Dolly Parton Announces She Is Opening a New Pirate-Themed Restaurant in Panama City Beach

Dolly Parton is quite the busy businesswoman! The “9 to 5” singer announced that she is gearing up to open up a new restaurant in Panama City Beach, Florida.

“I’m so excited about bringing this show to such a great destination,” Dolly, 77, said in a Thursday, December 14, statement. “With pirates, mermaids, exciting acrobatics, pyrotechnics and even a few songs that I wrote, it’s a show that is perfect for all ages.”

The interactive restaurant is expected to open in the spring of 2025. The new Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show location will be the third branch of the pirate-themed chain that Dolly has opened in the U.S. The restaurant’s other two locations are in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

“Everyone knows that I dream big, so we are going ‘overboard’ with the details as we prepare everything — from the show to the four-course pirates feast to the exterior of the building itself,” the Steel Magnolias actress continued. “I told my folks to get started as soon as possible, so we’re breaking ground for construction in January!”

Folks in Panama City Beach are just as excited to welcome Dolly’s franchise in their city.

“She’s a legend. She’s iconic,” Mayor Mark Sheldon said in a statement. “There’s no one who cares more about community than Dolly herself. So during this process, it’s been amazing to see another great community partner who wants to invest in Panama City Beach and make this a staple business model for them.”

Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show truly seems like a blast. The restaurant chain’s official website boasts an “incredible adventure as our crews battle on land, on deck, in water and high above full-sized pirate ships in a 15-foot deep indoor hideaway lagoon!”

Both of the restaurant’s current locations serve an array of delicious dishes, including biscuits, which is one of Dolly’s favorite things to eat.

“Everybody makes biscuits, but how many people make buttermilk biscuits unless you really are from the South? I love it all,” she told Eater in January. “I eat gravy and biscuits at least once a week for breakfast with sausage or whatever. With the same pan, I’ll get a biscuit and put apple butter or jam or jelly on there. Whatever looks good. There’s no bad way to eat a biscuit.”

The exciting news came just a few weeks after Dolly broke the internet while wearing a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader uniform during an NFL halftime performance at AT&T Stadium. There’s truly no stopping Dolly when it comes to her iconic performances and business ventures!