It’s getting harder and harder to find a Long John Silver’s.
When it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019, the quick-service seafood chain said it had almost 900 franchised locations in the United States. Today, its total U.S. store count is roughly half that number, and as the company continues to evaluate its physical footprint, its numbers keep declining.
According to its newly issued franchise disclosure document, Long John Silver’s had just 479 locations as of the end of last year, 23 fewer than it had a year earlier. Since the beginning of 2023, the chain has seen a net decline of 110 restaurants.
Long John Silver’s, sometimes called LJS, is known for its fish and chips and popcorn shrimp baskets. The chain has been privately held since it was acquired from Yum Brands by a group of franchise owners almost 15 years ago, so its franchise disclosure documents offer a rare window into the health and growth trajectory of its franchise system.
The document, issued in June, shows that while no franchisees were outright terminated during 2025, six did not renew their agreements and another 19 left the system for undisclosed reasons. LJS also closed six company-owned stores.
Reached for comment by Fast Company, Long John Silver’s spokesperson Laura Ellis said the locations cited in the document closed for various reasons specific to the location’s individual operations, including lease expirations and “routine” business decisions, and that the closures did not represent a wider effort to reduce the chain’s store footprint.
“These were individual market decisions and not part of a broad-based closure initiative,” Ellis said.
Which Long John Silver’s locations closed?
The disclosure document shows that locations shuttered in 18 states in 2025, with some states losing multiple locations. Most of the impacted locations were franchised. Those that were company owned are noted below:
- Arizona: 3 closures
- Colorado: 2 closures
- Connecticut: 2 closures
- Florida: 1 closure
- Indiana: 1 closure
- Kansas: 1 closure (company owned)
- Kentucky: 1 closure
- Maryland: 1 closure (company owned)
- Michigan: 1 closure (company owned)
- Missouri: 1 closure
- Nebraska: 2 closures
- New York: 2 closures
- Ohio: 5 closures (including 1 company owned)
- Pennsylvania: 1 closure (company owned)
- South Carolina: 1 closure
- Tennessee: 1 closure
- Texas: 3 closures (including 1 company owned)
- Virginia: 1 closure
At the same time, franchisees opened five locations last year, the document shows, including restaurants in Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and the chain’s home state of Kentucky.
Over half of Long John Silver’s locations are franchised, with the remainder being listed as company owned. While the document shows that its company-owned stores declined by three locations in 2025, it also indicates an aggressive acquisition strategy, with the chain buying almost 40 locations from franchisees since 2023.
Long John Silver’s declined to share how many jobs have been impacted by its recent store closures, nor would it say how many restaurants it plans to open in 2026.
Is Long John Silver’s in trouble?
Not according to the company. In her statement, Ellis said the brand has made significant strides since it last changed hands in 2022, when it was acquired by its current owner, Four Oaks Partners.
“Long John Silver’s has delivered 16 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth, remodeled more than 115 restaurants, has approximately 100 additional remodels planned over the next two years, and continues to expand its footprint with new restaurant openings in markets across the country,” Ellis said.
So while it may be a little tougher to score your favorite battered fish dish these days, Long John Silver’s appears to be playing the long game—which is good news for fans of the brand who are hoping it will still be around for years to come.
