The Kickin’ Crab restaurant chain in Garden Grove has been penalized by state regulators for misleading at least 16 franchisee investors in California.
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation said Tuesday, Sept. 29 that it ordered Kickin’ Crab to cease its wrongful acts, pay $120,000 in penalties and complete remedial training on state franchise law. If the company fails to comply with the order, the DFPI said it can revoke its registration.
A DFPI spokesperson could not immediately provide the names of the 16 franchisees.
Neither John Kang, a Costa Mesa lawyer representing the chain, nor Jan Nguyen, founder and chief executive officer of Kickin’ Crab, could be reached for comment on Tuesday.
Franchise investments often involve significant financial commitments
Franchise investments often involve significant financial commitments from small business owners. California franchise law requires franchisors to be open about their operations and track record. Failure to do so can deceive franchise buyers, withholding information necessary to make an informed investment decision, the DFPI explained in a statement.
Nguyen navigated several career paths before finding her niche in the culinary world, according to an April 23, 2025, article published in the Orange County Register.
Nguyen arrived in the United States from Vietnam at the age of 11, shortly before the fall of Saigon in 1975. She pivoted from local Vietnamese eateries to a Cajun-inspired seafood chain.
Today, the seafood chain that Nguyen founded
Today, the seafood chain that Nguyen founded in 2010 is franchised with 43 restaurants across California, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada and Oregon. It recently opened restaurants in Los Angeles, Torrance, Avondale, Arizona, and Irving, Texas. Another is planned for Houston.
Southern California boasts the largest concentration of Kickin’ Crab eateries that offer everything from shrimp and oysters to potato fries and Cajun-styled edamame and chicken wings.
There are 21 locations throughout Southern California, including eight in Orange County (two in Santa Ana, two in Westminster, Orange, Irvine, Fullerton and Buena Park), seven in Los Angeles County (Bell Gardens, Hawaiian Gardens, Hollywood, Koreatown, Long Beach, Lynwood and Torrance), three in San Bernardino County (Corona, Chino Hills and Montclair), one in Riverside, and two in San Jose.
In a consent order signed by Nguyen, DFPI alleged that, between 2012 and 2025, the company sold at least 16 franchises to California small business investors without providing important documents containing details about fees, royalties and litigation history — a violation of state law. The company also failed to register its franchise offerings with the DFPI.
The violations were discovered during a regulatory compliance examination in April 2026.
