Captain D’s LLC, a leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced Tuesday it has accelerated franchise development expansion in Central Florida. Mark Levis, senior director of franchise development for Captain D’s, will be at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show in Orlando from September 27—29 to meet with prospective franchisees. The company currently has 29 restaurants located throughout the state of Florida and is targeting the Central Florida region to further expand its presence in the state.  

Captain D’s aggressive growth plans for Central Florida are part of the brand’s overall franchise development plans for this year. This expansion is further driving Captain D’s ongoing success, with the second quarter of 2016 signifying the company’s 19th consecutive quarter of system-wide growth, generating a 3.1 percent system-wide same store sales increase for franchisees. Fueling the company’s compounding success is its ongoing menu innovation and new restaurant beach design. To date, 50 percent of all restaurants have been reimaged to the brand’s new vibrant, coastal design, with another 50 locations to be remodeled by the end of this year.

“Central Florida has proven to be a successful region for Captain D’s, with existing restaurants in the area consistently performing well,” says Michael Arrowsmith, chief development officer for Captain D’s. “There is tremendous potential to catapult our presence through franchise development, and we encourage qualified and experienced franchise candidates interested in joining a nationally recognized brand with a proven record of success to visit us during the upcoming Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show.”

Those interested in developing Captain D’s restaurants are encouraged to contact Mark Levis, senior director of franchise development to discuss opportunities. Levis will be at booth 1329 at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show on September 27—28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and September 29 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Orange County Convention Center, located at 9899 International Drive. Additionally, Levis will be hosting a continental breakfast for candidates on September 29 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Hilton Orlando located at 6001 Destination Parkway.

With 513 restaurants in 21 states, Captain D’s is a fast-casual seafood leader. The company is currently seeking single- and multi-unit operators to join in the brand’s rapid expansion.