Hush puppies are coming back to Red Lobster.
The chain’s beloved cornmeal fritters are returning as part of a menu overhaul at the casual-dining seafood specialist. The new bill of fare launches Monday and is 20% smaller than before, but also features nine new items.
The menu seems designed to appeal to customers both old and new, with fan favorites like hush puppies alongside newcomers such as bacon-wrapped sea scallops, lobster bisque and lobster pappardelle pasta. Other additions include grilled mahi and Parmesan-crusted chicken.
“Relevant, compelling and exciting is what we want Red Lobster to be,” said CEO Damola Adamolekun while unveiling the new menu on the Today show Monday morning.
The update is part of a wide-ranging refresh at the 545-unit chain, which filed for bankruptcy in May after a series of challenges, including the pandemic, inflation and an ill-advised all-you-can-eat shrimp promotion. It emerged in September with a new owner, new CEO and $60 million to help fund its makeover.
Adamolekun had said early on that the menu needed to be simplified, in part so that it would be easier for employees to execute. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal last month, he said some non-core items would be removed, although it was not clear Monday which ones have left the menu. He also said the menu would feature some more affordable dishes for customers seeking value.
But longtime fans will likely be most excited about the return of hush puppies, which caused a stir on social media when they disappeared a few years ago.
“I expect the opposite of a riot,” Adamolekun said. “I expect a stampede into our restaurants because we’re bringing back the hush puppies.”
One thing that won’t be coming back: Endless Shrimp. The $19.99 all-you-can-eat promotion proved too appealing for hungry customers last year and ultimately cost the chain $11 million in a single quarter. Adamolekun confirmed Monday that the deal is gone, at least for now.
The new menu is just one part of Red Lobster’s comeback effort. Adamolekun has targeted operations, marketing and restaurant decor as other areas that need improvement. And he has been busy building a C-suite, with a CFO, COO and CMO named within the last month.
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