Long John Silver's
Food & Beverage · Quick-Service Restaurants
- Active units
- 261
- Royalty
- 5.0%
Franchised, year-end 2025
of weekly Net Sales
About Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's is a United States-based fast-food restaurant chain that specializes in seafood. The company was founded in 1969 in Lexington, Kentucky, by Jim Patterson, who aimed to create a seafood chain that would offer quick-service meals with a distinct maritime theme. Long John Silver's headquarters are located in Louisville, Kentucky. It operates around 800 restaurants across the United States, with a significant presence in the Midwest and Southeast regions. Known for its iconic pirate-themed logo and decor, Long John Silver's provides a variety of seafood dishes, including fish, shrimp, clams, and hush puppies. On a global scale, Long John Silver's has limited operations beyond the United States. However, the brand does have a presence in a few countries, primarily in the Middle East and Asia, through franchising and joint ventures. Notable subsidiaries or partnerships are not widely known in relation to the company. In terms of market position, Long John Silver's faces stiff competition from other fast-food chains specializing in seafood, such as Captain D's and Arthur Treacher's. Despite this, Long John Silver's has managed to establish itself as a well-known brand within the United States. Throughout its history, Long John Silver's has experienced several significant changes, including menu updates and strategic shifts. In recent years, the company has focused on reinforcing its brand identity and revamping its image to appeal to a broader customer base. This includes introducing healthier and lighter menu options to cater to changing consumer preferences. As of the latest available information, Long John Silver's continues to operate in the United States, providing quick-service seafood meals with its signature pirate-inspired theme. However, specific updates or key information about the company's current status beyond this general overview are unavailable.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$35k
- Brand fund
5.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
2,250 sq ft
- Development Agreement Fee
$18k
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing); filings on file: 2025, 2026.
Growth
- Total locations261
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings—
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate-7.1%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR-10.0%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio—
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$2.6M
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open15 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate5.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio—
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Location footprint
Showing 357 of 461 mapped locations
Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.