"As of 2025, Captain D's operates over 530 locations across 23 states, with state number 24 on the agenda for this year as part of an expansion plan into more northeastern states. Competitor seafood restaurants may have struggled financially during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Captain D's emerged victorious, "enjoying double-digit sales and double-digit traffic," according to a press release."
"Opened in 1969 as "Mr. D's Seafood and Hamburgers," this seafood-focused fast food joint started life in Tennessee by offering seafood and hamburgers at affordable prices. Throughout the '70s, '80s, and early '90s, Captain D's expanded to hundreds of locations across 20+ states, but by the 2000s the restaurant had fallen on hard times. It may have seemed like the end for good ol' Captain D's, but the seafood chain is in the midst of a comeback."
"By the 2010s, Captain D's was in major debt due to poor sales (understandable, considering we ranked it last place out of 19 seafood chain restaurants) and was sold to Sun Capital Partners. This began a decade-long pattern of buying and selling by various companies, such as Centre Partners, which bought Captain D's in 2013."
Captain D's launched in 1969 in Tennessee as Mr. D's Seafood and Hamburgers, offering affordable seafood and hamburgers. The chain expanded through the 1970s–1990s to hundreds of locations across more than 20 states. Sales declined by the 2000s, creating major debt and prompting ownership changes, including sales to Sun Capital Partners and Centre Partners. Operational and layout changes fueled a rebound, producing double-digit sales and traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 2025, Captain D's operates over 530 locations in 23 states and plans continued expansion into additional U.S. states, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
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