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Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Lobster launches comeback menu items in bid to win back fans after bankruptcy
Red Lobster is finally adding a beloved seafood dish to its menu for the first time, months after emerging from bankruptcy. Starting Monday, the fast-casual restaurant chain will bring back its Crabfest celebration, along with various new crab-themed dishes, including seafood boils. Crabfest menu items are expected to be available at Red Lobster locations until September 14. A seafood boil, a traditional Southern U.S. dish, features a mix of seafood, such as crab legs, and vegetables, all cooked together in a flavorful sauce and typically served in a large plastic bag to be opened out onto a table, usually lined with paper or foil for easy cleanup, allowing everyone to dig in family-style. Customers can choose between two seafood boils: the Mariner's Boil, featuring a Maine lobster tail, a dozen shrimp, snow crab legs, corn, and red potatoes, or the Sailor's Boil, which includes shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, and red potatoes. Each boil is served with your choice of Roasted Garlic Butter, Cajun Butter, or Old Bay seasoning. Other new Crabfest menu items include Crabby Stuffed Mushrooms, Crab-Topped Asparagus, Crab-Topped Potato, or Steak or Salmon Oscar, in addition to new cocktails: Purple Haze by Dre & Snoop, Passion Star Spritz, and the Starry Eyed Surprise. 'Red Lobster's Crabfest is the ultimate summer dining experience, featuring exciting and flavorful dishes like our new Seafood Boils,' Nichole Robillard, Chief Marketing Officer of Red Lobster, said in a press release. 'Whether you're a longtime Red Lobster lover or participating in Crabfest for the first time, we've got something to bring everyone joy.' The new menu items come months after Red Lobster clawed itself out of bankruptcy in September 2024 after RL Investor Holdings acquired the fast-casual chain and ushered in a younger generation to revamp it, starting with tapping a 35-year-old CEO, Damola Adamolekun, to take the helm. The company was previously forced to close more than 100 of its nearly 650 restaurants amid financial struggles. The company plunged into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2024 after its endless shrimp special got out of hand. Originally a $20 once-a-week promotional deal, the company made endless shrimp a permanent menu item, leading patrons to eat more shrimp than the restaurant could afford, staying at their tables for hours and lengthening wait times. The Florida-headquartered chain lost $11 million in the process, filed for bankruptcy, and closed at least 129 locations. 'There were certainly big mistakes made over the last few years,' Red Lobster's new CEO said in an interview with CNN in October 2024, adding the shrimp promotion was 'a very expensive product to give away endlessly.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Lobster's new CEO brought seafood chain back from brink of bankruptcy. He did it by reading customers' comments
Red Lobster's new CEO brought the seafood chain back from the brink of bankruptcy and he did it by reading customers' comments. Last month, Red Lobster launched its comeback menu with new crab-themed dishes, including table-side seafood boils, and it seems to be working. Until September 14, seafood lovers may choose between the Mariner's Boil, which features a Maine lobster tail, and the Sailor's Boil, which features smoked sausage. These boils can be enjoyed with a choice of three different seasonings, including Garlic Butter, Cajun Butter and Old Bay. The waiter shakes up the seasoning with the seafood in a bag right in front of the customers. Damola Adamolekun, Red Lobster's 36-year-old CEO, told ABC News' Good Morning America Thursday, 'We read the comments to see what people are saying. We try to react quickly to deliver what they want.' "There was a group of people saying, 'We want more heat, more spice, more flavor options.' And within a week, we turned it around and added a spicy option, an extra spicy option, a new flavor, Old Bay and Parmesan, and Cajun sausage. And we did that within a week," the executive added. Under the leadership of Adamolekun, Red Lobster has been successfully restructured following the company's bankruptcy filing in May 2024. The seafood joint previously had to close more than 100 of its nearly 650 restaurants amid financial struggles, which were inflicted in part by its endless shrimp fiasco. Red Lobster ended up losing $11 million from an original once-a-week promotion the company made a permanent menu item. The all-you-can-eat shrimp deal caused chaos with customers eating more seafood than the restaurant could afford, staying at their tables for hours and lengthening wait times for other customers. Adamolekun told GMA the company has no intentions of putting endless shrimp back on the menu. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Independent
24-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Red Lobster's new CEO brought seafood chain back from brink of bankruptcy. He did it by reading customers' comments
Red Lobster 's new CEO brought the seafood chain back from the brink of bankruptcy and he did it by reading customers' comments. Last month, Red Lobster launched its comeback menu with new crab-themed dishes, including table-side seafood boils, and it seems to be working. Until September 14, seafood lovers may choose between the Mariner's Boil, which features a Maine lobster tail, and the Sailor's Boil, which features smoked sausage. These boils can be enjoyed with a choice of three different seasonings, including Garlic Butter, Cajun Butter and Old Bay. The waiter shakes up the seasoning with the seafood in a bag right in front of the customers. Damola Adamolekun, Red Lobster's 36-year-old CEO, told ABC News' Good Morning America Thursday, 'We read the comments to see what people are saying. We try to react quickly to deliver what they want.' "There was a group of people saying, 'We want more heat, more spice, more flavor options.' And within a week, we turned it around and added a spicy option, an extra spicy option, a new flavor, Old Bay and Parmesan, and Cajun sausage. And we did that within a week," the executive added. Under the leadership of Adamolekun, Red Lobster has been successfully restructured following the company's bankruptcy filing in May 2024. The seafood joint previously had to close more than 100 of its nearly 650 restaurants amid financial struggles, which were inflicted in part by its endless shrimp fiasco. Red Lobster ended up losing $11 million from an original once-a-week promotion the company made a permanent menu item. The all-you-can-eat shrimp deal caused chaos with customers eating more seafood than the restaurant could afford, staying at their tables for hours and lengthening wait times for other customers. Adamolekun told GMA the company has no intentions of putting endless shrimp back on the menu.
