Captain D’s is stepping up its European expansion plans, with the U.S. seafood restaurant franchise targeting new markets including Italy and Spain while continuing to build its presence in the UK.
The Nashville-based brand is preparing for another European development trip in October, with Senior Vice President of International Operations and Development Hair Parra scheduled to meet prospective franchise partners. The company is particularly focused on identifying experienced operators capable of developing multiple restaurants rather than single-unit franchisees.
Italy has emerged as one of the markets attracting strong interest, with Captain D’s already in discussions with potential partners. Spain is also under consideration, including Madrid and Valencia, while Poland and France remain on the company’s European development radar.
The latest push follows Captain D’s market-development visits to Spain, Portugal and France earlier this year, where Parra met investors, restaurant operators, multi-unit franchisees and potential master franchise partners.
UK provides Captain D’s European Foothold
Captain D’s began its European expansion with a 20-unit UK development agreement with CD’s Holdings. The agreement marked the brand’s first European franchise deal and established the UK as the starting point for its wider European strategy.
The first UK restaurant opened at Westwood Cross Shopping Centre in Broadstairs, Kent, in October 2025. A second location followed at The Mall Maidstone in Kent in December.
The UK agreement gives the brand a pipeline of 20 planned restaurants and provides Captain D’s with an operating base from which it can evaluate additional European markets.
The company is now seeking international partners with the financial resources, restaurant experience and local market knowledge to develop territories at scale. In its European expansion strategy, Captain D’s has indicated interest in master franchisees and multi-unit developers capable of supporting approximately 20 restaurants in major metropolitan markets.
More Than Five Decades of Seafood Franchising
Founded in Tennessee in 1969, Captain D’s began as Mr. D’s Seafood and Hamburgers before developing into a national seafood restaurant chain. The company began franchising in the 1970s and has built its business around affordable seafood served through a fast-casual restaurant model.
Captain D’s currently operates more than 530 restaurants across 23 U.S. states. Its international franchise strategy has expanded beyond Europe, with development opportunities also covering markets such as Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Portugal and Latin America.
The company signed its first Canadian development agreement in 2023 for five restaurants in the Greater Toronto area, marking another step in its international franchising strategy.
Its menu combines seafood and chicken, including battered and grilled fish, shrimp, seafood platters, chicken meals and sides. This broader menu mix is part of the brand’s strategy to appeal to consumers beyond traditional seafood occasions.
Franchise Model Built for Multi-Unit Growth
Captain D’s is also developing restaurant formats designed to support different real-estate and market conditions. Its current franchise materials feature a smaller prototype of approximately 1,475 square feet with 32 seats, alongside its broader restaurant portfolio.
In the U.S., the franchise model includes a 20-year initial term, a $35,000 initial franchise fee, a 4.5% royalty and a 1.1% advertising fee. International franchise arrangements can differ depending on the territory and development structure.
The company says its franchise system has been ranked No. 1 in the seafood category of Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 for eight consecutive years.
Captain D’s is also refreshing its restaurant design, with a new prototype recently introduced in San Antonio, Texas. The updated design is expected to roll out into additional U.S. markets as the company continues its domestic and international development.
For Captain D’s, the next stage of growth is increasingly international. With its first European restaurants now operating in the UK and discussions underway in Italy, Spain and other markets, the brand is looking to convert growing franchise interest into multi-unit development agreements across Europe.
