56-year-old fast-food giant has closed over half its restaurants

Long John Silver’s has experienced significant contraction in recent years, closing 30 additional locations in 2025 alone, according to franchise disclosure documents reviewed by Undercurrent News. The chain, which launched in Lexington, Kentucky in 1969, operated 1,081 restaurants at its peak but now maintains approximately 494 locations based on its website store locator. Its primary competitor, Captain D’s, has surpassed it with roughly 530 restaurants.
The chain’s decline