Franchise Times: Shuckin’ Shack's VP of Marketing Discusses Ways Franchises Aim to Attract Consumers

In a recent interview with Franchise Times, Beth Ewen spoke with franchisors in different sectors about how they plan to connect with consumers now that the country is reaching its post-pandemic stage.

“People want to people again,” said Darren Keeler, vice president of marketing for Shuckin’ Shack, laughing when he used “people” as a verb. “I know it sounds dumb, and it’s probably not the right grammar to use, but you can only see your wife and your kids for so long. With people sitting at home for however many months, they finished Netflix, they finished Hulu and they’re done with it. They want to go out and experience life again.”

According to Keeler, Shuckin’ Shack’s 16 restaurants will emphasize the experience of having a “good shuckin’ time,” as its tag line goes. Unfortunately, third-party delivery didn’t help the brand much during the pandemic, with items like wild-caught salmon and peel-and-eat shrimp not traveling well.

However, franchisee sponsorship of local charities and sports teams kept ties strong and by late April, the brand was seeing comparable store sales higher than 2019. Keeler’s mantra: “Let’s experience life again when this is all over, and it looks like we’re on our way.”