have your say: Will Gardner | Angry Crab Shack Franchise Owner in Happy Valley
Never Too Late:
How a Part-Time Serving Job Led this Father of Four to Multi-Unit Ownership When it comes to career goals, some people have been following their dreams ever since they can remember, while others discover new passions along the way. Will Gardner had bounced around a few career options over the years. From working at the University of Phoenix to becoming a solar salesman, he’d never even considered entrepreneurship until he realized how much the restaurant business meant to him.
from dishwasher and various cooking positions to front of house roles like busser, server, shift leader, barback and bartender. When he attended his friend’s soft opening of the Angry Crab Shack franchise in Mesa, AZ, he found himself amazed by how truly unique the concept was.
Discovering His Passion for the Restaurant Business
He’d fallen in love with Cajun-Creole flavors after working on a riverboat in New Orleans, but he’d never experienced an Asian-Cajun twist like Angry Crab Shack’s. The restaurant featured seafood boils that you could customize to any kind of Cajun or Asian flavor and heat level even his four kids were head over heels for the high-energy seafood franchise!
Over the years, Will worked just about every job there was in different restaurants-
“Not only was the food amazing, but the environment itself just draws you in,” he
38 Franchising MAGAZINE USA
said. “I could feel the buzz and excitement around me and we all loved the ongoing party that is Angry Crab Shack!” When Will’s friend asked if he wanted to be involved with opening a second location, he jumped at the opportunity. He trained at the Mesa location before starting as a part-time server in Phoenix. As the restaurants reached new heights and Angry Crab Shack opened more locations in the area, Will began to consider a new career path in the industry he loved so much.
Climbing the Ladder of Success Will assisted the Angry Crab Shack team with opening two additional locations as he worked his way up to key manager and later, general manager. He continued to
