Many U.S. restaurants are taking advantage of recently declining crab and plateauing lobster prices by featuring them on summer menus.
Wholesale crab prices have dropped in recent months, encouraging retail and restaurant buyers to promote it this summer, which in turn has led to higher sales. Frozen crab sales spiked 41.9 percent in May 2023 compared to the same month last year, and fresh crab sales jumped 15.4 percent, according to research firm Circana.
As for lobster, Canadian lobster tail prices spiked a few years ago but have leveled off, Sizzler Vice President of Procurement Don Henry told SeafoodSource. Mission Viejo, California, U.S.A.-based Sizzler operates 79 restaurants throughout the country and has welcomed the buyer-friendly lobster prices, according to Henry.
“[Our] customers have remained loyal to us as we have [fluctuated] the price on that item,” he said. “They understand that we serve the best steak and lobster in town – still at a great value to our competitors, and certainly better than what you could buy at retail and prepare at home. We are experts at steaming lobster tail.”
Consumers can save USD 12 (EUR 11) and more than two hours by ordering a lobster and steak meal at Sizzler instead of cooking the same meal at home, a Sizzler spokesperson said, referring to research provided exclusively to SeafoodSource. This is in addition to savings on other meal options available on the restaurant’s seafood-laden menu.
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.-based Taco Del Mar is another restaurant featuring seasonal lobster offerings. For the fourth year running, the restaurant chain is bringing back its popular lobster dishes that utilize North Atlantic lobster and a mix of either pollock or Pacific whiting. The chain’s lobster, supplied by Brunswick, Georgia, U.S.A.-based King & Prince Seafood, has become a reliable menu staple, Taco Del Mar Chief Marketing Officer Brent Phillip told SeafoodSource.
“The lobster tacos have been summertime fan favorites ever since their debut in 2019,” he said. “During the summertime, lobster tacos are one of the most-ordered taco recipes of all the different taco options available at Taco Del Mar."
Phillip declined to comment on lobster prices, but he said Taco Del Mar does not let commodity prices determine its overall menu strategy.
“Taco Del Mar’s guests, like guests of many brands, opt for quality and flavor. So when we determine menu items and ingredients, we make decisions based on what will offer guests the best value,” Phillip said.
In recent times, protein costs have become more variable, he said.
“We maintain a long-term view of commodity prices and prioritize the importance of offering consistency to our guests when making ingredient decisions,” Phillip said.
Taco Del Mar’s current limited-time offers include a tropical lobster taco and classic lobster taco, both made with lobster and the two fish options mixed with onions, serrano peppers, and cilantro, served chilled on warm corn tortillas. The tropical lobster taco comes topped with shredded cabbage, house-made mango salsa, and a cilantro lime vinaigrette with a lime wedge, while the classic lobster taco features shredded cabbage, Baja white sauce, pico de gallo, and a lime wedge.
Another notable summer lobster launch is a collaboration between Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.-based Luke’s Lobster and Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.-based restaurant chain Sweetgreen. The pair of restaurants developed a limited-time dish: the Luke’s Lobster roll salad, with the goal of supporting the fishers who catch lobster off the shores of the U.S. state of Maine.
“We work directly with fishermen and fishing co-ops we know and trust to source our seafood,” Luke’s Lobster Founder Luke Holden told SeafoodSource. “We know where and how they fish, and that is just one small way we ensure traceable, sustainable sourcing.”
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A-based Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub is also seeking to capitalize on lobster trends by introducing lobster flatbread, two types of lobster rolls, and a sirloin and baked stuffed shrimp combo meal.
And Orlando, Florida-based Red Lobster is debuting several new crab dishes as part of its limited-time Crabfest celebration. Customers can choose between a pound of steamed snow and bairdi crab legs and then select roasted garlic butter, honey Sriracha, lemon pepper, or simply steamed flavors.
Red Lobster also added crab and Oscar-topped sirloin, featuring a half pound of snow crab paired with a 7-ounce sirloin, topped with lump crab in a garlic cream sauce and served with a choice of two sides. During Crabfest, guests can also order new crabby cheese fries, which are seasoned fries topped with Red Lobster’s cheese sauce and lump crab in garlic cream.
Photo courtesy of Taco Del Mar
