Long John Silver's

Last updated

Long John Silver's LLC
Long John Silver's
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Restaurants
Genre Fast-food restaurant
Founded1969
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
FounderJim Patterson
Headquarters Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Number of locations
568 (as of June 17, 2023)
Area served
United States
Singapore
Indonesia
New Zealand
Malaysia
Philippines (Planned)
Thailand (Planned)
Vietnam (Planned)
Kuwait (Planned)
Japan (Planned)
Myanmar (Planned)
Brunei (Planned)
Laos (Planned)
Key people
Nate Fowler (President)
Edmond Heelan (COO)
Craig Daniel (CFO)
Products Seafood
Number of employees
10,000+
Parent Independent (1969–1988)
Jerrico Inc. (1988–1999)
Yorkshire Global Restaurants (1999–2002)
Yum! Brands (2002–2011)
LJS Partners (2011–2022)
Four Oaks Partners & Bob Jenkins (2022–present)
Website ljsilvers.com
Footnotes /references
[1]
A typical meal from Long John Silver's: a platter with battered and fried fish and chicken, french fries, battered fried shrimp, hushpuppies and coleslaw Long John Silver's dish 10 2.jpg
A typical meal from Long John Silver's: a platter with battered and fried fish and chicken, french fries, battered fried shrimp, hushpuppies and coleslaw

Long John Silver's, formerly known as Long John Silver's Seafood Shoppes and sometimes abbreviated as LJS, is an American chain of fast-food restaurants that specializes in seafood. The brand's name is derived from the character of the same name from Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island . [2]

Contents

In November 2022, Long John Silver's was acquired by Four Oaks Partners, a group of investors led by Bob Jenkins, himself a Long John Silver's franchisee and president of Charter Foods. [3]

History

Long John Silver's was founded in 1969 by Jim Patterson in Lexington, Kentucky. [4] [5] [6] The original location, on 301 Southland Drive, was previously the Cape Codder seafood carry-out restaurant. The original Cape Codder concrete block building was redesigned by architect Druce Henn, who created the New England style of Long John Silver's early chain restaurants. That original location is now a styling salon. [7] [8]

Earlier restaurants were known for their Cape Cod style buildings, blue roofs with square cupolas, wood benches/tables, lobster pots, and ship's wheels. Later, more nautically themed decorations were added such as seats made to look like nautical flags.[ citation needed ]

The restaurant chain arrived in Singapore in 1983 and has had a continuous presence in the country ever since. It remains one of 30 countries outside of the United States to have Long John Silver's outlets. [9]

Early restaurants also featured separate entrance and exit doors, a corridor-like waiting line area, deep fryers with food heaters that were transparent so customers could view the food to be served, and wrought iron 'sword' door handles. These buildings had dock-like walkways, lined with pilings and thick ropes.[ citation needed ]

Long John Silver's was acquired by Jerrico in 1988. Jerrico was taken private in 1989 through a highly leveraged management buyout, and one year later, the other restaurant concepts were divested to focus on Long John Silver's. [10]

After struggling for the next several years under its heavy debt load, Jerrico Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 1998. In September 1999, A&W announced to acquire the chain out of bankruptcy. As a result, Yorkshire Global Restaurants was formed.[ citation needed ]

In 2000, Yorkshire Global Restaurants agreed to test multi-branded locations with Louisville, Kentucky-based Tricon Global, owner of the KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell chains.[ citation needed ]

The parent company of Long John Silver's and A&W, Yorkshire was acquired by Tricon Global and Tricon was renamed Yum! Brands, Inc in May 2002. By January 2011, Yum! announced it was seeking a buyer for its Long John Silver's and A&W All-American Restaurants divisions, citing poor sales and a desire to shift its focus to international expansion. [11]

In September 2011, Yum! announced the impending sale of Long John Silver's to LJS Partners a group consisting of franchisees and other private investors. [12]

In July 2013, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nutrition and health policy watchdog group, named Long John Silver's "Big Catch" meal the worst restaurant meal in America, noting that it contained 33 grams of trans fat, 19 grams of saturated fat, 1,320 calories, and almost 3,700 milligrams of sodium. [13] The company announced that it had eliminated trans fats from its menu by January 2014. [14]

