LA Crawfish is a fast-casual seafood franchise that fuses Vietnamese-Cajun flavors to deliver bold, crave-worthy meals. Founded in Houston, Texas in 2010 at 1005 Blalock Road inside 99 Ranch Market, the brand quickly built a loyal fan base for its fresh crawfish boils.

The franchise is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and continues to grow throughout the United States. LA Crawfish began franchising in 2013 under its corporate entity LAC Franchising, LLC, a Texas limited liability company.

Franchisees operate restaurants offering signature dishes such as garlic-butter crawfish, Cajun-style crawfish, crawfish pho, shrimp, crabs, oysters, and wings, all paired with distinctive sauces like Hot & Sour and Lemon Pepper.

What sets LA Crawfish apart from other seafood or Cajun restaurants is its unique Asian-Cajun fusion concept. The menu blends authentic Southern spice with Asian culinary techniques, creating offerings like “Crawfish Pho” and customizable seasoning options.

Training

LA Crawfish offers a detailed and structured training program to equip franchisees and their staff with the necessary operational skills. The training is divided into several components:

1. Initial Training Program: Before opening a store, the franchisee (or designated principal), general manager, and up to two additional staff must attend and complete a three-week training program at a location chosen by the franchisor. This includes instruction on store operations, system standards, and hands-on practice. The cost of the training itself is covered by the franchisor, though expenses like travel and lodging are borne by the franchisee.
2. Pre-Opening and Opening Assistance: The franchisor provides pre-opening and opening support at the franchisee’s location. Their representatives assist in establishing standardized operational procedures and staff readiness. This service is included at no cost unless additional days or services are requested.
3. Remedial Training: If a franchisee fails to comply with operational standards, the franchisor may mandate up to three days of remedial training at designated locations. These sessions are intended to correct deficiencies and ensure alignment with the brand. The franchisee must cover associated per diem and travel expenses.
4. Refresher Training and Seminars: The franchisor can require participation in ongoing training sessions or conventions, not exceeding four days per person annually. These are designed to keep franchisees up to date with new practices and system developments. Attendance may be mandatory for certain roles.

Territory Protection

LA Crawfish provides conditional territory protection for its franchisees depending on the type and location of the store. If the franchise is established in a traditional setting, the franchisee may be granted a designated territory where no other LA Crawfish outlets will be established or licensed during the agreement’s term.

However, this protection does not apply to non-traditional locations such as malls, airports, stadiums, or other similar venues.

The franchisor retains significant flexibility to operate or license others within or outside the designated territory, particularly for non-storefront businesses or other branded concepts. Additionally, the territory protection is not tied to performance metrics like sales volume or market penetration—only compliance with the franchise agreement.