
Life’s a Beach at Franchises Featuring Fun Décor, Laid-Back Ambiance, Delicious Menu Options – and a Yearlong Business Opportunity
Summer is in full swing, and many are flocking to the beach for some rays and relaxation. Beach-themed restaurant franchises offer that cool beach vibe, along with delicious food options, vibrant décor and laid-back atmosphere all year long – providing a yearlong business opportunity for franchise owners, too. That welcoming and fun ambiance can be just the thing to transport customers on mini-vacations every time they visit these restaurants.
Below, we deep dive into restaurant franchises with beach vibes. Sit back. Relax. And who knows — maybe your next business opportunity could make every day feel like a day at the beach!
Beach-Themed Restaurant Franchises
Beach Hut Deli

Menu: The Beach Hut Deli franchise’s menu features a variety of sandwiches, salads and munchies. Highlights include Marley Nachos (above); Wakie Bakie, with two eggs and cheddar topped with tomatoes, avocado, bacon and/or sausage on toasted, garlic cheese bread with Tapatio cream cheese spread; the Surfin’ Bird sandwich with turkey, avocado, bacon and cream cheese; and the North Shore sandwich with ham, turkey, pastrami, Monterey jack and Italian dressing.
Vibe: “Surfing was never just a sport – it was a way of life,” says founder and CEO Troy Feist. “I wanted to incorporate that into the environment that I was trying to create as a deli. Not just a deli, but as a gathering place to have amazing food and crazy good beers!” Bamboo and thatch on walls and ceilings, surf board décor, and murals of beaches and Ninja Turtles complete this beach hut scene.
History: Feist opened a deli near Folsom Lake in Granite Bay, Calif., when he was 19. He created his signature sandwich, the Surfin’ Bird, by adding cream cheese to his classic turkey bacon and avocado sandwich. Franchising since 2002, Beach Hut Delis are in more than 40 locations in California, Nevada and Oregon.
Fun Fact: Beach Hut has a secret menu that only regulars know about. A cult favorite is the Dark Bite, a chopped pastrami delight with avocado and jalapeños.
Beachside Diner

Menu: The retro-inspired Beachside Diner, founded in St. Augustine Beach, Fla., offers Southern-style menu options with a beach twist, including all-day breakfast, brunch and lunch favorites. Highlights include chicken fried chicken, corn beef hash, eggs Benedict, omelets, pancakes, waffles, French toast, burgers, wraps and salads, plus spiked cold brews and brunch cocktails including bloody marys, Long Island iced tea, mimosas and expresso martinis.
Vibe: Beachside Diner has a welcoming vibe that blends the relaxed charm of its Southern beachside hometown with the nostalgia of a retro diner. Its classic diner décor includes chrome accents, red and white vinyl stools, sleek counters and nostalgic diner tables. Expansive porches provide a breezy option for al fresco dining.
History: Restaurateur Andy Viola opened the beach-themed restaurant in St. Augustine Beach in 2020. As Beachside Diner continued to grow, Viola sold it to longtime restaurateur Alan Wollenschlaeger.
Fun Fact: Wollenschlaeger visited the Beachside Diner as a customer and was immediately impressed with the great food and welcoming atmosphere. He recognized a good business opportunity when he saw one, and when he learned Beachside Diner was for sale, Wollenschlaeger relocated to St. Augustine and purchased the beach-themed brand.
Blue Coast Burrito

Menu: Blue Coast Burrito is known for its fresh Baja fish burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos and salads.
Vibe: Blue Coast Burrito delivers a bright, energetic “surf‑Mex” vibe (think: Southern California meets Baja-inspired beachside taco stand). The brand’s décor features ocean‑blue tones, weathered woods, surfboards on the walls to create a casual, beachy aesthetic.
History: Founded in 2003, the brand brings West Coast-style Mexican food across the country.
Fun Fact: A popular seasonal menu addition is the Hawaiian Burrito, which features carnitas, or pulled pork, pinto beans, pineapple salsa, ghost‑pepper cheese and a mango glaze.
Boardwalk Fries Burgers Shakes

Menu: Boardwalk Fries Burgers Shakes offers much more than the name indicates, including salads and breakfast options.
Vibe: Boardwalk Fries Burgers Shakes locations feature décor with ocean‑blue tones, beach‑themed artwork and wood accents that evoke a laid‑back, seaside feel.
History: A stroll down the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk during the summer of 1980 inspired Dave and Fran DiFerdinando to bring the town’s famous french fries across North America. The brothers opened the first Boardwalk Fries in 1981, and took the business opportunity coast to coast by 1987.
Fun Fact: The beach-themed restaurant franchise is driven by a sense of corporate responsibility, raising money through a partnership with LifeWell to build at least two fresh-water boreholes in African villages — bringing clean drinking water to as many as 1,000 people.
Island Fin Poké

