it. The CEO sets the atmosphere and demonstrates that people come first. He is always giving people credit for the successes Captain D’s is having.
Available Locations:
Single, multi-unit opportunities available exclusively in: AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV.
Business Type:
Franchise
MINIMUM CASH REQUIRED:
$350,000
Financing Assistance
None
Training Provided:
Yes