---
title: "Seafood chains in the United States: Which are searched most?"
description: "Compare the seafood restaurant chains people in the US eat at. Share of Search among Red Lobster, Long John Silver's, Bonefish Grill, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Legal Sea Foods, Joe's Crab Shack and Captain D's, the seafood chains Brandwave compares in the United States, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/us/categories/us-seafood-chains"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Seafood chains in the United States: Which are searched most?

Compare the seafood restaurant chains people in the US eat at. Share of Search among Red Lobster, Long John Silver's, Bonefish Grill, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Legal Sea Foods, Joe's Crab Shack and Captain D's, the seafood chains Brandwave compares in the United States, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Competitive set**: Seafood chains
- **Market**: United States
- **Brands compared**: 7
- **Month measured**: Sep 2026
- **Highest Share of Search**: Red Lobster, 49.4%

## Which brand is most popular in search among seafood chains in the United States?

- In September 2026, Red Lobster was the most searched among seafood chains in the United States, with an estimated 1.8M branded searches, 49.4% of all searches for the seven we track.
- Long John Silver's is in 2nd place, 22.4 percentage points behind at 27%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Red Lobster’s share of searches among seafood chains in the United States decreased from 53% to 49.4%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Long John Silver's’ share of searches among seafood chains in the United States increased from 19.5% to 27%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Bonefish Grill’s share of searches among seafood chains in the United States decreased from 19.5% to 14.8%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen’s share of searches among seafood chains in the United States increased from 7.1% to 8.1%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Red Lobster’s share of searches among seafood chains in the United States peaked at 61.1% in May 2026 and was lowest at 49.4% in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Long John Silver's’ share of searches among seafood chains in the United States peaked at 27% in September 2026 and was lowest at 15% in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Bonefish Grill’s share of searches among seafood chains in the United States peaked at 19.9% in December 2025 and was lowest at 14.5% in June 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen’s share of searches among seafood chains in the United States peaked at 8.9% in February 2026 and was lowest at 7.1% in October 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Long John Silver's rose from 3rd to 2nd among seafood chains in the United States.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Bonefish Grill fell from 2nd to 3rd among seafood chains in the United States.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Legal Sea Foods, Joe's Crab Shack and Captain D's held steady: their share of searches among seafood chains in the United States each moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

## Top seafood chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Red Lobster was mentioned most often, in three of the five answers. Captain D's was recommended most often, coming first in one out of three answers that gave a list. Red Lobster was second, and Bonefish Grill was third.

Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options.

| Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Captain D's | 1st | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Red Lobster | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 3 of 5 |
| Bonefish Grill | 3rd | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Long John Silver's | 4th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 5th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Legal Sea Foods | 6th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Joe's Crab Shack | 7th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |

## Every AI answer about seafood chains

- Asked ChatGPT "What's the best seafood restaurant chain in the US?": 1. Bonefish Grill, 2. Legal Sea Foods, 3. Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, 4. Red Lobster
- Asked ChatGPT "Which seafood chain in the US has the best value?": 1. Captain D's, 2. Long John Silver's, 3. Red Lobster, 4. Joe's Crab Shack
- Asked ChatGPT "What are the most popular seafood chains in the US?": 1. Red Lobster, 2. Captain D's, 3. Long John Silver's, 4. Bonefish Grill, 5. Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, 6. Joe's Crab Shack, 7. Legal Sea Foods
- Searched Google, AI Overview "seafood restaurants": named none of the brands we track
- Searched Google, AI Overview "fish and chips": named none of the brands we track

Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in United States on October 23, 2026.

## Compare search popularity between leading brands

- [Red Lobster vs Long John Silver's: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/long-john-silvers-vs-red-lobster): 49.4% against 27% Share of Search.
- [Red Lobster vs Bonefish Grill: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/bonefish-grill-vs-red-lobster): 49.4% against 14.8% Share of Search.
- [Red Lobster vs Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/pappadeaux-vs-red-lobster): 49.4% against 8.1% Share of Search.
- [Long John Silver's vs Bonefish Grill: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/bonefish-grill-vs-long-john-silvers): 27% against 14.8% Share of Search.
- [Long John Silver's vs Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/long-john-silvers-vs-pappadeaux): 27% against 8.1% Share of Search.
- [Bonefish Grill vs Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/bonefish-grill-vs-pappadeaux): 14.8% against 8.1% Share of Search.

