Forrest Gump has had such a massive cultural impact since coming out in 1994 that a real-life Bubba Gump Shrimp Company has gone into operation.

In the 1994 classic Forrest Gump, Forrest started a shrimping company called Bubba Gump Shrimp, which has become a real business. Throughout Forrest Gump, Forrest constantly stumbles into success, as he does with Bubba Gump Shrimp. Forrest named the company in honor of his shrimp-loving best friend, Bubba, who sadly died while they were stationed in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

The story of Forrest and Bubba has become one of the most popular and well-remembered parts of Forrest Gump, which is why a real-life Bubba Gump Shrimp Company has been able to succeed. Forrest Gump has become an iconic film, despite Tom Hanks thinking Forrest Gump was going to flop, and the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company has taken advantage of that by using the film to promote the business. The name Bubba Gump Shrimp alone is enough to excite the interest of the legions of Forrest Gump fans.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Started As A Fictional Company

Bubba Gump Shrimp began as a fictional company from Forrest Gump, but in 1995, Anthony Zolezzi bought the rights to the name Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. from Paramount Pictures. Zolezzi hoped to use the name to revive his struggling seafood company, Meridian Products. At first, the newly named Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. sold prepackaged shrimp in supermarkets. However, after a friend in the restaurant business approached Zolezzi about using the name, he opened the first Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant.

Since the first Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant opened in 1996, the company has franchised and spread across the globe. In 2010, Landry's Inc. bought the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and continued expansion of the franchise. Bubba Gump Shrimp now has 34 restaurants worldwide, serving dishes named after characters from Forrest Gump. The restaurants themselves are Forrest Gump themed, sporting all kinds of Forrest Gump-related decorations and tributes. They often celebrate the best Forrest Gump quotes with things like "Stop, Forrest, Stop" signs to signal employees.

Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company Has Another Connection To Hollywood

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.'s Hollywood connections don't end with Forrest Gump. Coincidentally, Bubba Gump Shrimp is where Guardians of the Galaxy and Parks and Rec star, Chris Pratt, was discovered. Pratt worked there as a waiter when he met director Rae Dawn Chong. Chong offered Pratt a role in a short film she directed, helping the young actor get noticed and starting him on the path to stardom. It's incredible how a movie like Forrest Gump can influence the world. Not only did the film lead to a multi-million dollar restaurant chain, but it also helped one of Hollywood's biggest names get discovered.