Claim Jumper
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | September 27, 1977 in Los Alamitos, California, U.S. |
| Founder | Craig Nickoloff |
| Headquarters | Houston , United States |
Area served | United States (California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Tennessee, Louisiana) |
Key people | Tilman J. Fertitta (President and CEO of parent company Landry's, Inc.) |
| Parent | Landry's, Inc. |
Claim Jumper Restaurant and Saloon is a U.S.-based restaurant chain with 10 operational sites as of October 2025. The corporate headquarters are situated in Houston, Texas.
History
The inaugural Claim Jumper was launched by restaurateur Craig Nickoloff on September 27, 1977, in Los Alamitos, California. This first establishment offered an extensive menu and embraced a theme influenced by California's Gold Rush of 1849 era.
Acquisition by Landry’s, Inc.
Claim Jumper filed for bankruptcy in September 2010 and was scheduled for auction. Subsequently, in October 2010, Landry's, Inc. purchased the chain for $76.6 million. Following the acquisition, Landry's President and CEO Tilman J. Fertitta relocated the company's headquarters from Irvine, California to Landry's main offices in Houston.
In October 2022, Claim Jumper again sought protection under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, marking its second bankruptcy filing within a twelve-year span.
Franchised locations
The claimjumper.com website lists all locations franchised to Kelly Restaurant Group (KRG). As of August 2023, KRG manages outlets across California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
In response to challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic and issues related to buffet services, KRG shuttered several restaurants, including those in Long Beach, California, Valencia, California, Nashville, Tennessee, and Lynnwood, Washington.
Non-franchised locations
Landry's continues to own and operate three Claim Jumper venues located within the Golden Nuggets in Laughlin, Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Lake Charles, Louisiana. These are the sole locations participating in the Landry's Select Club loyalty program.