Business Insider
13-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
We spent $145 at Red Lobster on a meal for 2 to see if its viral new seafood boils live up to the hype
First, some context: Red Lobster hired a new CEO in 2024 after a series of setbacks. Adamolekun's mission since September has been to turn Red Lobster around from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which it filed for in May 2024, with over $1 billion in debt. The new CEO slashed the Endless Shrimp deal, which he said had exacerbated the restaurant chain's financial problems. More recently, he introduced customers to Red Lobster's take on seafood boils, a steamed seafood dish popular in Cajun cooking. We headed to our local Red Lobster to try the new seafood boils. Our closest Red Lobster is in Times Square. The message of the giant ad above the store — "Making the Impossible, Possible" — felt comically inspirational in this context. We walked in and were given a slip with a table number and instructed to go upstairs. On the way, we passed the lobster tank. We went around 3 p.m. on a Thursday, and there was a decent showing for a relatively off-hours lunch. Don't expect Red Lobster's $5 cocktails at this location, however. Times Square is one of the chain's few locations that doesn't offer happy hour, much to our surprise and disappointment. (We would've indulged for research purposes only, of course.) We went with a pair of strawberry lemonades instead. An insert in the menu prominently advertises Crabfest offerings, including the new seafood boils. Crabfest, a yearly event with limited-time crab offerings, started on June 23 and runs through September 14 this year. We started our meal with the chain's famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits, of course. When I (Sarah) told my friend we were going to Red Lobster, she was quick to remind me, "Don't forget to try the crab bread." (Close enough, I guess.) The Cheddar Bay Biscuits were very warm, soft, and buttery, but could've had a stronger cheddar flavor. They were fine, but I wasn't blown away by them. My editors and friends had all said beforehand that they were excited for me to try the iconic biscuits, so perhaps it was a tall order for anything to live up to that much hype. For the appetizer, we got the lobster dip. It was $18.49 and included Maine and langostino lobster, spinach, artichoke, and a three-cheese blend topped with pico de gallo, along with a side of tortilla chips. There was very little artichoke, and we could've done with a bit more spinach as well, but the dip had pretty sizable pieces of lobster. Now for the main attraction: the seafood boils. We got one of each. For $54.99, The Mariner's Boil includes a Maine lobster tail, a dozen shrimp, snow crab legs, corn, and red potatoes. The Sailor's Boil, priced at $39.99, comes with two dozen shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, and red potatoes. We added Old Bay and Parmesan flavors to the Mariner's Boil. The flavor additions weren't marked well on the menu — it's listed under an option for the "Crab Your Way" deal, which is different from the seafood boil. You can also customize for additional spice; we got the Sailor's Boil extra spicy with the roasted garlic butter, which our waiter said was the most popular flavor. Our waiter mentioned we could also get a flavor on the side, so we got the Cajun butter in a separate bowl. Jordan's Mariner's Boil was appropriately spicy. True to the added Old Bay and Parmesan flavor, I (Jordan) got the spice and herb taste I hoped for with a rich layer from the cheese. I made sure to dip each bite in the bottom of my bag to soak up as much sauce as possible. The lobster tail that we shared was more than a little overcooked, though. The Sailor's Boil was a garlic lover's dream. There was a slight tingle on the tongue with this boil (remember that we ordered it extra spicy). But overall, it wasn't particularly hot to me (Sarah), though I should note I'm a spice fiend, so very few foods ever are. The sausage was incredibly salty, which felt like overkill when the rest of the boil and its seasonings were already heavily seasoned. Though Red Lobster has stopped its $20 Endless Shrimp promotion, it felt alive and well with this boil; two dozen shrimp is no joke, and my stomach wasn't prepared for it. But what most struck me was how much minced garlic was in this boil. Garlic lovers, this is definitely the flavor for you. The Cajun butter was a little acidic for our taste. It was sour and reminded Sarah of a vinaigrette. It tasted too much like lemon for Jordan's idea of a Cajun butter. The portions were more than we could eat, so we took leftovers to go. For reference, this is how much of the Sailor's Boil Sarah had left over. Our