Latest news with #Mariner'sBoil
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Lobster Roasted Over Its New Menu Item: 'Will Never Go Back'
is hoping to bounce back from bankruptcy with a splash, but its newest Crabfest menu items are already sparking controversy. The seafood chain, which filed for bankruptcy in May and shut down over 100 locations, recently launched two new signature boils, the Mariner's Boil and the Sailor's Boil, part of its annual Crabfest celebration. But while some customers are calling the dishes "delicious" and "worth the price," others are accusing Red Lobster of serving up disappointing, even inedible meals. The Mariner's Boil features a Maine lobster tail, snow crab legs, a dozen shrimp, red potatoes, and corn, starting at around $45 depending on location. The Sailor's Boil offers a more modest helping of shrimp, smoked sausage, potatoes, and corn for roughly $24. Both come with a choice of Cajun butter, roasted garlic butter, or Old Bay seasoning. One Reddit user raved about the deal, saying, "It was really good & worth the price… I was surprised!" They added that their dining partner went through three baskets of Red Lobster's iconic Cheddar Bay Biscuits. But others had a drastically different experience. "My corn was cold, sausage burnt, and the garlic butter was just shrimp scampi sauce," one diner complained on Daily Mail's report. Another said, "You couldn't pay me to eat at RL," while a third described their local Red Lobster in Pineville, NC, as a "dumpster," citing dirty tables and limited menu options. "The seafood boil looked like a kids meal," they added. Complaints also rolled in over pricing and portion size. "A small side of Cajun sauce is $3.99? There's some work that needs to be done for sure," one review read. Despite the backlash, Red Lobster is going full steam ahead with its Crabfest revival. "Red Lobster's Crabfest is the ultimate summer dining experience, featuring exciting and flavorful dishes like our new Seafood Boils," Nichole Robillard, Chief Marketing Officer of Red Lobster, said in a news release. "Whether you're a longtime Red Lobster lover or participating in Crabfest for the first time, we've got something to bring everyone joy." In addition to the new boils, seasonal offerings include Crabby Stuffed Mushrooms, a Crab-Topped Baked Potato, and Steak or Salmon Oscar topped with lump crab and creamy sauce. Fan favorites like Crab Your Way and Crab Carbonara also make a return. The restaurant giant first filed for bankruptcy in May 2024, following a reported $76 million loss in 2023. As part of its restructuring strategy, Red Lobster shuttered dozens of underperforming locations across the country, including several in Alabama, in an effort to "simplify" operations and cut costs. The chain's recent bankruptcy has been linked to a combination of rising operational costs and the infamous $20 endless shrimp promotion, which, while a viral sensation, reportedly dealt a significant blow to the company's finances. At the helm of this turnaround is new CEO Damola Adamolekun, who has already made bold moves to revive the struggling brand. One of the first orders of business? Placing a hard stop to the "endless" promotions that some insiders say contributed to the chain's downfall, most notably the infamous "All You Can Eat Shrimp" deal, which went viral but ultimately proved unsustainable. Instead, Red Lobster is shifting its focus to profitability and more strategic menu choices. New offerings, including seasonal seafood boils and revamped favorites, have already begun to roll out across the country. With the court's green light, the brand is hoping this reboot can steer it back to its former glory. Whether the new menu can help turn the tide for Red Lobster remains to be seen, and diners aren't holding back their reviews, good, bad, or boiled.
