Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
Q: Are you a sit-down restaurant?
A: We are a carry-out store but you are welcome to sit down outside at one of our tables and enjoy your purchase while listening to our outdoor
Q: Do you sell female crabs?
A: We never sell female crabs, technically called "sooks" because we firmly believe all female crabs should be left in the waters to insure plentiful crab harvests for the future.
Q: What sets Capt. Jack's apart from other places selling crabs?
A: Capt. Jack's sells No. 1 crabs and now to meet the demands of our customers, lighter less expensive No. 2 crabs. In addition to a large selection of other seafood items, fresh and frozen. We also sell freshly made crab cakes made with 100% crab meat and NO fillers! Other items include shrimp, alligator tail meat, crawfish, fish, lobsters, soft-shell crabs, frog legs, stuffed mushrooms, crab spreads and many more items too numerous to mention. Don't forget our homemade Key Lime pie, cakes and cheesecakes! First quality products and friendly service keeps our customers coming back year after year.
Q: How come the guy down the street is selling crabs a lot cheaper than Capt. Jack's?
A: Crabs are caught, sorted and sold according to quality. Light weight crabs (No. 2's) are always plentiful and cost a lot less than the more scarce No. 1 crabs. If someone is telling you they are selling No. 1 crabs and the price is too good to be true, more than likely they are really selling you No. 2 crabs but are telling you they are No. 1 crabs. We sell No. 1 crabs as No. 1's and No. 2 crabs as number 2's. We always recommend the heaver No. 1 crabs, but for those wishing a less expensive crab, we now offer No. 2's.
Q: What is the difference between a No. 1 and a No. 2 crab?
A: No. 1 crabs are the most highly prized crabs and the most expensive. They contain the most meat. No. 2 crabs are those that have recently molted and are light, hollow (full of water) and won't contain much meat. Picking houses use No. 2 crabs. No. 1 crabs come in ALL sizes, it is the weight of the crab that sets them apart from No. 2's.
Q: Can I order fish and other items you don't normally carry?
A: Yes! If it is caught in the water, we can get it! Capt. Jack's is your direct connection to freshly caught exotic fish and live
Q: Recently there have been articles in the newspaper about an abundance of blue crabs this season and the stated wholesale prices were really low. Why are Capt. Jack's crab prices not in-line with what I've read in the newspaper?
A: We laughed when we read those recent articles on the "abundance of crabs"! Yes, there are an abundance of crabs BUT what the newspaper failed to tell you was that the abundance is in females (sooks), No. 2 crabs and papershells. The wholesale prices quoted in one of the recent articles was for females and No. 2 crabs. They failed to mention the prices for No. 1 crabs which have been consistently high. No. 1 crabs are the most prized crabs and always short in supply and high in demand. Capt. Jack's ONLY sells No. 1 crabs! Crab picking houses use No. 2 crabs and females and most all of the all you-can-eat establishments also use No. 2 crabs and females as well. Also, the newspaper articles forget to mention that for every bushel of crabs sold, approximately 20-25% of them are dead and CANNOT be consumed.
Q: Do you offer catering services?
A: Although we do not do on-site catering, we do have a Catering Menu with items not offered on our regular menu. We prepare the items on attractive serving platters for pick-up by the customer. In the past, we have prepared catering dishes for graduations, family reunions and weddings!
Q: What are the sizes of crabs?
A: As a general rule, Colossal crabs measure 6 1/2 inches or more from point to point; Jumbo crabs measure 6 to 6 1/2 inches, Large measure 5 1/2 to 6 inches, Medium measure 5 to 5 1/2 inches and Small measure 4 1/2 to 5 inches (usually females). NONE of the crabs we sell measure less than 5 inches.
Q: Do you ship crabs and other items?
A: Of course! Visit our on-line store at www.crabpie.com
Q: Your phone is always busy, can I place my order via email?
A: Absolutely, but you must receive an email confirmation by us to ensure your order was received. Otherwise, unless you receive a phone call or email confirmation from us -- consider you order NOT received.
Q: Where do your crabs come from?
A: Our crabs come from local waters of the
Q: How come your crab prices fluctuate?
A: Our prices are determined daily based on that day's catch. On a given day, the catch might be primarily No. 2 crabs and females with very few No. 1 crabs caught. So, although it appears that a lot of crabs are being caught, very few might be No. 1 crabs.
Q: Do you have any other locations?
A: The owners of Capt. Jack's are not affiliated with any other retail locations. We do, however, own and operate the Va. Crab Cake Co. (a seafood mail order business) and EverythingCrab.com (our soon to be on-line retail store featuring crabby, nautical, lake & shore merchandise).