The 21st century has not been kind to many seafood-based eateries. Arthur Treacher’s has been downgraded from a national seafood restaurant to a local chain in Ohio, and nobody’s missed the fact that Red Lobster has endured a distressing downward spiral marked by bankruptcy and store closings. Long John Silver’s has similarly struggled in the past few decades, closing many of its locations. That’s why it’s so positive to see a fast-casual seafood chain rising like a phoenix from the ashes of financial woes and controversy — which is precisely what Captain D’s is doing. While many fast food restaurants cough up seasonal fish sandwiches for Lent, there’s not a lot of competition in the market for quick, affordable fish and other oceanic delights. Captain D’s is serving up fried and grilled fish, fried shrimp and clam strips, chicken, and classic fish-and-chips sides like fries, coleslaw, and hush puppies … and it’s on the grow.
As of this writing, Captain D’s has over 530 locations in the United States across 22 states, putting it right behind Red Lobster in terms of size. But why stop there? It’s planning to expand into the United Kingdom and Canada in what will be its first international push. The story hasn’t always been one of success for Captain D’s, which faced its own woes in the 1990s. Now, however, things are looking up. The chain even started 2025 with new restaurants in Maryland and the San Antonio area.
Read more: 7 Fast Food Restaurants With Seasonal Fish Sandwiches For Lent
Captain D’s Is Coming Back From Past Challenges
Fried fish and shrimp on Captain D’s-branded paper. – Captain D’s/Facebook
The story of Captain D’s is not without its struggles. The company peaked in the 1980s under founder Ray Danner (the “D” in Captain D’s) but went on to suffer from price fluctuations linked to white fish sales. In 1992, Danner and Captain D’s were named in a landmark racial discrimination lawsuit against parent company Shoney’s (which was eventually settled for $105 million). American appetites for seafood hit historic lows at the end of the 20th century (as evidenced by the plight of Captain D’s competitors), and, in 2008, Captain D’s largest franchisee filed for bankruptcy. Those issues could all have feasibly spelled doom, but corporate management at Captain D’s committed to steering the ship back on track.
It seems like the 2010s and 2020s have been promising times for the chain. Captain D’s pivoted in sensible ways, with smaller-footprint stores that catered to growing drive-thru and online ordering traffic, a diverse but tight menu that maintained variety while focusing on popular items, and experimentation with offerings that have catered to shifting tastes, like demands for wild-caught fish. Confidence in the future led Captain D’s to state in a 2025 press release: “Captain D’s is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume.” There’s a long list of common mistakes people make cooking fish, so, if expansion continues as planned, there might soon be a Captain D’s near you to handle the job, if there isn’t already.
Read the original article on Foodie.
