Captain D's Executive Recognized For Kitchen Equipment Development and Innovation

- Larry Jones' Contributions Accelerate Franchise Development and Drive Brand Satisfaction -

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Feb 04, 2019, 09:04 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's, the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today that its vice president of construction, Larry Jones, will be recognized at the 2019 NAFEM Show. Taking place February 7-9 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, Jones will be celebrated during the event for his work with Vulcan, a best-in-class suppler of top quality, energy efficient foodservice equipment. Together, Jones and Vulcan developed an ENERGY STAR® certified countertop electric fryer, which will be on display at the show's WHAT'S HOT! WHAT'S COOL!^®What Works! gallery, a showcase of the industry's most exciting equipment and supplies innovations.

Jones partnered with Vulcan in 2016 to design the countertop electric fryer, which was integrated into Captain D's restaurants beginning in July 2017. The fryers offer all of the benefits of traditional electric floor model fryers, but in a convenient countertop design. With the fryer in its kitchen lineup, Captain D's reduced cook times by 30-percent, enhanced food quality (less absorption, crispier product) and improved ergonomics for staff. Additionally, Larry worked very closely with Traulsen, a premier refrigeration brand, to develop a new line of durable, high performance freezer equipment stands to serve as the ideal base for mounting these fryers. With this, Captain D's was able to make more use of available vertical space in its kitchens, saving franchisees upwards of $10,000 in development costs.

"For several years, Captain D's has been regarded as the leader of the fast casual seafood segment, recognized for its quality product and state-of-the-art equipment, franchisee satisfaction and consistently delivering best-in-class experiences for both guests and franchisees. Much of this success can be attributed to Larry's contributions, including the countertop electric fryer with Vulcan, which has significantly assisted in our franchise development efforts and cut costs for our franchisees," said Brad Reed, chief development officer of Captain D's.

Captain D's ongoing commitment to its kitchen equipment innovation has fueled franchise development in Orlando and beyond. Most recently, the brand opened its newest Orlando-area location, owned by franchisee Amin Gulamali who has plans to develop two more over the next few years. In addition to its development in Florida, Captain D's has opened more than a dozen new locations and inked numerous franchise development agreements over the past 12 months to open new restaurants in states like Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, Michigan and Oklahoma.

With more than 530 restaurants in 22 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. The company is currently seeking single- and multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-314-4819.

ABOUT CAPTAIN D'S
Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has more than 530 restaurants in 22 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for 50 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature batter dipped fish. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, Tilapia and Salmon, as well as hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com.

Contact:
Caitlin Willard
Fish Consulting
954-893-9150
[email protected]

SOURCE Captain D's