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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Topsail Steamer Franchise

Topsail Steamer is a fast-casual seafood franchise founded in 2017 by Danielle Mahon in Surf City, on North Carolina’s Topsail Island. The woman-owned, family-run brand is built around its signature “Bay Buckets”: customizable, take-home steam pots packed with fresh seafood, sausage, vegetables and house-made spices that customers steam and enjoy at home.

The business runs on a small-footprint, counter-service model rather than full-service dining, with most sales coming from take-home pots and online pickup orders. The network has grown to around 11 locations across five states, including North Carolina, New Jersey, Florida, Alabama and Delaware, and reaches buyers beyond its stores through nationwide shipping via Goldbelly.

Topsail Steamer positions itself as the only seafood steampot franchise in the United States, pairing a coastal seafood-boil tradition with the convenience of a heat-at-home meal. The brand remains founder-led under Danielle Mahon and gained national exposure through an appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank.

Latest Resales

  • There are currently no Topsail Steamer resales available
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Why buy a Topsail Steamer Franchise?

Buying a Topsail Steamer franchise offers entry to a category-creating concept in a seafood category that has held steady consumer demand. The take-home Bay Bucket model is genuinely differentiated, and the small-footprint format is built around low labour, modest equipment needs and a menu the franchisor has structured for profitability.

Beyond the product, the brand carries unusual national credibility for its size: it has been featured by Forbes and secured a Shark Tank deal with Lori Greiner and Todd Graves, the Raising Cane’s founder who brings restaurant-scaling experience. The Goldbelly shipping partnership adds a revenue stream that reaches customers well beyond a unit’s local trade area, and the founder-led culture supports operators pursuing multi-unit growth.

Topsail Steamer Franchise Costs & Information

  • Minimum Qualifications

    • Initial Franchise Fee

      $45,000

    • Initial Investment

      $201,250 – $351,100

  • Royalty

    • Royalty Fee

      5% – 6%

  • Training & Support

    • Classroom + on-site training

    • Ongoing support

    • Marketing support

Topsail Steamer – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Incoming franchisees receive structured onboarding that combines classroom instruction with hands-on, in-store training, supported by operating playbooks and brand systems covering daily operations, product preparation and local marketing. Ongoing operational and marketing support continues after opening, and the Goldbelly shipping partnership extends sales beyond the storefront. Buyers of an existing Topsail Steamer unit should confirm with the franchisor what transfer training and onboarding are provided to incoming owners and any retained staff when ownership changes.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Topsail Steamer suits a hands-on, locally engaged operator who enjoys hospitality and food service and is comfortable running a small counter-service team, managing fresh-product inventory and driving community and seasonal marketing in a beach-town market. Prior restaurant experience is helpful but not essential, as the franchisor provides systems and training. The model rewards owners who are present in the business, build local word-of-mouth and are open to multi-unit growth rather than passive, absentee investors.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Topsail Steamer secured a Shark Tank deal with Lori Greiner and Todd Graves on the show's 2024 season, a notable credibility signal for a brand of its size, and has been recognised by Forbes. It also earned a place on Yelp's 2024 Top 100 Seafood Spots nationwide and is positioned as the only seafood steampot franchise in the US. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific territory's local reviews, referral sources and community visibility.

  4. Industry / Market

    Seafood enjoys durable demand in the US, where per-capita consumption runs around 20 pounds a year, while fast-casual remains one of the fastest-growing US restaurant segments as diners seek quality and convenience over full-service formats. Topsail Steamer's take-home steam-pot concept also taps the experiential, heat-at-home meal trend. For resale buyers, demand in coastal and beach-town territories can be seasonal, so reviewing a unit's year-round revenue pattern and local trade area is important.

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