Playing on its infamous Ultimate Endless Shrimp deal, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has rolled out a new Ultimate SpendLESS shrimp promotion.
The new promotion from Red Lobster offers a trio of shrimp dishes – Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Shrimp Linguini Alfredo, and Popcorn Shrimp – for USD 15.99 (EUR 13.60).
In addition to offering customers an affordable deal on shrimp, the promotion also aims to put the negative press surrounding its Ultimate Endless Shrimp deal, which cost the company millions of dollars and spurred an investigation into former Red Lobster minority stakeholder and shrimp supplier Thai Union Group, firmly behind it.
“Since stepping into this role, I've gotten questions about Endless Shrimp. ‘Is it coming back? What really happened with the promotion? How much shrimp is too much shrimp?’ It's time we officially turn the tides," Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun said. "We're starting a new chapter here at Red Lobster – one that's smarter, more sustainable, and still packed with the unbeatable value and delicious flavors our guests have come to expect.”
While the shrimp promotion may not be “endless,” guests will definitely spend less, Adamolekun added.
The new offering follows other moves the chain has made this summer as part of larger turnaround efforts.
In June, Red Lobster revamped its happy hour featuring USD 5.00 (EUR 4.40) drinks and appetizer deals and became the official sponsor for BIG3 – a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip hop musician Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz.
Then, in July, the chain promoted its seasonal Crabfest deal, with this year’s edition featuring a seafood boil for the first time, and announced a new first-party catering service in partnership with restaurant technology provider Olo, which should be operational by the end of the year.
”We're incredibly excited to launch first-party catering for the first time in Red Lobster's history," Red Lobster Chief Marketing Officer Nichole Robillard said at the time. "Catering+ will open entirely new revenue opportunities while Sentiment [Olo’s reputation management platform] gives us powerful insights to enhance our guest experience across all locations.”
Amid all the turnaround efforts, one thing that the company has kept the same is its popular Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Adamolekun stressed.
“We got that right the first time,” he said.
