Long John Silver's Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Long John Silver's LLC
Current logo
Newly renovated LJS location in Kalamazoo, Michigan with the True North style structure in 2024
Trade name	Long John Silver's
Type	Private
Industry	Restaurants
Genre	Fast-food restaurant
Founded	1969 Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Founder	Jim Patterson
Headquarters	Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Number of locations	385 (as of February, 2025)
Area served	United States Singapore Indonesia Malaysia Thailand
Key people	Nate Fowler (President) Edmond Heelan (COO) Craig Daniel (CFO)
Products	Seafood
Number of employees	10,000+
Parent	Independent (1969–1988) Jerrico Inc. (1988–1999) Yorkshire Global Restaurants (1999–2002) Yum! Brands (2002–2011) LJS Partners (2011–2022) Four Oaks Partners & Bob Jenkins (2022–present)

A typical meal from Long John Silver's: a platter with battered and fried fish and chicken, french fries, battered fried shrimp, hushpuppies and coleslaw

Long John Silver's, also known as LJS, is a popular American chain of fast-food restaurants. They are famous for serving delicious seafood dishes. The restaurant's name comes from a character in the classic adventure novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

In November 2022, a group of investors called Four Oaks Partners bought Long John Silver's. This group was led by Bob Jenkins, who was already a Long John Silver's restaurant owner.

The Story of Long John Silver's
Where You Can Find Long John Silver's
More About Seafood Restaurants
See also

The Story of Long John Silver's

How It All Started

Long John Silver's was founded in 1969 by a person named Jim Patterson. The very first restaurant opened in Lexington, Kentucky. This building used to be another seafood restaurant called Cape Codder. An architect named Druce Henn redesigned it to look like the charming New England style buildings that became a signature for early Long John Silver's restaurants. Today, that original location is a hair salon.

Early Restaurant Style

The first Long John Silver's restaurants had a special look. They were designed in the Cape Cod style with blue roofs and small towers called cupolas. Inside, you would find wooden benches and tables, along with decorations like lobster pots and ship's wheels. Later, they added more sea-themed decorations, like seats that looked like nautical flags.

These early restaurants also had separate doors for entering and exiting. The waiting area was like a narrow path, and you could see the food being cooked in clear deep fryers. The door handles even looked like wrought iron swords! Outside, the buildings had walkways that looked like docks, complete with thick ropes and pilings.

Changes in Ownership

Over the years, Long John Silver's changed owners several times. In 1988, a company called Jerrico bought it. After facing some financial difficulties, Jerrico sold the chain to A&W in 1999. This led to the creation of a new company called Yorkshire Global Restaurants.

In 2000, Yorkshire Global Restaurants started trying out restaurants that combined Long John Silver's with other fast-food brands. They worked with Tricon Global, which owned KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. In 2002, Tricon Global bought Yorkshire and changed its name to Yum! Brands.

Yum! Brands owned Long John Silver's for several years. However, in 2011, they decided to sell Long John Silver's to focus on their other brands. A group of restaurant owners and investors called LJS Partners bought the chain.

Focus on Healthier Options

In 2013, a health group pointed out that one of Long John Silver's meals, the "Big Catch," had a lot of unhealthy fats and sodium. In response, the company announced that by January 2014, they had removed trans fats from all their menu items. This showed their commitment to offering healthier choices.

Recent Leadership and Growth

In March 2015, James O'Reilly became the CEO of Long John Silver's. He aimed to keep the chain's many stores open and improve its marketing. Later, in January 2021, Blain Shortreed took over as CEO. The company has also acquired more of its franchised restaurants, especially in Indiana.

A restaurant that combines LJS and A&W in Gillette, Wyoming, in 2018.
A restaurant that combines KFC and LJS in Lafayette, Tennessee, in 2006.
A former restaurant that combined LJS and Taco Bell in Kent, Ohio, in 2006. This location later became only a Taco Bell.

Where You Can Find Long John Silver's

Restaurants in the United States

Long John Silver's has hundreds of restaurants across more than 35 states in the United States.

International Locations

Long John Silver's has expanded to many countries around the world.

Canada

Long John Silver's opened in Canada in the 1970s but did not stay open for long. It returned in 2003 with one restaurant in Peterborough, Ontario, but that location closed in 2006.

Singapore

Singapore is a very important international market for Long John Silver's. The chain has been there continuously since 1983.

Indonesia

The first Long John Silver's restaurant in Indonesia opened in May 2023. The company plans to open more restaurants there. Indonesia was the first country in Asia to get the chain as part of its recent expansion.

Malaysia

Long John Silver's used to operate in Malaysia but closed down due to lower sales. However, as part of its new Asian expansion, the company is planning to return. A new location opened in Putrajaya in February 2024.

Thailand

Long John Silver's was in Thailand for some time but closed by 2020. In 2023, the company announced plans to return. It did return to Thailand in 2024, with the first new store opening in the Mega Bangna shopping center.

Other Countries

Long John Silver's has also operated in other countries like Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Some of these locations have closed, but the company is planning to return to the Philippines. The chain also used to have restaurants in Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Australia, South Korea, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Kuwait, and Japan. Soon, it will also come to Myanmar, Brunei, and Laos.