Restaurant chain Red Lobster has announced new menu items after it exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2024.
The new menu, which is 20% smaller, includes Lobster Bisque, Bacon-wrapped Sea scallops, Parmesan-crusted chicken, Lobster pappardelle pasta, Lemon basil mahi, Roasted asparagus, and Hush puppies.
The menu has been revamped keeping in mind the tastes of seafood lovers.
In an interview piece with Today on November 11, 2024, CEO Damola Adamolekun shared that his objective was to improve Red Lobster and make it stronger than before, especially after the bankruptcy issue and the shutting down of outlets around 100 locations.
He emphasized that the goal was to make the restaurant chain relevant, engaging, and exciting moving forward and that efforts are underway to achieve this. As part of other menu updates, Adamolekun mentioned that Red Lobster would discontinue its endless shrimp promotion, which he suggested had contributed to the chain's financial challenges. However, he added,
“There was a social media riot over us taking off the hush puppies a few years ago. So that is coming back.”
He continued,
“I expect a stampede into our restaurants because we’re bringing back the hush puppies.”
Instead, the company planned to reintroduce the popular hush puppies, which wasn’t there in recent years, and emphasize Lobsterfest, the annual limited-time event featuring lobster dishes.
Adamolekun shared that this year's Lobsterfest would be bigger and better than ever, with the event being dubbed The GLOAT or The Greatest Lobster Fest of All Time.
Red Lobster has made adjustments to the tartar sauce
Adamolekun has acknowledged the feedback from TikTok users who criticized the restaurant's tartar sauce recipe. He assured them that it was being addressed, explaining that the new version of the sauce is an improvement over the old one, based on their testing. When asked about what went wrong leading to the bankruptcy, he said,
“This wasn’t a one decision that led the company into bankruptcy. I think fundamentally when a company is successful, it is important to remember what made them successful. I want to lower the check, the prices on the menu is one thing but giving people options is more important thing, right?”
Adamolekun intends to update Red Lobster’s atmosphere by adjusting the lighting and decor, along with introducing new music playlists. Recognizing that 40% of his customers are over 55, he aims to make these updates appealing to a wide range of ages. He emphasized the importance of finding a balance in these changes.
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The new owners of the restaurant chain are investing $60 million in the restaurants to give Red Lobster a brand refresh. After stepping in as the new CEO, Adamolekun expressed his enthusiasm for the future of the food chain, highlighting the support from new investors and a robust, long-term plan to revitalize the brand while preserving its legacy.
He emphasized his excitement to work alongside the company's more than 30,000 employees across the U.S. and Canada. He also extended his gratitude to Jonathan Tibus and his team for their leadership and looked forward to seeing them enjoy Red Lobster as guests. The company would remain independent, with 544 locations across 44 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces.
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