Why Are Seafood Restaurants So Popular in the USA?

No matter which part of the U.S. you call home, there’s a decent chance that the best restaurants in your community serve seafood. But what is it about seafood that makes it so popular regardless of your hometown? That’s the question we’re going to answer in this post to give you a better idea of why now is the time to look into a bar and grill franchise for sale. 

The reasons are many, and the good news is that they’re pretty straightforward, although they’re not apparent for newcomers to the business. Simply put, restaurant guests love seafood places because it’s a versatile yet distinct type of cuisine. You can’t say the same about other styles of food, so here’s our take on why a seafood bar franchise is a fantastic business concept.

Reason #1 – Most people can’t cook the same quality seafood at home

During the last few years, the home-cooking phenomenon took off like gangbusters online, and honestly, we didn’t really have a choice at the time, with lockdowns and restrictions really throwing a damper on the restaurant scene. The problem is that seafood can be tricky to cook well; it’s easier for most of us to go to a restaurant and have someone do it for us – and grill it better than we ever could!

Grilling scallops is a good example because they’re easy to scorch beyond belief if you cook them for too long. Likewise, they’ll taste like rubbery fish if you undercook them. That’s just one way to mess up seafood at home, so give yourself a break and go back to a restaurant instead, which brings us to our next point. Seafood gives you more options.

Reason #2 – Seafood is versatile and comes in many styles

Seafood is a versatile food, so that’s another reason why those types of restaurants thrive and feature fun, creative dishes. You don’t have to go the hoity-toity route and open up a fine dining place with white linens, a maître d’ in a tux, soft jazz music over the dining floor, and candle-lit tables because casual concepts work great too.

Some say (Shuckin’ Shack) that the casual route is the way to go since it appeals to a broader market. Even better, seafood patrons are likely to keep coming back if you impress them. You can try chargrilled entrees or go the classic route and serve fresh oysters in the shell. You have options with seafood dishes that you don’t get with other food. You can stuff a rainbow trout with a creamy seafood bonanza or do Cajun preparations and crank up the cayenne pepper and blackening seasoning.

Really, it all depends on your local market and what they prefer to eat. You can get by serving fried seafood in a fast casual concept, but you don’t have to do away with healthier starters and entrees. Think about it this way. When you order a New York Strip from a fancy steakhouse, the cooks will only prepare it one way: grilled with cracked black pepper and a pinch of garlic and sea salt.

You don’t really see many fried beef dishes around, but you will find fried Catfish, poached Atlantic Salmon, or grilled Redfish over an open flame. If it’s Ahi Tuna, you can literally pick up the whole fish and bite into it like a bear for the best sushi you’ve ever had. Other food staples just don’t have that kind of range and limit what you can do with them in a restaurant setting.

Reason #3 – Seafood is the perfect pairing for beer and cocktails

So, what’s the ultimate result of all that versatility? The answer is that you can get creative with your bar menu and steer sales a certain way. For instance, you probably won’t see many wine drinkers at Shuckin’ Shack, but you should still carry a small selection in case people want a more mature, classy experience. For the most part, you’ll do excellent selling ice cold draft beers and keeping various new and fresh with seasonal microbrews or local favorites. You may not have ever heard of St. Arnold’s Brewery, but if you open up a place anywhere near Houston, Texas, it’s a fixture in the bar taps.

Cocktail-wise, seafood gives you a better chance at upselling premium liquors because sweet, sugary drinks really bring out the details in a seafood dish. Most restaurant guests won’t get that deep into it, but it’s a nice trick when pairing seafood. You can always tell by the tell-tale eyebrow raise once someone tastes the drink for the first time. The trick is to go easy on the more “powerful” liqueurs like triple sec and use fruity liqueurs like razz or good ole fashioned Grenadine instead. Just try to resist ordering a deep-red frozen hurricane when one lands at the table next to you!

Reason #4 – Seafood is a healthy option

Now, we left this reason for last because we’re not exactly in the business of keeping our girlie figure in shape by chowing down on quinoa and polenta. Give us a basket of Hangover Fries and spicy shrimp any day over that kind of stuff, but either way, we’d be chowing down on something healthier. Who couldn’t use a few pounds less on our waistlines? You can sneak by healthy options at a seafood place to a crowd that usually won’t instinctively order them.

Overall, those are the top four reasons to open up a seafood bar franchise, but we saved one for last. Seafood restaurants are simply a pleasure to operate because they always attract a great crowd.

Be a part of a thriving local restaurant community — Own a Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar Franchise

Now that we’re all finally getting out again, people are craving a community of restaurants and bars, so when you offer something different, they’ll flock to it like moths like a flame. People want something new nowadays, and success in the restaurant and bar franchise business depends on exceeding expectations with new experiences.

Opening a Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar franchise gives guests a place to get back to gathering together to watch the big game, hang out with friends and family, or have a happy hour with coworkers over a few ice-cold draft beers and specialty cocktails.

If you’d like to learn more about the Shuckin’ Shack franchise opportunity, visit our website for additional details.