US-based fast casual seafood restaurant chain Captain D's has signed a franchise development agreement to launch in the greater New York City area.

This agreement will result in the opening of three Captain D's locations in the city, spearheaded by multi-brand franchisees Kelly Moughal and Muhammad Saleem.

Moughal and Saleem initially introduced the Checkers brand to Manhattan. The couple also runs a number of Subways and Little Caesars outlets across the state.

Moughal stated: “Muhammad and I were attracted to the brand's strong unit economics and the fact that this company team has skin in the game with over half of their restaurants company-owned.

“We have built our business on a strong foundation of values and ethics that we follow on a daily basis, and we see those same values shared by Captain D's.”

Potential locations in Manhattan and Long Island are under consideration, and the initial site is anticipated to open in late 2024.

The New York City-area Captain D's locations will feature customised designs tailored to site-specific requirements, meeting the demands of an urban market with limited space and high pedestrian traffic.

Captain D's chief development officer Brad Reed stated: “Kelly and Muhammad have built an impressive portfolio of businesses and real estate throughout New York.

“Experts at growing high-volume restaurants, they already pioneered one brand's entrance into Manhattan. Their in-depth knowledge of the market and connections to real estate developers will serve them and Captain D's very well.”

In April 2023, Captain D’s opened its new franchised location in Glennville, Georgia.

Owned by local entrepreneur Zuber Malek, the restaurant is located at 830 North Veterans Boulevard.