'I Expect A Stampede Into Our Restaurants': Red Lobster Brings Back Fan-Favorite Item
On November 11, 2024, seafood chain Red Lobster announced a revamped menu featuring brand new entrees, appetizers, and sides, plus the return of a major fan favorite: hush puppies. When the company removed hush puppies from menus a few years prior, it experienced major backlash on social media from fans. Many were outraged to learn that the beloved menu item had suddenly disappeared. In an interview with Today, Red Lobster's CEO Damola Adamolekun said, "I expect a stampede into our restaurants because we're bringing back the hush puppies."
Seasonal cocktails like the Mocha Espresso Martini will also return, and Red Lobster customers will also be able to try new menu items like bacon-wrapped sea scallops, lobster bisque, lobster pappardelle pasta, and a lemon basil mahi. Popcorn shrimp, another fan favorite that was lost to time, is also making a comeback at all Red Lobster locations in the United States.
This reimagined menu is reportedly a bit smaller than the previous one, and the infamous Ultimate Endless Shrimp deal, which caused financial hardship to the fast food chain in 2023, has been officially discontinued. However, fans can still look forward to the chain's annual Lobsterfest — Adamolekun even promised that the next event will be "The GLOAT: the greatest lobster fest of all time."
Red Lobster almost closed its doors for good
New menus always cause buzz (and hopefully increased business) for restaurants, and Red Lobster might need it more than other chains do. Fans have been holding their breath for months in worried anticipation that the chain would close for good. Shortly before filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in May 2024, Red Lobster closed over 50 locations across the United States.
While there are many reasons behind the bankruptcy, the $20 Ultimate Endless Shrimp deal did have a part to play in the restaurant's financial issues, resulting in a loss of $11 million in the third quarter of 2023. Despite raising prices on the shrimp deal early in 2024, clearly the promotion was too costly to keep.
Since then, Red Lobster has exited bankruptcy after receiving new financial backing from Fortress Investment Group LLC. The seafood chain has set its sights on revamping its brand with new offerings, as well as a celebration of what made fans fall in love with Red Lobster in the first place. For longtime fans of the hush puppies, reintroducing the dish is a solid first step towards that goal.