Franchising

Captain D's enters 23rd state

Provided

June 8, 2020

With its Monday opening in Clinton Township, Michigan, Captain D's has entered its 23rd U.S. state. Located at 35134 Groesbeck Highway, the restaurant follows last month's openings in South Carolina and Texas, according to a company press release.

The Clinton Township Captain D's serves customers via drive-thru, call-ahead ordering for contactless curbside pick-up and delivery only; the dining room will remain closed for the immediate future to help ensure the safety of guests and team members. Additionally, Captain D's has enhanced its standard employee food-safety protocol to include single-use dining items, sanitation procedures deployed every 30 minutes and the installment of acrylic glass barriers between guests and cashiers, according to the release.

Detroit native and restaurant industry veteran, Kirit Patel of J & D Restaurant Group LLC, owns the Clinton location Patel and has operated restaurant concepts across the Midwest since the age of 18. Starting out in his family's business operating several Dunkin' locations, Patel went on to own a variety of franchise concepts such as Golden Corral, Choice Hotels, Holiday Inn and BP gas stations and has been involved in several real estate ventures. Previously, a Dunkin' restaurant, Patel has converted the Clinton Township location into a Captain D's and plans to develop two additional Captain D's restaurants across the Detroit metro area by 2023.

"I was first introduced to Captain D's during a business trip in St. Louis and, after decades of operating restaurant concepts, I was impressed with the brand's quality seafood and warm, welcoming atmosphere," Patel said in the release. "Hailing from the Detroit area myself, I immediately saw the immense potential for Captain D's in Michigan and pursued the brand with my partners right away. Now, as we all navigate these challenging times in the industry, I'm thankful to be part of a standout legacy brand like Captain D's, which has had the resiliency and staying power to weather economic fluctuations in the past and maintained a proven track record of success. I'm excited to open the newest Captain D's in my hometown and add it to my portfolio of restaurant brands."

Captain D's has continued to identify Michigan and other Midwest states as key markets for expansion. In addition to numerous openings over the past couple of years in states like Missouri, Wisconsin and Ohio, Captain D's is continuing its Midwest development with an opening slated for Champaign, Illinois, later this summer. The brand is also expanding its footprint across new territories, such as Salt Lake City, Utah, which will debut in 2021 and mark the franchise's westernmost point of development in the United States.

Captain D's has more than 530 restaurants in 23 states.