By Agnes DeFranco, Minwoo Lee, Hospitality Analytics and Innovation Lab, Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership, University of Houston; Hawon Shim, Korean Broadcasting System (KBS)
A Business
A visit in May 2024 caught the tail end of crawfish season at The Crawfish Shack in Crosby, Texas, just outside the Houston metropolitan area. Entrepreneurs and owners Dan and Jennifer Meaux were the most gracious hosts, embodying true Southern hospitality. They gave us a full tour of their operation—both front and back of house—and shared the deep passion they have for their business and community.
The Crawfish Shack is a highly successful business, having been featured in the news and widely recognized. Dan, originally from Southwest Louisiana, shared the story of how crawfish wasn’t always known across the United States. It began with rice farmers who noticed that crawfish thrived in rice fields. During the off-season, they used those fields for crawfish farming—not for commercial purposes, but simply to feed their families and friends. Over time, crawfish gained popularity beyond Louisiana, especially in the South. Today, the Houston area alone boasts over 500 places that serve crawfish. Louisiana still produces over 80% of the crawfish harvested in the U.S.
A Family
Although The Crawfish Shack has been a successful business for over 25 years, at its core, it’s a family. Dan calls crawfish his “happy food,” having grown up eating it since he was a baby. He lived on a farm with crawfish ponds right behind the house, so he’s been enjoying the bounty since childhood.
Dan moved to Texas to attend the Conrad N. Hilton College, originally planning to return to Lafayette and enter the restaurant business. But love changed his plans when he met Jennifer, a true Texas girl. Since Jennifer didn’t want to leave Texas, Dan decided to bring his Cajun roots—and crawfish—with him.
Jennifer’s first experience with crawfish was at Dan’s parents’ house in Louisiana, during a backyard boil. She admitted she was “horrified” at first, having never seen crawfish before and unsure how to eat them. But Dan’s mom showed her how to peel them and even peeled her a heap of tails. The rest, as they say, is history. Now, Jennifer hosts her own backyard boils!
Dan and Jennifer say The Shack is more than a business—it’s a family, thanks to their incredibly loyal customer base. Eating crawfish isn’t just a meal; it’s a social event, an experience, and a celebration with family and neighbors. Some of their customers even travel from out of state every season, from January through May, just to be part of the experience.
A Passion
“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” The Meauxs clearly have a deep passion for their business—but make no mistake; they work hard. They take pride in their product and treat their customers like family. They use only the best ingredients, including live, fresh crawfish sourced directly from Louisiana.
Dan explained that while crawfish is available in other parts of the world, such as China, much of it is frozen and shipped to the U.S. for dishes like étouffée. But at The Crawfish Shack, freshness is non-negotiable. Their passion is contagious.
The Shack is only open during crawfish season—five months out of the year—but many of their employees return season after season. During the off-season, they find other work but come back to The Shack when the season begins. One look at the team and you’ll see the camaraderie: all smiles, all positive energy, all hospitality.
A Legacy
Dan shared that when he first moved to Houston in the 1990s, there were maybe 15 places in North Houston that sold crawfish—and the quality wasn’t great. As more Louisianans moved to the area, they brought their cooking techniques with them, and the quality improved dramatically. Dan also believes that the seasonal nature of crawfish adds to its appeal.
Their two daughters grew up watching their parents work hard to build the business, connect with customers, and set a high standard in the industry. Now, with families of their own, they’re drawn to the business too. Even the grandchildren help out or run around the restaurant—something Jennifer calls “part of the charm” that makes customers feel like part of the family.
After more than 25 years of dedication, Dan and Jennifer have no plans to sell or retire. Instead, they’ve already laid out succession plans for their daughters and sons-in-law to
take over. In fact, during our visit, their son-in-law explained the crawfish sorting and cooking process to us in detail.
The plan is clear: The Crawfish Shack is a family legacy, and Dan and Jennifer will remain a part of it for many years to come. They can’t imagine living in the community without being involved in the restaurant. It’s more than a business—it’s a true legacy.