Captain says aye aye to growth

Fast casual remains a significant growth piece in the Tampa restaurant sector.

The latest to seize the market is Nashville-based franchise chain Captain D's, with a menu that focuses on seafood and fish and chips. Captain D's has 514 locations spread through 26 states, but only one on the Gulf Coast, in Pasco County. Captain D's Chief Development Officer Michael Arrowsmith, a Tampa resident, hopes to increase that count soon.

“We see Tampa as a great opportunity,” Arrowsmith tells Coffee Talk. “It's a market where our customers have told us they want to be.”