"In November 1996 new product development efforts yielded the introduction of Wraps, a line of handheld wrap sandwiches featuring shrimp, fish, or chicken fillings and five different sauces. Selling for $1.99 for a regular size and $2.99 for a large, the sandwiches represented Long John Silver's latest attempt to compete head-on with the purveyors of cheap burgers who dominated the fast-food scene as well as to offer a more healthful alternative to LJS's staple fried foods. Although the new items seemed to get off to a good start, a number of operators and franchisees were soon complaining that the new line had muddled the chain's focus and slowed service. Some operators were also critical of the attempt to woo fast-food customers to the neglect of LJS's core demographic, who tended to skew slightly older and who supported the chain's traditional emphasis on more expensive dinner platters. Late in 1997 a group of disgruntled operators formed a franchisee association in an attempt to gain more influence over the company's operation."