In March 2015, James O'Reilly, who had previously worked for KFC (another Yum! Brands holding), was appointed as the CEO. He stated that he expected the chain to maintain its 1,132 stores, refocus its marketing following negative press about the fat and sodium content of the menu, and looked to the possibility of future expansion. [15]

On May 22, 2018, Long John Silver's announced the acquisition of 76 franchised restaurants, primarily owned and renovated by ServUS, located primarily in Indiana. [16] On October 19, 2019, Warren W. Rosenthal, former president of Jerrico and developer of 1,350 Long John Silver's restaurants, died, aged 96. [17]

On January 18, 2021, Long John Silver's announced Blain Shortreed to take over as CEO. [18] [19] [20]

Locations

United States

The chain has hundreds of restaurants in over 35 states. [21]

Canada

Long John Silver's expanded to Canada in the 1970s, but did not last long there. It returned in 2003 with one restaurant opening in Peterborough, Ontario, only to close down in 2006. [22]

Singapore

Singapore has remained as Long John Silver's most dominant international market. [9]

Indonesia

The first Long John Silver's restaurant opened in Indonesia in May 2023 and plans to open up further outlets in the country. [23] Indonesia is also the first country to have the chain as of its Asian expansion.

New Zealand

The chain opened up at the LynnMall in New Zealand.

Malaysia

Long John Silver's operated in Malaysia for some time, but shut down due to declining sales and being downplayed by competitors and rivals such as KFC and local seafood restaurants. [24] However, as of the chain's Asian expansion, it is planning on returning. [25] It opened a location in Putrajaya in February 2024. [26]

Taiwan

Long John Silver's operated in Taiwan for some time but shut down by 2009. [27]

United Kingdom

A location opened at Walsall in the United Kingdom in 2004. [28] [ citation needed ]

Philippines

Long John Silver's operated in Philippines at SM City Manila for a time but shut down in 2019 due to declining sales and low demand. [29] It is planning on returning as part of the chain's Asian expansion. [25]

Saudi Arabia

Long John Silver's was in Saudi Arabia for some time. However, similar to restaurants like Dairy Queen, Taco Bell and Red Lobster, it was not popular and shut down in the country.

Thailand

Long John Silver's existed in Thailand for some time but shut down by 2020. [30] [31] It is planning on returning as part of the chain's Asian expansion. [25]

United Arab Emirates

Long John Silver's shut down in United Arab Emirates due to bad sales.[ citation needed ]

Other countries

The chain also formerly had outlets in Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Australia, South Korea, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Kuwait [32] [22] and Japan. It will also soon come to Myanmar, Brunei and Laos. [25]

Overall locations

Current

Former

Planned

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFC</span> American fast food restaurant chain

KFC Corporation, doing business as KFC, is an American fast food restaurant chain that specializes in fried chicken. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, it is the world's second-largest restaurant chain after McDonald's, with over 30,000 locations globally in 150 countries as of April 2024. The chain is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, a restaurant company that also owns the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell chains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taco Bell</span> American fast-food chain

Taco Bell Corp. is an American multinational chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, novelty, and speciality items, and a variety of "value menu" items. As of 2023, Taco Bell serves over two billion customers each year, at 8,212 restaurants, more than 94 percent of which are owned and operated by independent franchisees and licensees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Treacher's</span> American fast food seafood restaurant chain

Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips is an American fast food seafood restaurant and former chain. At the peak of its popularity in the late 1970s, it had 826 stores. However, as of March 2023, there were only three stand-alone Arthur Treacher's locations remaining. The menu offers fried seafood or chicken, accompanied by chips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yum! Brands</span> American multinational fast food corporation

Yum! Brands, Inc., formerly Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc., is an American multinational fast food corporation listed on the Fortune 1000. Yum! operates the brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Habit Burger & Grill, except in China, where the brands are operated by a separate company, Yum China. Yum! previously also owned Long John Silver's and A&W Restaurants. In 1997, PepsiCo divested of its restaurant assets, and these consolidated as Yum! Brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A&W Restaurants</span> American fast food chain