## How did search popularity change for United States seafood chains in September 2026?

- In September 2026, Long John Silver's gained share of searches among seafood chains in the United States, from 19.9% to 27%.
- In September 2026, Red Lobster lost share of searches among seafood chains in the United States, from 54.1% to 49.4%.
- In September 2026, Bonefish Grill lost share of searches among seafood chains in the United States, from 16.3% to 14.8%.
- In September 2026, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen lost share of searches among seafood chains in the United States, from 8.9% to 8.1%.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Captain D's in the United States rose 90% over 12 measured months, from 1K to 1.9K in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Joe's Crab Shack in the United States rose 50% over 12 measured months, from 2.4K to 3.6K in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Legal Sea Foods in the United States fell 33.2% over 12 measured months, from 27.1K to 18.1K in September 2026.

## Share of Search ranking

| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | Change vs prior month | Owned by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Red Lobster | 49.4% | 1.8M | 0.0% | Red Lobster |
| 2 | Long John Silver's | 27% | 1M | +48.6% | Long John Silver's |
| 3 | Bonefish Grill | 14.8% | 550K | 0.0% | Bonefish Grill |
| 4 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 8.1% | 301K | 0.0% | Pappas Restaurants |
| 5 | Legal Sea Foods | 0.49% | 18.1K | -18.5% | Legal Sea Foods |
| 6 | Joe's Crab Shack | 0.1% | 3.6K | -18.2% | Joe's Crab Shack |
| 7 | Captain D's | 0.05% | 1.9K | 0.0% | Captain D's |

