News

An Annapolis-based lobster roll shop is casting its net across the country looking for franchisees.

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls is offering franchise opportunities after establishing itself on Annapolis’ Main Street.

Dan Beck, the restaurant’s founder, said he decided to franchise after a number of customers asked him whether he was offering opportunities to expand the business.

“I’ve owned a lot of food service businesses, and Mason’s is the first time where people have actively solicited me,” he said.

He’s working with Richard Sharoff of FranPoint Partners to franchise the shop. No franchise partners have signed on yet, but Beck said he has seen interest from potential franchisees from Texas to New York.

Most of them are local, Beck said, and he expects the restaurant to add locations in areas like Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and nearby beaches like Ocean City and Rehoboth, Del.

In addition to variations on lobster rolls, Mason’s also serves sandwiches, salads and soups. Prices range from about $10 to $20, and the traditional lobster rolls ring in at $14.

He said Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls is an attractive restaurant to franchise because it requires a low initial investment — estimated between $168,600 and $293,150, according to the restaurant’s website — and it’s conducive to high-volume locations. It also doesn’t require much space — between 700 and 1,200 square feet.

“The initial investment is a lot less than your normal food franchise, but sales are on par just because it’s lobster and it kind of has a higher price point,” Beck said.

Beck hopes to see the next location open by the end of the year.

Skip to content