Sammy J Peppers vs Palapas Restaurants Franchise Comparison

Our business is gaining popularity and we’re growing fast. But success requires more than just delicious food and a great atmosphere. To grow the business and take our restaurant concept to customers everywhere, we need to expand our team and grow the family. Franchising and partnerships was the logical choice. Family values have always been at the heart of Sammy J’s. And, like any good family, we always look out for one-another, lead by example and support our management team every step of the way. Since we opened in 1996, we have developed a series of effective operational systems to ensure every restaurant runs consistently so that our guests experience the same exceptional experience every time they visit. We believe our training and service programs to be amongst the best in the industry and we always provide new management with the tools and skills they’ll need prior to opening day.

Palapas Restaurant y Cantina is perched atop the Seascape Village and has been an institution in Aptos since opening its doors in 1990. Owners Mark and Kay Holcomb designed the space and menu with the goal of bringing home their beloved experiences vacationing on the coast of Mexico with their family throughout the 80s and 90s. ​Today we aim to capture that nostalgic vacation feeling while highlighting the natural beauty and bounty native to our own locale. This value is present in our locally sourced, fresh seafood, our commitment to local small purveyors, and even our design, which is built to offer an ocean view of the sparkling Monterey Bay from every single table.

Palapas brings the ambiance of tropical Mexico to the Monterey Bay area in a very unique way. In addition to featuring authentic traditional dishes of Mexico, our menu offers the fish, shellfish and sauces of the coasts of both Mexico and California. All of our dishes are prepared "A La Cocina Fresca”- "in the fresh kitchen method” a Spanish phrase that means exactly what it implies… freshly made sauces, handmade corn tortillas and fresh local seafood and produce prepared daily. In addition to creating a menu with many exiting choices, we’re committed to offering our customers healthy dishes with absolutely no use of any lard or animal fat in their preparation. We use rice-bran oil specifically for frying. Contains no trans fat!