Franchising
Surf's Up tackling Soldier Field
August 26, 2024
Chicago-based Surf's Up has opened at Soldier Field, serving Southern-themed Gulf Fried Jumbo Shrimp and French fries in the home of the NFL's Chicago Bears.
"We're excited to serve Surf's Up's fresh and delicious Gulf Fried Jumbo Shrimp and French fries to fans at football games, concerts and other events at the stadium," Eric Roy Jr., owner of Surf's Up, said in a company press release. "As Bears fans know, it gets cold in Chicago during football season, so we're bringing them a taste of the ocean, right to the stadium. And the timing is perfect, since Surf's Up is serving at the stadium in time for the Bears' preseason games and late summer concerts. We're extending beach season way beyond the summer."
Roy Jr., who has lived in the Windy City all his life, founded Surf's Up 12 years ago when he was a corporate tax auditor for the state of Florida, living in Chicago and traveling to Tallahassee for work.
"I adored Gulf shrimp in Florida, and there was nothing like it in Chicago," he said. "My wife, Denise, is a chef, and we took some ideas from the restaurants we loved in Florida, and brought them back to Chicago. This inspired us to open our first Surf's Up location in 2012."
By 2014, the couple added two locations, including a franchise that his sister, Vanetta Roy, owns in Chicago's South Shore area. They sold an additional four stores in 2019, and when the pandemic hit in 2020, they took time to network, build infrastructure, generate funding, work with mentors and think about how they wanted to grow the brand. The chain now has eight locations.
Roy Jr. is also selling franchises in Nashville and Las Vegas and hopes to secure locations in additional stadiums around the country.
"I can't wait to go to Bear's games this season — and in years to come — and see the fans enjoying our food. Denise and I love sharing our Southern-inspired seafood dishes, served by our exceptionally friendly staff, and bringing some of that relaxed beach vibe to the Windy City," Roy Jr. said. "Imagine sitting back, enjoying some tasty Gulf Fried Jumbo Shrimp with a side of delicious fries and watching a football game. Good food, good friends, and a good game — it doesn't get any better than that."
