Luke’s Lobster buys the lobster live and process it at its sister company, Cape Seafood in Saco, Maine. Each part of the crustacean is cooked separately.

The lobsters are sent directly to restaurants in metropolitan New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.

“So there aren’t a lot of middlemen who are holding it, moving it from facility to facility, taking days off the shelf life and adding markup,” Conniff said.

Holden describes the lobster roll as “minimalist.” A New England-style roll is split on top, buttered on the outside and riddled. The inside of the bun is spread with mayonnaise and filled with a quarter pound of cooked lobster, then drizzled with lemon butter and a shake of secret seasoning.

Smaller legs are used in items such as lobster sausage and ravioli, and tails go into salads.

Crab and shrimp rolls are available for $13 and $9, respectively, at New York locations. 

Sides include lobster grilled cheese sandwiches.