Seafood restaurants have struggled because they’re largely based around expensive proteins, and most Americans don’t actually eat seafood as much as the United States government recommends.

“The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommend twice-weekly consumption of seafood for health benefits, yet many U.S. consumers have historically fallen short of this target,” according to the National Institute of Health.

As someone who loves seafood, I know the challenge of talking to people who aren’t as big a fan to go to a seafood-based restaurant. Yes, Red Lobster, Bubba Gump Shrimp, and other seafood chains offer steak and chicken choices, but they’re not known for those, making it challenging to convince non-seafood fans to eat there.

Price, changing tastes, and bigger opportunities with other brands have led to Landry’s Restaurant Group closing most Joe’s Crab Shack locations, and those shutdowns have continued into 2026.

Joe’s Crab Shack has quietly disappeared

Joe’s Crab Shack used to have 150 restaurants nationwide, but recent closures have pushed that number to 15, according to the brand’s website. That total will soon drop to 14 as the Jacksonville, Fla. location closes later this month.

“On Monday, the COO of Joe’s Crab Shack confirmed to News4JAX that the restaurant will be closing and converted into a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company location,” News4Jax reported on Jan 12.

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The company shared a statement with the news channel.

“Joe’s Crab Shack in Jacksonville will be converted into a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., bringing the brand’s scratch-made, Southern-style seafood to the market. We are grateful to our dedicated Joe’s Crab Shack team members and will be working to place employees at nearby restaurants while we transition the location to a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co,” it shared.

This shutdown joins a steady list of closures for the brand.

Joe’s Crab Shack has closed over 130 locations

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Recent Joe’s Crab Shack closures

The following closures span multiple years and reflect a steady contraction of Joe’s Crab Shack locations rather than a single round of shutdowns.

  • Jacksonville Beach, Fla, Closing (Jan 2026): Joe’s Crab Shack location will shutter and be replaced by Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. by late January 2026, according to News 4 Jacksonville.
  • San Diego, CA, Closed (Aug 2025): Waterfront Joe’s Crab Shack closed permanently after 20 years of operation, reported SanDiegoVille.
  • Fort Myers, Fla, Closed (May 26, 2025): Riverfront location ended operations as its lease expired, according to Fox4Now.
  • Louisiana Boardwalk (Shreveport/Bossier), LA, Closed (Jun 2, 2025): The only Joe’s Crab Shack at the Boardwalk outlets shut down after 20 years, according to Here’s Shreveport.
  • Deptford, NJ, Closed (May 26, 2024): Lease expiration led to permanent closure, according to TheStreet.
  • Kissimmee, Fla Closed (Sep 2024): Location at 7903 Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway shuttered, added TheStreet.

Landry’s Restaurant Group has acknowledged the closures, noting that “locations, markets, and customer patterns naturally change,” and the company makes strategic decisions to close certain locations when traffic and development shifts warrant it.

The company, which is privately held, has not released a broader statement about the overall reduction of Joe’s Crab Shack locations nationwide.

Joe’s faces the same problems that hurt Red Lobster

“Inflationary pressures from increased wages, alongside unfavorable leases and underperforming locations, led to financial woes for Red Lobster,” Restaurant Dive reported.

In addition, during the Covid pandemic, a number of Chinese all-you-can-eat buffets transformed into seafood boil restaurants. That model of restaurant, where patrons pick various seafood choices which are served in a cooking bag dripping with butter and seasoning, tends to offer more value than a traditional seafood chain.

One buffet owner explained the reasoning for the change.

“We made the switch to Ruby’s Cajun due to our need to adapt to Covid-19 restrictions. As a buffet during a pandemic, it is almost impossible to enforce social distancing requirements. The safety of all our employees and customers is our top priority,” owner Jane Li told Philly Grub. “We do not know when and if we can transition back to a buffet restaurant.”

Industry headwinds also hurt Joe’s Crab Shack

  • 2024 Traffic Decline: According to research firm Circana, seafood restaurant traffic fell by 1% in 2024, while sales remained flat for the year, reported SeafoodSource.
  • Economic Pressures: Rising menu prices, particularly for seafood items, have deterred budget-conscious diners. For example, seafood appetizer prices increased by 3.7% in 2023, added SeafoodSource
  • Competition and Consumer Behavior: Consumers are increasingly opting for more affordable dining options, leading to reduced patronage at higher-priced seafood establishments, according to Restaurant Dive.

I was a regular visitor to the Kissimmee, Fla. Joe’s Crab Shack before it closed, because it offered good value for seafood. That, however, changed as that area now has multiple seafood boil locations, which offer more for less money.

Joe’s was arguably better, but it was hard to justify spending $50-60 for an appetizer and a crab bucket, when multiple rivals offered seafood boils with more crab, shrimp, and sides for less money.

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