In an effort to drive cost-effective conversion opportunities, Nashville-based Captain D’s is adding several locations in 2023 by focusing on smaller prototypes with efficient double drive-thru features.
“Captain D’s spent the last several years developing restaurant footprints that are well-suited to the increasingly competitive real estate market, and we now have an effective mix of small, medium and no dining room options to provide our franchisees with flexibility and substantial cost savings,” Brad Reed, chief development officer, said in a company press release. “Our brand’s forward-thinking real estate strategy, paired with our seafood niche in the fast casual space, has positioned Captain D’s for accelerated development in 2023.”
Openings in the last few months of 2022 included restaurants in Gulfport, Mississippi, Fort Worth and Humble, Texas, and Columbus, Ohio, which marked its second Express model, a 960-square foot prototype with a drive-thru and walk-up window but no dining room. It debuted earlier last year in the Atlanta market with a streamlined selection of core menu items and a kitchen design that assists with quicker cook times and a faster drive-thru.
Restaurants under construction for the coming months include new and existing markets in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. Future locations will feature Captain D’s popular Express, 22- and 44-seat designs and a double drive-thru, which boasts shortened wait times and increased efficiency. It’s also continuing to convert vacant restaurant properties, with four completed last year and three cost-effective conversions currently underway in Georgia markets, according to the release.
Captain D’s has over 540 restaurants in 23 states.