Indianapolis Star
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Red Lobster's Crabfest 2025 menu has boils, appetizers and special cocktails
Red Lobster is back with its annual crab event, Crabfest, according to a June 23 press release. The promotional event is lined up with a set of new scrumptious menu items and customizable seafood boil options. Here's how to take advantage of the limited-time offer and get your hands on some crab. Crabfest is available for diners from June 23 until Sept. 14. A post shared by Red Lobster (@redlobster) Guests can customize their seafood boil during Crabfest by choosing between the Mariner's Boil, which features a Maine lobster tail, a dozen shrimp, snow crab legs, corn and red potatoes, or the Sailor's Boil, which features a mix of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and red potatoes. Each boil can be finished with a choice of Roasted Garlic Butter, Cajun Butter or Old Bay seasoning. Diners can also take advantage of the restaurant's Crab Your Way offering, which allows you to purchase a full pound of crab legs prepared your way over crispy potatoes. Diners can choose between Snow Crab or Bairdi Crab for $9 and choose between Simply Steamed, Roasted Garlic Butter, Cajun Butter or a new Old Bay and Parmesan flavoring. Here's a list of other new Crabfest menu items: Here's Red Lobster's "Festival Summer of Sips" lineup: Find your nearest Red Lobster on the chain's website. The chain has restaurants in the following Indiana cities:
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Red Lobster introduces seafood boils as part of its Crabfest event: What to know
Crabfest is back at Red Lobster and this year, the seafood restaurant chain is introducing all-new seafood boils to the lineup. The company said in a June 23 news release this year's Crabfest lineup is packed with "exciting new flavors," including the seafood boils that are "designed to bring fun and flavor straight to the table." Red Lobster says customers can choose between two options: Mariner's Boil: Features a Maine lobster tail, a dozen shrimp, snow crab legs, corn and red potatoes Sailor's Boil: Features a mix of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and red potatoes Each boil can be finished with a choice of roasted garlic butter, Cajun butter or Old Bay seasoning, according to the chain. "Red Lobster's Crabfest is the ultimate summer dining experience, featuring exciting and flavorful dishes like our new Seafood Boils," said Nichole Robillard, Chief Marketing Officer of Red Lobster, in the news release. "Whether you're a longtime Red Lobster lover or participating in Crabfest for the first time, we've got something to bring everyone joy." Crabfest is available for a limited time, from June 23 through Sept. 14, according to Red Lobster. In addition to the seafood boils, customers can also get the Crab Your Way offering, which features a full pound of crab legs prepared your way over crispy potatoes. Diners can choose between Snow Crab or Bairdi Crab (for an extra $9) and then choose their flavor between Simply Steamed, Roasted Garlic Butter, Cajun Butter or Old Bay Parmesan flavoring. Other dishes offered as part of Crabfest include: Crabby Stuffed Mushrooms: A flavorful appetizer packed with rich crab stuffing Crab-Topped Asparagus: A premium side featuring asparagus topped with crab Crab-Topped Potato: A premium side dish, elevating a classic dish with savory crab Steak Oscar: Sirloin topped with lump meat in a creamy, decadent sauce Salmon Oscar: Atlantic salmon topped with lump crab meat in a creamy, decadent sauce The chain is also introducing a "Festival of Summer Sips," which is a lineup of three festival-themed cocktails. Social media users appear to be thrilled with the concept of seafood boils at Red Lobster. "Red Lobster is about to have seafood boil bags, a sangria flight, and $5 drinks. Whew, that new CEO came in the door swinging," X user @BombshellCole posted on June 21. Red Lobster is about to have seafood boil bags, a sangria flight, and $5 drinks. Whew, that new CEO came in the door swinging. — Nicole ✨ (@BombshellCole) June 21, 2025 Here's how other social media users reacted to the news. Me: Red Lobster having seafood boils is me down there trying a Cajun butter one: — Mike (@ParadoxicalMike) June 23, 2025 Red Lobster got seafood boils coming on the menu. Dipping that biscuit in that sauce… yeah — awrealya, m.a. (@BlkMissFrizzle) June 17, 2025 Red Lobster finna start having seafood boils! That new CEO know what he doing — Maybe: Nikki (@SoMagNIKKficent) June 18, 2025 Red Lobster got seafood boils — 👑 Bo 🇳🇬 (@JumpManZ) June 24, 2025 Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Red Lobster introduces seafood boils: When to get them
4 days ago
- Entertainment
Crabfest returns to Red Lobster with seafood boils and more new menu items
