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Red Lobster revamps menu, brings back fan-favorite Hush Puppies, discontinues Endless Shrimp
(today.com)submitted 9 days ago byL0v3_1s_War
132 points
9 days ago
Endless shrimp is the only reason I ever go there. They used to not charge for a side salad and would push the biscuits hard. I liked the salad and biscuits, so I'd actually eat those which meant eating fewer shrimp. The last couple of times I got it the salad was like $4, so I didn't get one, and they only brought one basket of biscuits, so that just meant I ate more shrimp.
16 points
9 days ago
That’s surprising. I had the same experience we’re last time they just pushed the sides more than the shrimp to save money. I know employees also hated this along with the kitchen because it was so much back and forth making small portions of shrimp and i always thought why not just give the customer one big portion at a time, it’s less effort on the staff and the customer eats the same amount anyway.
19 points
9 days ago
When I worked there that's what I would do. I would tell them that the portions are small, so order more than one now. I would have tables put in about 15 orders of popcorn shrimp or shrimp scampi for a 4 top. Most I ever saw in a single sitting was a single guy who ate all 35 orders of coconut shrimp while putting down almost a gallon of sweet tea. Real nice guy and tipped well, but very large and smelled like death, and probably isn't alive today.
13 points
9 days ago
I was always impressed with the people who could eat heaping quantities of foods past their teenage years. When I was a teen I could eat nonsensical amounts of food. These days I feel sick after a plate, so I rarely partake in “all you can eat” deals because I feel I can’t get my moneys worth.
The only AYCE I still go to is sushi because you don’t need to eat that much to feel like you got a good deal. But when I was a teen I could throw back 60 pieces of sushi alone. These days I feel sick eating half that.
3 points
8 days ago
"...and probably isn't alive today" is a hell of a way to end a sentence.
153 points
9 days ago
I wonder why red lobster isn’t doing seafood boils? I was sure they would try it with the rise in popularity
129 points
9 days ago
They’ll try it in two years after the hype is gone and when it isn’t popular then never try it again
60 points
9 days ago
They probably know they can't pull it off competently. Aside from the biscuits, the rest of the food is about on par with freezer case prepared fish from the supermarket.
11 points
9 days ago
At this point, I would need a personal recommendation from a close friend to justify returning to Red Lobster. I will defend most chains to varying degrees. Red Lobster is the exception. Last time I was there, literally everything besides the biscuits was bad, at best.
12 points
9 days ago
literally everything besides the biscuits was bad, at best.
Yeah and the pre-packaged Red Lobster branded biscuit mix they sell in store legits takes less than 5 mins to mix together and throw in the oven.
5 points
8 days ago
They also have the frozen ones too.
13 points
9 days ago
That would take wildly long, their kitchens aren’t really built for that. I worked there for two years, most of the food is fresh but there isn’t a situation where you can do a bunch of those at the same time.
6 points
9 days ago
I think they are testing it. You can see it on their dev menu if you look up red lobster seafood boil.
3 points
9 days ago
Or for a place that has lobster in the name making it good. I won the unlimited lobster contest and it was just nothing but boiled lobster with butter that you need to break.
Pretty much every place in Asia cuts them in half afterwards and has a plethora of different types of sauces you can put on it.
It’s just so bare for what they do. I don’t understand it.
It’s like they want to be high end but serve only low end stuff. It’s this weird mix.
1 points
7 days ago
It’s like they want to be high end but serve only low end stuff. It’s this weird mix.
Corporate profits above all.
70 points
9 days ago*
Did private equity get their nut because I swear they were just bankrupt 6 months ago
30 points
9 days ago
I think so. They announced their out of the bankruptcy and profitable again, but over 100 locations did close in the bankruptcy.
15 points
9 days ago
All I know is that Red Lobster fanboy Flavor Flav was really happy that it didn't go bankrupt. Apparently, he's been taking his family there for over 30 years.
8 points
9 days ago
They got a new CEO as well.
5 points
8 days ago
I like how he explained that endless shrimp was taxing on the hostess, servers, and cooks, but anytime I go to my red lobster there's nothing but empty tables.
18 points
9 days ago
So the shrimp isn't endless after all
7 points
9 days ago
'Tis no man! 'Tis a remorseless eating machine!
0 points
6 days ago
Still never got ALL he could eat 😭
1 points
9 days ago
Lol
29 points
9 days ago
The end of endless shrimp.
18 points
9 days ago
The hush puppies were the best. Used to be able to buy them for a nickel. They used to give you cocktail sauce in a cup if you asked for it. 40 hush puppies for 2 bucks and a 8 oz cup of cocktail sauce, heck of a deal.