## Historical estimated branded-search demand

| Month | Brand | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | Red Lobster | 1.8M | 53% | 1 |
| Oct 2025 | Bonefish Grill | 673K | 19.5% | 2 |
| Oct 2025 | Long John Silver's | 673K | 19.5% | 3 |
| Oct 2025 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 246K | 7.1% | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | Legal Sea Foods | 27.1K | 0.78% | 5 |
| Oct 2025 | Joe's Crab Shack | 2.4K | 0.07% | 6 |
| Oct 2025 | Captain D's | 1K | 0.03% | 7 |
| Nov 2025 | Red Lobster | 1.8M | 55% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | Long John Silver's | 673K | 20.2% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | Bonefish Grill | 550K | 16.5% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 246K | 7.4% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | Legal Sea Foods | 27.1K | 0.81% | 5 |
| Nov 2025 | Joe's Crab Shack | 1.6K | 0.05% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | Captain D's | 880 | 0.03% | 7 |
| Dec 2025 | Red Lobster | 1.8M | 54.1% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | Bonefish Grill | 673K | 19.9% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | Long John Silver's | 550K | 16.3% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 301K | 8.9% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | Legal Sea Foods | 27.1K | 0.8% | 5 |
| Dec 2025 | Joe's Crab Shack | 2.4K | 0.07% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | Captain D's | 880 | 0.03% | 7 |
| Jan 2026 | Red Lobster | 1.8M | 52.2% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | Bonefish Grill | 673K | 19.2% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | Long John Silver's | 673K | 19.2% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 301K | 8.6% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | Legal Sea Foods | 22.2K | 0.63% | 5 |
| Jan 2026 | Joe's Crab Shack | 2.4K | 0.07% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | Captain D's | 880 | 0.03% | 7 |
| Feb 2026 | Red Lobster | 2.2M | 54.2% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | Long John Silver's | 823K | 19.9% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | Bonefish Grill | 673K | 16.3% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 368K | 8.9% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | Legal Sea Foods | 22.2K | 0.54% | 5 |
| Feb 2026 | Joe's Crab Shack | 3.6K | 0.09% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | Captain D's | 1K | 0.02% | 7 |
| Mar 2026 | Red Lobster | 2.2M | 54.1% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | Long John Silver's | 823K | 19.9% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | Bonefish Grill | 673K | 16.2% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 368K | 8.9% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | Legal Sea Foods | 33.1K | 0.8% | 5 |
| Mar 2026 | Joe's Crab Shack | 3.6K | 0.09% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | Captain D's | 1.3K | 0.03% | 7 |
| Apr 2026 | Red Lobster | 2.2M | 55.1% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | Long John Silver's | 823K | 20.2% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | Bonefish Grill | 673K | 16.5% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 301K | 7.4% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | Legal Sea Foods | 27.1K | 0.67% | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | Joe's Crab Shack | 3.6K | 0.09% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | Captain D's | 1.3K | 0.03% | 7 |
| May 2026 | Red Lobster | 2.7M | 61.1% | 1 |
| May 2026 | Bonefish Grill | 673K | 15% | 2 |
| May 2026 | Long John Silver's | 673K | 15% | 3 |
| May 2026 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 368K | 8.2% | 4 |
| May 2026 | Legal Sea Foods | 27.1K | 0.6% | 5 |
| May 2026 | Joe's Crab Shack | 4.4K | 0.1% | 6 |
| May 2026 | Captain D's | 1.3K | 0.03% | 7 |
| Jun 2026 | Red Lobster | 2.2M | 59.1% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | Long John Silver's | 673K | 17.7% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | Bonefish Grill | 550K | 14.5% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 301K | 7.9% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | Legal Sea Foods | 22.2K | 0.59% | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | Joe's Crab Shack | 5.4K | 0.14% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | Captain D's | 1.6K | 0.04% | 7 |
| Jul 2026 | Red Lobster | 1.8M | 51.8% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | Long John Silver's | 823K | 23.3% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | Bonefish Grill | 550K | 15.6% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 301K | 8.5% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | Legal Sea Foods | 22.2K | 0.63% | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | Joe's Crab Shack | 5.4K | 0.15% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | Captain D's | 1.9K | 0.05% | 7 |
| Aug 2026 | Red Lobster | 1.8M | 54.1% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | Long John Silver's | 673K | 19.9% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | Bonefish Grill | 550K | 16.3% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 301K | 8.9% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | Legal Sea Foods | 22.2K | 0.66% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | Joe's Crab Shack | 4.4K | 0.13% | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | Captain D's | 1.9K | 0.06% | 7 |
| Sep 2026 | Red Lobster | 1.8M | 49.4% | 1 |
| Sep 2026 | Long John Silver's | 1M | 27% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | Bonefish Grill | 550K | 14.8% | 3 |
| Sep 2026 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen | 301K | 8.1% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | Legal Sea Foods | 18.1K | 0.49% | 5 |
| Sep 2026 | Joe's Crab Shack | 3.6K | 0.1% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | Captain D's | 1.9K | 0.05% | 7 |

## What is being compared

- **Bonefish Grill**: Measured on the search term “bonefish grill”.
- **Captain D's**: Measured on the search term “captain ds”.
- **Joe's Crab Shack**: Measured on the search term “joes crab shack”.
- **Legal Sea Foods**: Measured on the search term “legal sea foods”.
- **Long John Silver's**: Measured on the search term “long john silvers”.
- **Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen**: Measured on the search term “pappadeaux”.
- **Red Lobster**: Measured on the search term “red lobster”.

- [Bonefish Grill](/demand/us/brands/bonefish-grill)
- [Captain D's](/demand/us/brands/captain-ds)
- [Joe's Crab Shack](/demand/us/brands/joes-crab-shack)
- [Legal Sea Foods](/demand/us/brands/legal-sea-foods)
- [Long John Silver's](/demand/us/brands/long-john-silvers)
- [Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen](/demand/us/brands/pappadeaux)
- [Red Lobster](/demand/us/brands/red-lobster)

## Methodology

- [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which brand is most popular in search among seafood chains in the United States?

In September 2026, Red Lobster was the most searched among seafood chains in the United States, with an estimated 1.8M branded searches, 49.4% of all searches for the seven we track.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Seafood chains in the United States: Which are searched most?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/us/categories/us-seafood-chains

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/us/categories/us-seafood-chains. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.