The tide has truly turned for Red Lobster, coming back from an endless shrimp promotion that sank the seafood restaurant's bottom line in 2023 to announce the triumphant return this week of another customer favorite seasonal event: Crabfest. Red Lobster, which successfully navigated financial restructuring under Chapter 11 and exited its bankruptcy reorganization last summer, announced a new lineup for the limited-time crab-filled menu on Monday. "Red Lobster's Crabfest is the ultimate summer dining experience, featuring exciting and flavorful dishes like our new Seafood Boils," Red Lobster's Chief Marketing Officer Nichole Robillard said in a statement. "Whether you're a longtime Red Lobster lover or participating in Crabfest for the first time, we've got something to bring everyone joy." New Crabfest menu at Red Lobster For this year's Crabfest, Red Lobster is offering two new Seafood Boils -- Mariner's Boil and Sailor's Boil -- which the restaurant has designed to be served tableside and can be customized with various flavor options. The Mariner's Boil features a Maine lobster tail, a dozen shrimp, snow crab legs, corn, and red potatoes, while the Sailor's Boil is a mix of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and red potatoes. Diners can choose to finish either order with Roasted Garlic Butter, Cajun Butter, or Old Bay seasoning. New dishes featuring crab include the Crabby Stuffed Mushrooms, an appetizer with crab stuffing; Crab-Topped Asparagus, a premium side dish; Crab-Topped Potato, another premium side dish; Steak Oscar, a sirloin topped with lump crab meat in a cream sauce; and Salmon Oscar, an Atlantic salmon filet topped with lump crab meat in cream sauce. There are also three new beverages for the Festival Summer of Sips menu. - The Headliner: Purple Haze by Dre & Snoop, featuring STILL G.I.N. by Dre and Snoop, desert pear, handcrafted lemonade and sparkling gold shimmer. - Opening Act: Passion Star Spritz, featuring Tito's Handmade Vodka and passionfruit, topped with Wycliff Sparkling Wine and garnished with a gold-dusted dried starfruit. - Encore: Starry Eyed Surprise, featuring Patron Silver Tequila, guava and blue Curaçao, topped with Starry Lemon-Lime and garnished with a sugar sprinkles rimmer. When is Red Lobster Crabfest? Crabfest is available for a limited time from June 23 through Sept. 14.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Red Lobster Adds 10 New Items to Summer Menu
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Seafood chain Red Lobster is hoping to hook new customers to its restaurants this summer, as the embattled company works toward financial recovery. The brand announced its menu will feature new dishes and cocktails as it launched its "Crabfest" promotion on Monday. A Red Lobster restaurant pictured in May 2024, in Fremont, California. A Red Lobster restaurant pictured in May 2024, in Fremont, It Matters Shockwaves rippled through the catering industry and beyond when Red Lobster, founded back in 1968, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in May last year and went on to close more than 100 stores. Chapter 11 is often referred to as a "reorganization bankruptcy" and means that creditors usually suspend attempts to collect debts, while the debtor remains in possession of the business and can continue to run it. It is usually offered when businesses have large debts but also earn a sizable income. Analysts suggested the blame for Red Lobster's troubles lay with poor management decisions, such as all-you-can-eat deals offered even as the price of shrimp soared. Restaurant bosses were also forced to contend with high inflation pushing up wholesale costs, with rising prices also forcing many diners to eat at home to save money. But this month, Red Lobster's new 36-year-old CEO Damola Adamolekun, who was appointed last August to affect a turnaround, told the LA Times that customer feedback was already improving amid his push for improved hospitality, remodeled venues, and a revamped menu. He also hopes sport sponsorship deals and TV ads will raise the chain's profile. The businessman previously led a revival of fortunes at Asian-fusion chain P.F. Chang's. What To Know Crabfest is an annual promotion run by Red Lobster, and new dishes have been added to this year's event. Seafood boils now feature on the special Crabfest menu for the first time, meaning guests can order a huge bag filled with seafood and vegetables coated with sauce or seasoning. In addition to what Red Lobster describes as "fan favorite" dishes, there are seven new food items on the Crabfest menu: Mariner's Boil (lobster tail, shrimp, snow crab legs, corn, and red potatoes), Sailor's Boil (shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, and red potatoes), Crabby Stuffed Mushrooms, Crab-Topped Asparagus, Crab-Topped Potato, Steak Oscar (with a creamy sauce), and Salmon Oscar. In addition to the new dishes, three new cocktails will also be added to the menu: Purple Haze by Dre & Snoop (using gin created by the rap stars and lemonade), Passion Star Spritz (vodka and passionfruit), and Starry Eyed Surprise (tequila-based). What People Are Saying Nichole Robillard, chief marketing officer at Red Lobster, said: "Red Lobster's Crabfest is the ultimate summer dining experience, featuring exciting and flavorful dishes like our new Seafood Boils. Whether you're a longtime Red Lobster lover or participating in Crabfest for the first time, we've got something to bring everyone joy." What Happens Next Red Lobster executives and the restaurant chain's fans will be hoping the brand can do enough to win back former customers and entice new ones, as the CEO fights to turn around the business.
