Months after announcing bankruptcy, Red Lobster is attempting to regain its position in business, with major menu changes.
The seafood restaurant will be bringing back its popular dish called hush puppies, a cornmeal fritter that once was stable at every branch.
Under the new leadership of CEO Damola Adamolekun, CNN shared it also rolled out an overhauled menu that is 20% smaller but includes nine new items. This included bacon-wrapped scallops, lobster bisque, and a Parmesan-crusted chicken, plus a revamp of its original tartar sauce recipe.
With experience in turning around P.F. Chang's, Adamolekun believes bringing back the fan-favorite dish will draw excited customers back to Red Lobster. Notably, removing the item sparked a social media riot at the time, and with its return, he expects fans to flock to the chain to have a taste once more.
Red Lobster's New Plans Post-Bankruptcy
In September, Red Lobster announced that they received $60 million in investment from Fortress Investment Group, which it will be using to improve customer experience, update menus, and keep up its financial health.
With financial health in mind and a plan to stay competitive, the seafood chain will also make its dining experience more appealing to younger guests.
Inspired by Chili's, Adamolekun will get on the course of revamping menus to focus on trendy and shareable foods that experienced strong sales growth. Meaning, it will be updating its branches with new lighting and music to create a welcoming atmosphere for returning and new customers.
The major challenge for Red Lobster at the moment is to appeal to different age groups since about 40% are Baby Boomers or quality traditionalists. While they also hope to keep these loyal customers in mind, the goal is to welcome younger diners who may have grown up eating at one of their branches but haven't visited recently.
For now, however, the $19.99 endless shrimp will not be back on the menu since it's costly to the chain and one of the reasons why bankruptcy was decided, per VCPost.
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