Mark Setterington was a lifetime restaurant guy. He’d earned his stripes working every job possible in the industry and had settled in Las Vegas for over 10 years, running 10 restaurants between Las Vegas and Southern California, when his longtime friend, Paul, called to tell him that he was leaving his job of 20 years. Paul wanted to collaborate on a new restaurant concept, and from their partnership, Island Fin Poké was born in 2016. By Kelsi Trinidad
Mark Setterington was a lifetime restaurant guy. He’d earned his stripes working every job possible in the industry and had settled in Las Vegas for over 10 years, running 10 restaurants between Las Vegas and Southern California, when his longtime friend, Paul, called to tell him that he was leaving his job of 20 years. Paul wanted to collaborate on a new restaurant concept, and from their partnership, Island Fin Poké was born in 2016.
The inspiration for Island Fin Poké’s culture was drawn from Setterington’s past experiences, including the nine weeks he had spent in Hawaii opening Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber. “We have a 4-foot sign that hangs in every restaurant that says, ‘No friends, just family. ‘Ohana.’ We want people treated just like they are guests in your home,” Setterington explained.
Island Fin Poké delivers fresh, never-frozen fish and high-quality produce and other ingredients in a fast-casual setting. Guests can expect a full-service dining experience, with food and drinks brought to the table. Everybody is treated like family.
“We don’t have employees,” explained Setterington. “We have team members. We don’t have customers; we have guests. Everything is personal. We don’t want anything in the restaurant to be transactional. That’s important to us.”
Island Fin Poké opened its first franchise in July 2019 and has since grown to 26 locations, with more than 12 locations expected to open this year. Setterington is excited to welcome prospective franchisees who have a passion for the brand’s vision of family and community.
“I’m looking for people who want to be a part of their community,” he said. “Spending a couple $100,000 buying a job, that’s not going to make you successful, and it’s not going to make me successful.”
This year, Island Fin Poké is continuing to innovate and meet customers where they are by opening a drive-thru restaurant, or a “poké pipeline,” as Setterington lovingly refers to it, in Venice, Florida. This will allow third-party delivery drivers and guests who have pre-ordered their meals to utilize a faster pickup experience while expanding the possibilities for new franchisees.
Kelsi Trinidad