Yum! To Sell Long John Silver’s, A&W

Two top franchisee groups are acquiring Long John Silver’s and A&W Restaurants from Yum! Brands. The sales will close in the fourth quarter, Yum! said.

The Louisville, Ky.-based foodservice giant, which also franchises KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, said the 1,000-unit Long John Silver’s will be sold to LJS Partners, a consortium of franchisees and other investors. A&W, which has more than 600 units, will be sold to A Great American Brand.

In 2002, Yum!—then called Tricon Global Restaurants—bought Long John Silver’s and A&W from Yorkshire Global Restaurants for $320 million. Last January, Yum! announced plans to sell those brands and focus on its larger concepts and international expansion. Neither concept fit Yum!’s long-term strategy, as they have a minimal presence outside the United States and no outlets in China, one of Yum!’s biggest growth markets. Yum! operates 38,000 restaurants worldwide.