A&W Restaurants, Inc. is an American fast food restaurant chain distinguished by its "Burger Family" combos, draft root beer and root beer floats. A&W's origins date back to 1919 when Roy W. Allen set up a roadside drink stand to offer a new thick and creamy drink, root beer, at a parade honoring returning World War I veterans in Lodi, California. Allen's employee Frank Wright partnered with him in 1922 and they founded their first A&W restaurant in Sacramento, California in 1923. The company name was taken from the initials of their last names – Allen and Wright. The company became famous in the United States for its "frosty mugs" – the mugs were kept in a freezer and filled with A&W Root Beer just before being served to customers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priszm</span> Defunct Canadian Business

Priszm LP was the largest operator of Canadian fast food restaurants. The Priszm Income Fund, an income trust, owned 60.2% of Priszm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fazoli's</span> American-Italian fast food company

Fazoli's System Management, LLC., doing business as Fazoli's, is an American fast casual restaurant chain headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded in 1988 and is now owned by FAT Brands. As of September 2023, there are 211 Fazoli's located nationwide. The restaurant chain specializes in Italian-American cuisine and dishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Restaurant Brands</span> New Zealand fast food company

Restaurant Brands New Zealand Limited, trading as Restaurant Brands, is a New Zealand fast food company. Restaurant Brands currently operates and owns the master franchising rights for the Carl's Jr., KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell brands in New Zealand. Restaurant Brands operates most of New Zealand's stores for the brands they own rights to and provides management and support services to New Zealand's independent franchisees of the remaining stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AmRest</span> European restaurant operator

AmRest Holdings SE is a European multinational casual dining, fast-food restaurant and coffee shop operator headquartered in the Spanish capital, Madrid . The company runs more than 2300 locations, mostly franchises of KFC, Pizza Hut and Starbucks, and also Burger King until 2022, but also operates its own brands of restaurants. Apart from Spain, AmRest operates in Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of KFC</span>

KFC was founded by Colonel Harland Sanders, an entrepreneur who began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky, during the Great Depression. Sanders identified the potential of restaurant franchising, and the first "Kentucky Fried Chicken" franchise opened in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1952. KFC popularized chicken in the fast-food industry, diversifying the market by challenging the established dominance of the hamburger. Branding himself "Colonel Sanders", the founder became a prominent figure of American cultural history, and his image remains widely used in KFC advertising. The company's rapid expansion made it too large for Sanders to manage, so in 1964 he sold the company to a group of investors led by John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack C. Massey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFC in China</span> Fast food restaurant chain in China

Kentucky Fried Chicken is a fast food restaurant chain founded by Colonel Harland Sanders in North Corbin, Kentucky, in 1930. The first franchise opened in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1952.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Habit Burger & Grill</span> American fast casual restaurant chain

Habit Burger & Grill is a California-based fast casual restaurant chain that specializes in chargrilled hamburgers. The company also sells other typical fast-casual fare. It was founded in 1969 at Santa Barbara, California, and its headquarters are in Irvine, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collins Foods</span> Australian restaurant operation company

Collins Foods Limited is a publicly-listed Australian company focused in restaurant operations. It operates KFC and Taco Bell restaurants in Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands. It previously owned the US-based Sizzler restaurants, operated Sizzler in Australia, and franchised Sizzler in Asia. It also operated Snag Stand in Australia, and was the majority owner of Pat & Oscar's in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yum China</span> Multinational fast food company

Yum China Holdings, Inc. is a Chinese Fortune 500 fast-food restaurant company based in Shanghai, China. With US$9.5 billion in revenue and 10,600 restaurants worldwide it is one of the largest restaurant companies. It was spun off from Yum! Brands in 2016, becoming an independent, publicly traded company on November 1, 2016. Yum China is a trademark licensee of Yum Brands, paying 3% of total systemwide sales to Yum Brands. It operates 8,484 restaurants in over 1,100 cities located in every province and autonomous region in Mainland China. It has a workforce of 450,000 employees. Since the stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the company has an office in Plano, Texas for SEC filings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hartz Chicken</span> Fast food chain

Hartz Chicken is an American fast food restaurant chain specializing in fried chicken. The company supplies more than 60 locations in Texas, mostly around the Houston metropolitan area, and Malaysia, as well as one restaurant in Shreveport, LA.

