All you can eat: The tumultuous history of America’s favorite restaurant deal

Jun 14, 2024
Endless shrimp, endless breadsticks, endless salad bar — they've nearly killed a lot of restaurants. So why do they keep coming back?
Red Lobster has shuttered more than 80 locations and laid off hundreds of workers, but all-you-can-eat shrimp? Still going.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

As Red Lobster files for bankruptcy, changing tastes take a toll on its casual-dining competitors

May 20, 2024
The sector hasn't really recovered from the pandemic closures of their dining rooms, when "they lost their core business model."
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

"Endless shrimp" and other deals can backfire on restaurants

Dec 1, 2023
If bargain hunters skimp on the add-ons, the business may have to eat a loss. For Red Lobster, it was $11 million last quarter.
Red Lobster had to eat a loss because its shrimp promotion was too big a bargain for diners.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Red Lobster is still riding the Beyoncé wave

Feb 12, 2016
First, a spike in sales, now....t-shirts
Cheddar "Bey" Biscuits are probably not going to catch on. 
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Red Lobster gets a boost from Beyoncé

Feb 9, 2016
Looks like Red Lobster's sales got into "Formation"
Beyonce released a single last week that mentioned the seafood chain.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Darden restaurants went through a lot in one year

Sep 22, 2015
From the sale of the Red Lobster chain to the ouster of the board of directors.

Why Darden ditched biscuits and not breadsticks

May 16, 2014
Darden is giving up Red Lobster and keeping Olive Garden.

For public good, not for profit.

Red Lobster building huge aquafarm in Malaysia

Apr 9, 2012
The parent company of Red Lobster will create a 35-square-mile aquafarm to help keep its restaurants from running out of lobster.