Oklahoma’s First Slapfish Restaurant Is Sure To Be A Hit
Slapfish, a modern seafood restaurant serving up bold, crave-worthy dishes in a fast casual setting, announces its continued expansion throughout the Southwest. This time, the inventive concept makes its way to Oklahoma City, with plans to open two locations in the state’s capital by the end of the year. The 13-unit, chef-driven restaurant specializes in boat-to-plate dining, making this expansion a milestone for the brand and seafood lovers across the Sooner State.
Slapfish Oklahoma City is owned and operated by U.S. Army Veteran and restaurateur, Mechelle Petty, and her best friend, Natalie Neal. Following her success with two Subway franchises, Petty was exploring lucrative new concepts, and after visiting Slapfish in its native California, she fell in love with the brand and the rest is history. An experienced franchisee and Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, Petty has always possessed an entrepreneurial spirit, and knew she had to bring the bib-worthy seafood restaurant to her community. As the foremost female franchise partner and first to expand into Oklahoma, the Tulsa native is determined to open three locations throughout the market by the end of 2019 – with the first slated for the Nichols Hills neighborhood of Oklahoma City this fall.
“Oklahomans love seafood, but there is nothing like Slapfish in the entire state,” says Petty. “The brand’s focus on sustainability and commitment to serving the best ingredients, combined with Chef Gruel’s dedication to our success, promises a strong, expansive future. Oklahoma City is also a booming market with a need for quality fast casual seafood restaurants, and I can’t wait to introduce this incredible concept to my home state.”
Known for unique, over-the-top dishes, Slapfish’s menu features original items like Chowder Fries, Clobster Grilled Cheese and Lobster Grinders, as well as a rotating selection of well-managed seafood incorporated into salads, sandwiches and bowls. Originally founded as a seafood shack-inspired food truck in 2011, CEO and Head Chef Andrew Gruel has quickly expanded the concept on an international scale. With 13 brick-and-mortar locations throughout California, New Mexico and Utah, Slapfish has become a household name from coast to coast, with plans to break ground in many new markets in 2018, including Northern Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., Florida, and London. The brand currently has over 150 locations in development, catering to the worldwide demand for high quality seafood in a relaxed setting.
“Oklahoma City makes for the perfect next step in our international expansion strategy. Following our success in Albuquerque and Salt Lake City, we are confident that Oklahomans will welcome Slapfish with open arms and stomachs,” adds Gruel. “The community has never seen a fast casual seafood restaurant, and we are beyond excited to share our vision of responsibly-sourced, chef-driven seafood with a brand new state.”
For more information on Slapfish, visit http://www.slapfishrestaurant.
About Slapfish
Slapfish is a modern seafood restaurant – seafood redefined with a fresh attitude, simple flavors and a healthy smack of fresh. Slapfish has created a distinct brand that revolves around drool-worthy “boat-to-plate” cuisine in a casual, relaxed setting. Chef Gruel’s menu boasts a variety of daily and seasonally changing features, seafood fresh from Sea to Table, and bib-worthy dishes with bold flavors. The brand currently has 13 units open, with over 150 more locations in development both domestically and internationally.
As the nation’s fastest growing seafood restaurant and largest fast casual seafood concept, Slapfish has received numerous accolades, most recently coming in at number three in the “2017 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers” list and QSR magazine’s “The 40/40 List”. Chef Gruel has also received top honors in the Orange County Business Journal’s “OC 500” ranking in 2018, Restaurant Hospitality’s “18 Innovators to Watch in 2017”, and in Nation’s Restaurant News’ “2017 Power List”.