James Bodenstedt is the former President and CEO of MUY! Brands, an operator of franchised restaurants, including Wendy's and the Yum! Brands of Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, and others. He and his wife were major donors to President Donald Trump's 2020 election campaign, donating more than $1 million. MUY! Brands and its subsidiaries were among the first companies to receive coronavirus relief aid by the Trump administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operations of KFC by country</span>

KFC is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, one of the largest restaurant companies in the world. KFC had sales of $23 billion in 2013. KFC is incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law, and has its headquarters at 1441 Gardiner Lane, Louisville, Kentucky, in a three-story colonial style building known colloquially as the "White House" due to its resemblance to the US president's home. The headquarters contain executive offices and the company's research and development facilities.

References

  1. "Panera Bread Company 2016 Form 10-K Annual Report". SEC.gov. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
  2. Stice, Joel (October 30, 2018). "The untold truth of Long John Silver's". Mashed.com . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  3. "Long John Silver's Makes its Debut in Indonesia". August 29, 2023.
  4. https://entrepreneurhof.com/james-patterson/
  5. Sloan, Scott (December 9, 2011). "A&W returning headquarters to Lexington". Lexington Herald Leader. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  6. "Long John Silver's Franchise Costs & Fees, Long John Silver's FDD & Franchise Information". Franchise Direct. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  7. "Fayette County PVA". Fayette County, Kentucky. Qpublic.net. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
  8. "Fantasia Styling Salon". Fantasia Styling Salon. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
  9. 1 2 Yawen, Lu (October 19, 2022). "Bell of the Ball: A Tribute to Long John Silver's, Fast Food Underdog". ricemedia.co. Rice Media. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  10. "COMPANY NEWS; Jerrico Is Selling Restaurant Chains". The New York Times . Reuters. May 2, 1990. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  11. "Yum! Brands Places Long John Silver's and A&W All-American Restaurants for Sale". Business Wire. January 18, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  12. "Yum Sells 2 Fast-Food Chains". The New York Times. September 22, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  13. "'Heart Attack On A Hook': Meet America's 'Worst Restaurant Meal'". NPR.org. July 2, 2013.
  14. Aubrey, Allison (January 22, 2014). "Long John Silver's Throws Trans Fats Overboard". NPR. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  15. Bowling, Caitlin (March 16, 2015). "Long John Silver's still trying to regain ground following negative press in 2013". Louisville Business First.
  16. danny (May 22, 2018). "Long John Silver's Buys 76 Franchised Restaurants". QSR magazine. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  17. Ward, Karla (October 19, 2019). "Lexington businessman, philanthropist Warren Rosenthal has died". Lexington Herald Leader .
  18. "Blain Shortreed Named CEO at Long John Silver's". QSR Magazine. January 19, 2021.
  19. Maze, Jonathan (January 29, 2021). "Long John Silver's prepares for a big Lent with a new management team". Restaurant Business. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  20. Long John Silver's (January 19, 2021). "Long John Silver's Charts a Course to Success". PR Newswire. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  21. "Find a Long John Silver's near you!". locations.ljsilvers.com. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  22. 1 2 "Long John Silver's coming back to Canada". The Globe and Mail. January 15, 2003. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  23. "Long John Silver's – Indonesia". Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  24. Chong, Casey (February 11, 2019). "7 Fast Food Restaurant Chains That Used To Exist In Malaysia". TallyPress. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Long John Silver's eyes further expansion in Southeast Asia". www.seafoodsource.com. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  26. "Long John Silver's". Long John Silver's. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  27. "Restaurants: Long John Silver\'s (海滋客) - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. November 23, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  28. "US company eyes fish and chips". The Caterer. December 10, 2004. Retrieved October 12, 2023.[ dead link ]
  29. "40% Off Food and Drinks at Long John Silver's (SM Manila)". www.metrodeal.com. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  30. Ivy (October 24, 2020). "7 Oct 2020 Onward: Long John Silver's Taste of Thailand Promotion". SG.EverydayOnSales.com. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  31. News, Bloomberg (March 12, 1999). "COMPANY NEWS; LONG JOHN SILVER'S SAYS IT WILL BE ACQUIRED BY A&W". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 24, 2023.{{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  32. "Kuwait City has an American flavor". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved November 26, 2023.