Remember that “endless shrimp” deal you loved? Yeah, it might be ending for real at some locations. Here’s the lowdown on Red Lobster’s recent restaurant closures.
Endless Shrimp Disaster
Red Lobster has been struggling with a hefty debt load for a while. This makes it tough to keep all its locations running smoothly. In May 2024, Red Lobster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing a five-year-long customer decrease.
“Red Lobster’s annual guest count has declined by approximately 30% since 2019 and has only marginally improved from pandemic levels seen during 2020 and 2021.”
– Jonathan Tibus, Red Lobster CEO (via USA Today)
Remember their famous “endless shrimp” promotion? It wasn’t as endless as their profits would’ve liked. This deal might have attracted customers but could have hurt their bottom line in the long run.
Tibus added that the “endless shrimp” menu is one of the major causes of the bankruptcy. Former CEO Paul Kenny’s “endless” dream became a $11 million nightmare for Red Lobster. They got stuck with a ton of shrimp they couldn’t sell, and their main investor, Thai Union, wasn’t exactly thrilled either. Tibus even suspects Kenny and Thai Union might be behind those major shrimp shortages that left restaurants high and dry for weeks.
Red Lobster Branches Closing Down |
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Alabama |
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| Huntsville | Decatur |
| Mobile | Auburn |
California |
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| Fremont | Montclair |
| Rohnert Park | Sacramento |
| San Diego | Torrance |
| Redding | Chico |
Florida |
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| Hialeah | Tampa |
| Largo | Kissimmee |
| Leesburg | Orlando |
| Altamonte Springs | Gainesville |
| Jacksonville | Sanford |
| Daytona Beach Shores | Jensen Beach |
Texas |
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| College Station | Dallas |
| Houston | Lake Jackson |
| Longview | Lufkin |
| Pasadena | |
Other States |
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| Arizona: Oro Valley |
Colorado: Lakewood, Lone Tree, Wheat Ridge, Denver |
| Georgia: Roswell, Athens, Dublin |
Idaho: Lewiston |
| Illinois: Bloomingdale, Danville |
Indiana: Indianapolis, Elkhart |
| Iowa: Waterloo, Council Bluffs |
Kansas: Olathe, Kansas City |
| Louisiana: Bossier City |
Maryland: Columbia, Laurel, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg |
| Michigan: Fort Gratiot Township |
Mississippi: Jackson |
| Missouri: Jefferson City |
New Jersey: Ledgewood |
| New York: Amherst, Kingston, Rochester |
North Dakota: Grand Forks |
| Oklahoma: Lawton |
South Carolina: Myrtle Beach |
| Virginia: Colonial Heights, Williamsburg, Newport News |
Washington: Silverdale |
| Wisconsin: Wauwatosa, La Crosse |
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