Red Lobster's summer seafood boils go viral as customers debate whether worth the hype

Fox News

5 hours ago

Red Lobster's newest menu additions have gone viral on social media now that the chain introduced affordable, buttery seafood boils for the summer.
The Orlando, Florida-based chain announced the beginning of Crabfest with two new dishes: a Mariner's Boil and a Sailor's Boil.
The Mariner's Boil features "a Maine lobster tail, a dozen shrimp, snow crab legs, corn and red potatoes," according to the seafood outlet on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Sailor's Boil includes a mix of shrimp with smoked sausage, corn and red potatoes.
Each boil can be finished with one of three options: roasted garlic butter, Cajun butter or Old Bay seasoning. Other Crabfest dishes include Crabby Stuffed Mushrooms, Crab-Topped Asparagus and Crab-Topped Potato, along with Steak Oscar and Salmon Oscar.
The prices vary by area, but the general price range is between $24 and $45, with the Mariner's Boil being more expensive.
Red Lobster's seafood boils are generally on the lower end of pricing, as others can cost as much as $75 per person.
Users on Reddit offered varied takes on the new deal, with some expressing excitement while others were skeptical.
"A seafood boil and cheap sangria? Oh, I'm absolutely clocking out early for this," one person said.
"Five-dollar drink gonna have one drop of alcohol in it," one user speculated, referencing the $5 happy hour that began in December.
"Just don't f--- with the biscuits," another very blunt commenter wrote.
One user who claimed to have tried the deal said it was "really good & worth the price."
"My corn was cold, sausage burnt and the garlic butter was shrimp scampi sauce."
"I got the bag with crab and lobster for $45 with the Cajun butter AND I WAS SURPRISED," the Redditor said, adding that the server was also generous with the chain's signature Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
"My boyfriend ate 3 baskets," the user said.
Other Redditors were critical of the meal and complained about the chain's prices.
"Who can afford to eat at Red Lobster anymore?" one person wrote.
"Just had the Sailor's Boil for $24 yesterday (the Mariner's Boil is $44)," another said. "My corn was cold, sausage burnt and the garlic butter was shrimp scampi sauce."
The user added, "A small side of the Cajun sauce that comes with the Mariner's boil is $3.99. There's some work that needs to be done for sure."
Reactions on X were similarly mixed, with some users raving about the new offerings, while others were unimpressed.
"We tried the Red Lobster seafood boils & they were so fresh," one satisfied customer said.
"Just tried the Red Lobster seafood boil," another person wrote. "I give it a 6.5."
"Honestly tried the new Red Lobster boil yesterday," a third person said.
"UNPOPULAR OPINION: great marketing [and] bad taste. They need better seasoning and flavor."
Fox News Digital reached out to Red Lobster for comment.