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One of the most infamous seafood promotions in history could be making a comeback. But there’s a catch
Red Lobster might be taking an old page from its playbook to win back consumers’ hearts.
The seafood restaurant chain is reportedly considering the return of endless shrimp, the all-you-can-eat deal that was one of Red Lobster’s most iconic promotions.
Although the promotion dates back decades, it was originally offered only for limited times—that is, until previous owner Thai Group made it a permanent menu fixture in June 2023.
Many argue that charging just $20 for customers to consume unlimited amounts of shrimp contributed to the seafood chain’s financial woes and its eventual Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2024.
According to bankruptcy filing at the time, the year-round endless shrimp promotion had cost the company $11 million.
The promotion was eventually dropped from the menu, Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun told Today later that year, “because I know how to do math.”
Now, almost two years into Adamolekun’s crusade to achieve the “Greatest comeback in the history of the restaurant industry,” the promotion might be coming back after all.
According to Bloomberg, the restaurant chain is looking to bring back endless shrimp as a limited-time offering that could arrive as early as this month.
Red Lobster has yet to make any official announcements on the matter.
Reached for comment, a spokesperson told Fast Company: “While we don’t have anything to announce at this time, we’re grateful for the enthusiasm and encourage guests to keep sharing their feedback with us.”
The spokesperson added, “Endless Shrimp has long been a Red Lobster guest favorite and one of our most popular promotions for 20 years. We’re always paying attention to what our guests are asking for.”
Prior to the news breaking, many people speculated on the promo’s return via online forums. On Reddit, one user claiming to be a Red Lobster employee wrote in the r/redlobster subreddit group: “It’s definitely coming back per management just can’t confirm when . . . need to make additional employment arrangements for when it hits.”
Did endless shrimp really bankrupt Red Lobster?
While speculation on the offering’s return continues, many are using the moment to highlight how complex Red Lobster’s bankruptcy really was—arguing that endless shrimp alone can’t shoulder the blame.
The chain had faced struggles long before the promotion was made permanent, and many experts have pointed to difficulties surrounding leadership turnover, increased labor costs and inflation, and a 2014 real estate deal that proved to be costly in the long term.
Others are also underscoring private equity’s role in the company’s failures. “Red Lobster went bankrupt because of private equity, not shrimp,” one user posted on X.
That sentiment has been shared for years. “[The] biggest reason Red Lobster went under is pretty simple,” James Surowiecki wrote for Fast Company in 2024. “Its owners sank it.”
The seafood restaurant chain is reportedly considering the return of endless shrimp, the all-you-can-eat deal that was one of Red Lobster’s most iconic promotions.
Although the promotion dates back decades, it was originally offered only for limited times—that is, until previous owner Thai Group made it a permanent menu fixture in June 2023.
Many argue that charging just $20 for customers to consume unlimited amounts of shrimp contributed to the seafood chain’s financial woes and its eventual Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2024.
According to bankruptcy filing at the time, the year-round endless shrimp promotion had cost the company $11 million.
The promotion was eventually dropped from the menu, Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun told Today later that year, “because I know how to do math.”
Now, almost two years into Adamolekun’s crusade to achieve the “Greatest comeback in the history of the restaurant industry,” the promotion might be coming back after all.
According to Bloomberg, the restaurant chain is looking to bring back endless shrimp as a limited-time offering that could arrive as early as this month.
Red Lobster has yet to make any official announcements on the matter.
Reached for comment, a spokesperson told Fast Company: “While we don’t have anything to announce at this time, we’re grateful for the enthusiasm and encourage guests to keep sharing their feedback with us.”
The spokesperson added, “Endless Shrimp has long been a Red Lobster guest favorite and one of our most popular promotions for 20 years. We’re always paying attention to what our guests are asking for.”
Prior to the news breaking, many people speculated on the promo’s return via online forums. On Reddit, one user claiming to be a Red Lobster employee wrote in the r/redlobster subreddit group: “It’s definitely coming back per management just can’t confirm when . . . need to make additional employment arrangements for when it hits.”
Did endless shrimp really bankrupt Red Lobster?
While speculation on the offering’s return continues, many are using the moment to highlight how complex Red Lobster’s bankruptcy really was—arguing that endless shrimp alone can’t shoulder the blame.
The chain had faced struggles long before the promotion was made permanent, and many experts have pointed to difficulties surrounding leadership turnover, increased labor costs and inflation, and a 2014 real estate deal that proved to be costly in the long term.
Others are also underscoring private equity’s role in the company’s failures. “Red Lobster went bankrupt because of private equity, not shrimp,” one user posted on X.
That sentiment has been shared for years. “[The] biggest reason Red Lobster went under is pretty simple,” James Surowiecki wrote for Fast Company in 2024. “Its owners sank it.”
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