Long John Silver’s Restaurants, Inc., announced plans to double its number of restaurants in Texas from 180 restaurants. The country’s largest seafood restaurant chain said it would accomplish the explosive growth through an aggressive franchise development growth effort and by introducing cobranded Long John Silvers/A&W Restaurants units in the Lone Star State.

Mike Stout, LJS director of franchise development for Texas, announced the growth plan.

Long John Silver’s, which was founded in 1969, has enjoyed tremendous success in Texas, according to Stout, because of a strong presence allowing the chain to market aggressively, solid operations and the influence of the Texas Hispanic Community.

“We consistently set national sales records for the company in our LJS restaurants in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and Houston,” he said. “Much of this can be attributed to our popularity in the Hispanic markets, where the tradition of eating seafood on Fridays and during the Lenten Season is still followed.”

LJS will expand its number of Texas restaurants in variety of venues including:

• Non-traditional sites such as convenience stores and gas stations, where
LJS has experienced recent success in Kentucky and other states.

• LJS/A&W Restaurants cobranded units—LJS was acquired by Yorkshire
Global Restaurants in 1999, the parent company for A&W Restaurants, this
country’s oldest franchise restaurant chain. The combined operation
represents 2,200 restaurants making it the 13th largest QSR chain.

The first Texas LJS/A&W cobrand operation is scheduled for an early-November opening in Cypress, TX, a suburb of Houston. Four other cobrands are scheduled for opening in Houston next year.

Headquartered in Lexington, KY, Long John Silver’s has more than 1,200 units in 35 States and one foreign country. LJS features a core menu of batter-dipped fish, chicken and shrimp, french fries, hushpuppies, coleslaw and soft drinks.

A&W Restaurants, founded in 1919, currently has more than 1,000 units in 47 States and 17 foreign countries. The A&W Restaurants’ all American menu includes hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, chicken sandwiches, its signature brand A&W Draft Root Beer and root beer floats.

 

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