News

Captain D's hooks Utah

Photo provided.

November 15, 2019

Captain D's is entering Utah, thanks to a franchise development agreement with MH & Sons Enterprises, led by Maqsood Merchant, a multi-unit operator with more than 15 years of industry experience. As part of the agreement, Merchant will develop three restaurants in the Salt Lake City market.

"We're at a significant point in Captain D's history, with this agreement marking a very special milestone for our brand as we break into our 23rd state and begin work on developing the first Captain D's restaurants in the Salt Lake City area — all within our 50th year in business, Brad Reed, chief development officer of Captain D's, said in a company press release. "Maqsood has been a well-established operator of several successful brands and we're thrilled to welcome him and his team to Captain D's and have him spearhead our growth in Utah."

Merchant has owned and operated several Quiznos and Popeyes restaurants, as well as 7-Eleven convenience stores and gas stations throughout the market. This agreement marks his first with Captain D's, and his first location is slated to open in Pleasant Grove late next summer.

"Aside from the tremendous opportunity to bring the brand to Utah for the first time, what attracted me most to Captain D's was its substantial growth over the past several years with much of that growth being fueled by existing operators," he said in the release. "Operator reinvestment in a brand showcases its strength and, ultimately, trust in the franchisor of the direction the brand is going in, which motivated me to jump on the opportunity quickly."

In its 50th year, Captain D's has experienced a surge in franchise development, opening more than a dozen restaurants this year and signing numerous agreements to expand its presence in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, Michigan and Oklahoma over the next several years.

Captain D's has more than 530 restaurants in 22 states.