waiter kindly offered us a to-go container for our largely untouched side of Cajun butter. We politely declined. In total, we spent $145 with gratuity included. Our subtotal for one appetizer and two seafood boils came out to about $113. In true Times Square fashion, gratuity was included (thank you, tourism). Jordan concluded that it's an affordable price point for two seafood boils. The $54.99 Mariner's boil, in particular, is a great deal. It allows you to get crab, shrimp, and lobster without paying as much as you would at many Cajun restaurants. And for the road, we left with warm bags of Cheddar Bay Biscuits! When our waiter brought us our to-go containers, he gave us some biscuits to take home, and I (Sarah) have to say, I liked these a lot more than the ones we ate in the restaurant; these ones seemed better flavored and seasoned, and also had a better texture. So it's possible it was just a "bad" batch that disappointed me in-restaurant.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Lobster Roasted Over Its New Menu Item: 'Will Never Go Back'
is hoping to bounce back from bankruptcy with a splash, but its newest Crabfest menu items are already sparking controversy. The seafood chain, which filed for bankruptcy in May and shut down over 100 locations, recently launched two new signature boils, the Mariner's Boil and the Sailor's Boil, part of its annual Crabfest celebration. But while some customers are calling the dishes "delicious" and "worth the price," others are accusing Red Lobster of serving up disappointing, even inedible meals. The Mariner's Boil features a Maine lobster tail, snow crab legs, a dozen shrimp, red potatoes, and corn, starting at around $45 depending on location. The Sailor's Boil offers a more modest helping of shrimp, smoked sausage, potatoes, and corn for roughly $24. Both come with a choice of Cajun butter, roasted garlic butter, or Old Bay seasoning. One Reddit user raved about the deal, saying, "It was really good & worth the price… I was surprised!" They added that their dining partner went through three baskets of Red Lobster's iconic Cheddar Bay Biscuits. But others had a drastically different experience. "My corn was cold, sausage burnt, and the garlic butter was just shrimp scampi sauce," one diner complained on Daily Mail's report. Another said, "You couldn't pay me to eat at RL," while a third described their local Red Lobster in Pineville, NC, as a "dumpster," citing dirty tables and limited menu options. "The seafood boil looked like a kids meal," they added. Complaints also rolled in over pricing and portion size. "A small side of Cajun sauce is $3.99? There's some work that needs to be done for sure," one review read. Despite the backlash, Red Lobster is going full steam ahead with its Crabfest revival. "Red Lobster's Crabfest is the ultimate summer dining experience, featuring exciting and flavorful dishes like our new Seafood Boils," Nichole Robillard, Chief Marketing Officer of Red Lobster, said in a news release. "Whether you're a longtime Red Lobster lover or participating in Crabfest for the first time, we've got something to bring everyone joy." In addition to the new boils, seasonal offerings include Crabby Stuffed Mushrooms, a Crab-Topped Baked Potato, and Steak or Salmon Oscar topped with lump crab and creamy sauce. Fan favorites like Crab Your Way and Crab Carbonara also make a return. The restaurant giant first filed for bankruptcy in May 2024, following a reported $76 million loss in 2023. As part of its restructuring strategy, Red Lobster shuttered dozens of underperforming locations across the country, including several in Alabama, in an effort to "simplify" operations and cut costs. The chain's recent bankruptcy has been linked to a combination of rising operational costs and the infamous $20 endless shrimp promotion, which, while a viral sensation, reportedly dealt a significant blow to the company's finances. At the helm of this turnaround is new CEO Damola Adamolekun, who has already made bold moves to revive the struggling brand. One of the first orders of business? Placing a hard stop to the "endless" promotions that some insiders say contributed to the chain's downfall, most notably the infamous "All You Can Eat Shrimp" deal, which went viral but ultimately proved unsustainable. Instead, Red Lobster is shifting its focus to profitability and more strategic menu choices. New offerings, including seasonal seafood boils and revamped favorites, have already begun to roll out across the country. With the court's green light, the brand is hoping this reboot can steer it back to its former glory. Whether the new menu can help turn the tide for Red Lobster remains to be seen, and diners aren't holding back their reviews, good, bad, or boiled.