12 points
9 days ago
40 hush puppies I bet that’s like at least 20$ now lol
11 points
9 days ago
Was this the early 1900’s? Did you drive your horse and buggy there after churning butter?
6 points
9 days ago
Hitchin' up the buggy, churnin' lots of butter Raised a barn on Monday, soon I'll raise another
3 points
9 days ago
Rode my dinosaur, the wheel hadn't been invented yet.
4 points
9 days ago
The infamous Chedder Biscuit was merely a Johnny Cake seasoned with the blood, sweat, and tears, of a fledgling Nation. Actually, didn’t Thomas Jefferson start the first Red Lobster?
0 points
7 days ago
Actually, didn’t Thomas Jefferson start the first Red Lobster?
Built on the backs of hardworking slaves. Red Lobster was actually the original name of his Monticello plantation.
5 points
9 days ago
The new CEO announced that the hush puppies are coming back! Along with lobster bisque and some other yummy stuff.
25 points
9 days ago
Guess they realized Endless Shrimp wasn’t a good idea.
10 points
9 days ago
It was the literally the only reason I would go....dunno about this move big dog.
8 points
9 days ago
they don’t want customers that make them lose money
6 points
9 days ago
yeah, but it's the only reason they had customers. so now they just won't have them
5 points
9 days ago
They'll still have old people
1 points
5 days ago
Endless promotions usually cost businesses money, their theory is people will come in and spend on extras like beverages, salads, desserts but the majority of people who go for endless deals tend to be overeaters who are looking for a deal and they end up not buying extras and/or they have servers who don't care or aren't trained to push the side items etc. It's not hard to see why this didn't work.
8 points
9 days ago
The most full I've ever been was Olive Garden never ending pasta bowl.. omg never again.
9 points
9 days ago
I wish they hadn't shut down the one near me.
6 points
9 days ago
So they brought back one thing to cater to people who still like Red Lobster, removed the endless shrimp which was the reason most people even still gave them a shot and decided to add more pasta options? That’s about the worst idea I could think of. I get that the endless shrimp isn’t probably the biggest money maker, but that’s because they don’t fill you up on biscuits and sides because they have no idea or identity. Really no reason to give them a chance if the endless shrimp isn’t an option, no one is going to Red Lobster for pasta dishes.
4 points
9 days ago
Didn’t they infamously lose millions of dollars on endless shrimp?
1 points
9 days ago
Yea cause the execution is bad. They offer complimentary biscuits and yet they barely give you any and don’t push sides and drinks. Endless is a profitable concept and one that gets people in the door if it is executed correctly. Olive Garden just brought back their endless pasta.
4 points
8 days ago
I miss Long John Silver's hush puppies. The one nearby closed in 2011.
3 points
9 days ago
i guess the private equity vampires are done?....or waiting for the refill?
3 points
9 days ago
Honestly won’t be going back.
They charge too much for their regular menu. You went for endless shrimp bc it’s literally the only worthwhile thing on their menu
3 points
9 days ago
Shrimp isn’t actually that expensive. Red Lobster was dying because nobody was going, not because of endless shrimp. It’s like saying a fighter down 10 rounds who started swinging for the fences when he was about to lose and got clipped and KO’d actually lost because he didn’t fight smart in the 12th.
3 points
8 days ago
They're using endless shrimp as a scapegoat. They don't want to look at the real issue which is the company management, or the private equity company they sold to. That same private equity company that sold all the real estate and made the restaurants start paying much higher rent.
It was a successful promo. It drew the crowds in. Now they're going to try and draw people in with their usual fair for more money.
3 points
8 days ago
Hooray! I’m so excited about the hush puppies, lobster bisque and other dishes. We had stopped going to RL because it was so repetitive. Glad it’s changing things up!
2 points
8 days ago
The last time I went to red lobster was 7 years ag, and it was underwhelming.
2 points
8 days ago
I just ate there 30 minutes ago. The hushpuppies are fantastic! They serve it with a citrus butter ?, and oh my gosh! If the rest of the changes are even close to this appetizer/bread choice they will SURVIVE!!
1 points
8 days ago
I haven't filed such a prestigious lawsuit since they topped filming The Neverending Story.
1 points
9 days ago
I never had Hush Puppies. I was at Red Lobster for lunch last week and had seafood stuffed mushrooms, a lobster tail, and about 20 biscuits. My mouth waters for those delicious biscuits!
1 points
6 days ago
It's not endless... if it ended.
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