Red Lobster introduces new shrimp deal a year after disastrous bottomless offer

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and moreStay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Red Lobster is offering a new shrimp deal, more than a year after it filed for bankruptcy. On Monday, the fast food chain announced a replacement for its all-you-can-eat shrimp deal, after the fiasco led to customers eating more food than the restaurant could afford to supply. Instead, Red Lobster, known for its signature cheddar biscuits, is introducing Ultimate SpendLESS Shrimp, featuring three shrimp dishes — Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Shrimp Linguini Alfredo, and Popcorn Shrimp — for only $15.99. In the press release, the company quipped that while it’s not offering endless shrimp, the new deal is “endlessly delicious and ‘spend-lessly’ good for your budget.” Damola Adamolekun also said in a statement that since taking over as Chief Executive Officer of Red Lobster in 2024, he’s been asked to set the record straight on the Endless Shrimp promotion’s future.Red Lobster offering trio of shrimp dishes for only $15.99 in new shrimp deal (Getty Images)“We’re starting a new chapter here at Red Lobster, one that’s smarter, more sustainable and still packed with the unbeatable value and delicious flavors our guests have come to expect,” he explained in the statement. “Ultimate SpendLESS Shrimp is a celebration and I’m looking forward to our diners enjoying great shrimp dishes this season for a great price. It may not be endless, but you’ll definitely spend less.”When the endless shrimp, a $20 once-a-week promotion, became a permanent menu item at Red Lobster, it led to customers staying at their tables for hours, increasing wait times for others hoping to dine. That, combined with other factors, forced the casual dining chain to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2024. Red Lobster was forced to close at least 129 US locations due to its endless seafood deals becoming permanent menu items. The Florida-headquartered chain lost $11 million in the bankruptcy process. At the time, the chain explained it was filing for bankruptcy to simplify its operations, close restaurants, and pursue a sale.However, in September 2024, a bankruptcy judge approved the chain’s plan for reorganization — including hiring Adamolekun, former chief executive of PF Chang’s, as its CEO. Adamolekun previously shed light on the all-you-can-eat crisis and the decision to drop the promotion.“There were certainly big mistakes made over the last few years,” Adamolekun said in an interview with CNN in October 2024, adding the shrimp promotion was “a very expensive product to give away endlessly.”“When you have endless shrimp and people are coming in, and sitting down at the table, and eating for hours as much shrimp as they possibly can, you stress out the kitchen, you stress out the servers, you stress out the hosts,” he explained. “People can’t get a table. It creates a lot of chaos and you saw a lot of that.”A month later, he confirmed to Today that the endless shrimp deal had been permanently discontinued, candidly admitting it’s “because I know how to do math.”Red Lobster has continued to bring new dishes to the menu this year. In June, the company brought back its Crabfest celebration, featuring various crab-themed dishes. Some of the offers included seafood boils, Crabby Stuffed Mushrooms, Crab-Topped Asparagus, and Crab-Topped Potato. However, the Crabfest dishes are only available until September 14.



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