America's Largest Quick-Service Seafood Restaurant Celebrates Local College Student and Long John Silver's Fanatic During Surprise Lunch with CEO

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Today, Long John Silver's recognized Ohio State University student and Long John Silver's brand-fanatic, Joel Harris, with a restaurant celebration in honor of his brand loyalty. The Buckeye, his family and a group of his closest friends were surprised at the restaurant to learn that they would be dining with Long John Silver's CEO, James O'Reilly.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170127005582/en/

Joel is a long time customer and fanatic for the Long John Silver's brand. He has celebrated some of life's most memorable moments at the restaurant, including birthday and graduation celebrations – sending pictures and interacting with Long John Silver's for more than two years via social media along the way.

Joel was presented with more than $500 worth of merchandise and gifts from the Long John Silver's executive team including: Chief Executive Officer, James O'Reilly, Senior Vice President Global Operations, Toni Bianco and Vice President Marketing, Marilyn Nicholson. Among the gifts were: Long John Silver's logo-wear, windbreaker, t-shirt, Polo shirt, baseball-cap, water bottle, a North Face jacket presented on behalf of PepsiCo, and a giant chocolate fish.

Joel and his guests were the first customers to enjoy the new menu item, Beer-Battered Alaskan Cod, that will debut in all Long John Silver's locations as a part of its Lent promotion, on January 30.

*Joel is a junior at Ohio State University and is majoring in Biology. His hometown is Springboro, Ohio.

High res photo's can be found at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iwqx2e99e9zcbsj/AACBJL0yisEUXTWQWEI7Pnisa?dl=0

About Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's is a classic American brand founded in 1969, and stands today as the nation's largest quick-service seafood chain with nearly 1,000 franchised restaurants. Long John Silver's is famous for its pure, wild-caught Alaskan whitefish hand-dipped in their signature batter and lightly fried to golden perfection. Learn more at www.ljsilvers.com or join the conversation via social media on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170127005582/en/