The California-based Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar chain is bringing its second Florida location to the WaterStar area on West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Kissimmee. An opening date has not been set.
The non-franchised chain known for its comfort food served TV dinner-style has more than 40 locations, most in California, but only one in Florida. In Boca Raton.
The first Lazy Dog opened in 2003 in Huntington Beach, California. Despite its name, Lazy Dog is moving quickly expanding to more locations. Among the 43 locations listed on its website, three are “coming soon.”
According to Lazy Dog’s website, Chris and his father opened the first Lazy Dog focused on creative scratch cooking, gracious hospitality and unrivaled value. They wanted to offer an experience that treated guests to a variety of eclectic American dishes served in a warm, lively and contemporary rustic atmosphere. When he’s not in the restaurants or working on innovative ways to improve the guest experience, Chris spends time with his family and three daughters, mostly outdoors.
The restaurants are all corporate owned and operated. Founder and CEO Chris Simms told Forbes in 2019 (when the company had 30 restaurants), “My feeling is our concept is too complicated for franchising. In order for us to deliver that wow experience for our guests, we have to control it from soup to nuts.”
Some 13 restaurants later, the restaurants are all still corporate-owned.
In the Forbes article, he also correctly predicted, “Two years from now, we will have about 40 or 45 restaurants. We’ll be open across the country.”
Lazy Dog also has a unique beer club that members pay to join. Sparked by patrons asking to take home the craft beers featured in the restaurant, the club offers members a chance to join the LD Beer Club. With memberships, starting at $35 a quarter, members get things such as draft beer samplers and dining discounts.
