News

Captain D's continues nationwide expansion with 9 Florida openings

August 9, 2017

Captain D's has signed a franchise development agreement to expand throughout Florida's west coast, bringing nine new restaurants to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota-Bradenton market.

The agreement, according to a company press release, was fueled by the company's alliance with American Development Partners, which has helped propel the brand's franchise development plans. Over the past several years, Captain D's has continued to achieve significant growth and experience ongoing success, with 2016 marking its sixth consecutive year of same-store sales increases and fourth successive year of record high system-wide AUV, said Michael Arrowsmith, chief development officer of Captain D's

"At Captain D's, supporting both new and existing franchisees is a top priority and our alliance with ADP is a reflection of our commitment to them," he said in the release. "Our ongoing success has established Captain D's as one of the strongest franchising opportunities in the industry today and contributed to our expansion nationwide."

Driving Captain D's growth in Florida are Franchisees Richard Reeves and Larry Lavigne, who will open nine units over the next five years. As part of its alliance with Captain D's, ADP will assist the franchisees with the development of their locations by facilitating the acquisition of land and overseeing construction.

Reeves brings more than 40 years of industry experience to the table and is a multi-unit operator of World of Beer, Taco John's, Checker's and Church's. Lavigne manages daily operations at 15 Jet's Pizza locations and oversees 25 additional franchise locations, and will be overseeing operations at each of the new Captain D's restaurants.

"After decades working in the food service and franchising industries, we can spot a good opportunity when we see one. Captain D's unparalleled support for its franchise network and outstanding management team made it the obvious choice for us and we're thrilled to add one of the strongest fast casual concepts to our portfolio," Reeves said. "The Tampa Bay region is a thriving community that is ripe with potential for the brand and we're proud to be a part of the brand's expansion in the area."

Coupled with its menu diversification and expanded array of offerings, Captain D's credits its new restaurant beach design with contributing to the brand's compounding success. To date, nearly 60 percent of all restaurants have been reimaged to the brand's coastal design, with another 50 locations to be remodeled by the end of this year. The chain has 521 restaurants in 21 states.