Menu: Island Fin Poké offers a variety of signature bowls with choices including ahi tuna, chicken, Korean barbecue chicken, salmon and spicy tuna, as well as refreshers such as Dole Soft Serve and Stubborn soda fountain drinks.
Vibe: The Hawaiian style poké franchise’s fun beach shack vibe offers a new twist on the family restaurant. Every location follows the Island Fin Way, welcoming all guests with a friendly greeting and treating them like ohana (Hawaiian for family).
History: Founder Mark Setterington’s passion for the Hawaiian lifestyle and dedication to creating perfect poké recipes led to the brand’s founding in 2017.
Fun Fact: Island Fin Poké has been recognized for its innovative, community-focused initiatives. For example, the brand collected canned foods and non-perishables to donate to surrounding food pantries following the destruction of Hurricane Ian.
Joe’s Crab Shack

Menu: Joe’s Crab Shack guests can dig into buckets of delicious seasonal seafood, fried shrimp platters and fish dishes, as well as mainland options such as steak, sandwiches and chicken. The beach-themed restaurant brand also offers over-sized cocktails, such as the Shark Bite, playfully garnished with a shark toy, which contains Bacardi Limón Rum, Absolut Vodka, Cruzan 151 Rum, blue curaçao, sweet and sour, and grenadine.
Vibe: Joe’s Crab Shack combines a dive bar-beach shack vibe. Walls are covered with fish décor and surfboards, a jet ski hangs from the ceiling, and playful tie‑dye T‑shirts are for sale.
History: Joe’s Crab Shack is a casual dining restaurant franchise known for its seafood and beach-themed atmosphere. Founded in 1965 by Joe Marcello in Cape May, N.J., the beach-themed restaurant franchise has since expanded across the U.S.
Fun Fact: For its “100% Shore” remodel initiative, Joe’s added stainless steel sinks right in the dining area so diners can rinse off before and after cracking crabs.
Kona Ice

Menu: Kona Ice is a mobile shaved ice franchise that delights customers of all ages. The brand’s menu includes 10 refreshing flavors including Tom Tiger’s Blood, Monster Mango, Groovy Grape, Island Rush, Ninja Rush, Ninja Cherry and Watermelon Wave. Customers can combine any of these flavors to make their own tasty treats, and sizes range from kiddie and classic to king and kowabunga.
Vibe: Everything about Kona Entertainment Vehicles (KEVs) screams fun! The vehicle’s shiny chrome wheels, colorful characters and speakers that play tropical steel drum music can turn any corporate or school event into a beach party!
History: Tony Lamb founded Kona Ice in 2007 in Kentucky to make the ice cream truck experience more fun and engaging.
Fun Fact: KEVs are 100% self-contained, meaning they can operate without any outside machinery, power or water source.
Playa Bowls

Menu: Playa Bowls’ menu features açaí, pitaya (or dragon fruit), and coconut bowls, smoothies, juices, cold brews and cold press juices.
Vibe: Playa Bowls locations have a distinct surfer vibe, with colorful, upbeat décor including surfboards, neon signs and hand‑painted palm trees. The brand’s Gen Z-targeted marketing features monthly sticker campaigns, music‑filled service counters, and staff members who dance and sing.
History: The Playa Bowls concept is the vision of founders Robert Giuliani and Abby Taylor, both Jersey Shore natives and longtime surfers. They saw that almost every exotic surf town they visited offered its own version of an acai or pitaya bowl, inspiring them to put their own spin on their favorite recipes.
Fun Fact: The beach-themed restaurant franchise is charitable, raising more than $23,000 to support children impacted by hurricanes in North Carolina and Florida.
Rubio’s Coastal Grill

Menu: Rubio’s Coastal Grill features taco plates, burritos, bowls and salads. Customers can enjoy the Island Vibe Burrito, Classic Shrimp Burrito, Hot Honey Original Fish Two Taco Plate, Rainbow Bowl and Original Fish Taco.
Vibe: Rubio’s Coastal Grill delivers a laid‑back — but modern — coastal vibe that reflects its Baja-San Diego roots. Business Insider reports that Rubio’s has elevated its kitschy beach aesthetic for a cleaner, airier one with natural wood tables, glass bauble lights and blue-green hues that mirror ocean tones.
History: Founder Ralph Rubio discovered his love of fish tacos after taking a spring break trip to San Felipe, Mexico. He went on to open a Rubio’s taco stand in California in 1983.
Fun Fact: Rubio’s is dedicated to sustainability. For example, 100% of its shrimp is certified sustainable in accordance with Aquaculture Practices, and its Wild Alaska Pollock is certified sustainable by the Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management program.
Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar

Menu: Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar’s menu is fun and creative with something for everyone. Highlights include ahi tuna, shrimp cocktails, shrimp skillet, surf ‘n’ turf options, shellfish and hot sandwiches.
Vibe: The beach-themed restaurant’s vibe is easy-going and fun — all trademarks of the coastal lifestyle.
History: Co-founders Matt Piccinin and Sean Cook opened the first Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar in 2007 in Carolina Beach, N.C. The first Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar franchise location opened in Summerville, S.C., in 2015.
Fun Fact: Shuckin’ Shack is dedicated to sustainability. From participating in Oyster Shell Recycling Programs, using responsibly sourced farmed oysters, serving domestic caught seafood and continued efforts to limit the use of plastic in its restaurants, Shuckin’ Shack is devoted to sustainability efforts.
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