The Fish & Seafood market brought in revenue of at least $624.2 billion in 2023, and seafood boil restaurants are more popular than ever. But Chad Dillion saw things differently.
Dillon noticed that there was a lack of upscale seafood boils in Atlanta, so he decided to bring one to the metropolitan area. Initially, he pursued this goal with the intention of getting help from a popular franchise chain.
The Juicy Crab operates in at least 10 states, and with an average sales of about $4.7 million per franchise in 2022, Dillon wanted to bring one to the Atlanta/Buckhead area. But the chain denied his application. So Dillon resorted to a risky business move.
The Brooklyn native launched his own seafood boil, The Boiler Seafood and Crab Boil, during the 2020 pandemic. His restaurant reached over $8 million sales within a one-year period, almost doubling the average Juicy Crab franchise sales. It wasn’t easy, as he worked tireless hours in the kitchen with no culinary experience, but he made valuable customer experiences that helped his business grow.
Dillon’s willingness to create his own business is a reminder that even in dire circumstances, opportunities exist.