Well ahead of the Lenten season, U.S. restaurant chains are promoting new dishes utilizing lobster and shrimp – relatively affordable seafood options for foodservice buyers.
Quiznos and Qdoba are among the companies featuring new seafood dishes for Lent, which runs from 22 February through 6 April.
While shrimp prices rose in 2022, consumer demand for shrimp is still growing, Rich Products Consumer Brands Division Senior Vice President Shannon Gilreath said at the National Fisheries Institute’s Global Seafood Market Conference on 17 January in La Quinta, California, U.S.A., Gilreath said a softening of the U.S. shrimp market in 2022 was a result of rising prices due to inflationary impacts. But she said her company expects growth in the shrimp market this year.
In 2022, lobster tail prices sunk from USD 25 (EUR 23.08) in January to below USD 17 (EUR 15.69) at the end of the year, and remained that level thus far in 2023. Lobster meat is now below USD 25 (EUR 23.08) per pound, with both meat and tail prices starting the 2023 season at 31 percent below its prices a year prior, according to data presented at GSMC. Prices plummeted earlier in 2022 after reaching record levels in 2021, putting stress on an industry that has faced multiple challenges, including the recent destruction of fishing grounds and fishing gear caused by tropical storm Fiona and ongoing labor shortages stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
With shrimp and lobster both considered more affordable, a number of foodservice chains are promoting new menu options featuring the two species:
Quiznos is offering a new Lemon-Herb Lobster Sub and is bringing back its Classic Lobster Sub for a limited time. Both sandwiches are made with a lobster and seafood salad comprised of North Atlantic lobster and Alaskan whitefish from New Brunswick, Georgia, U.S.A.-based King & Prince Seafood, Quiznos said.
“We are always thrilled when guests love a menu item so much that they look forward to its return, so we strive to make that – and more – happen,” Quiznos Vice President of Culinary and Innovation Mike Gieseman said.
Qdoba is bringing back its “fan favorite” Citrus Lime Shrimp for a limited time.
“With many Americans observing special diets during this time of year and some even abstaining from red meat on a weekly basis, Qdoba is one of the few restaurants in the fast-casual segment to address the growing demand and offer a seafood protein option,” Qdoba said.
The sustainably-sourced Citrus Lime Shrimp is available in two chef-crafted entrées – Citrus Lime Shrimp Burrito or Citrus Lime Shrimp Bowl – or guests can use the unique protein to customize their own unique dish, such as a Surf and Turf Burrito or Bowl.
When Qdoba first introduced its Citrus Lime Shrimp in June 2022, it was inspired by trips made by the company’s executive chef, Katy Velazquez, to the Yucatan, “where freshly caught shrimp are seared over an open fire and served with bright, sour oranges,” she said. “It quickly became a fan favorite to level up any burrito, bowl, or entrée.”
O’Charley’s Restaurant and Bar is offering a new limited-time menu – Coastal Cravings – that features several new and classic lobster dishes. O’Charley’s operates 175 restaurants in the U.S. South and Midwest. Its new entrees include: Lobster Quesadilla, Lobster Bisque, Steak and Lobster Mac and Cheese Combo, and Lobster Mac and Cheese, O’Charley’s said. Customers can also top any of its steak or seafood entrees with lobster butter. The restaurant chain also added a new Buttermilk Fried Shrimp kids meal.
“These awesome dishes are joined by other fantastic seafood meals like the Cedar Plank Salmon, Shrimp and Stuffed Crab Appetizer, and Crab Cake Dinner, among others,” the restaurant company said.
Popeye’s new Shrimp Roll includes the restaurant chain’s signature popcorn shrimp on a toasted brioche hoagie with shredded lettuce, pickle slices, and blackened tartar sauce, per Chew Boom. The sandwich is priced for value at USD 3.99 (EUR 3.64) each, or USD 6.89 (EUR 6.27) for a Shrimp Roll Combo, which includes a side and a drink.
Eugene, Oregon, U.S.A-based TacoTime, which has 300 locations in the Pacific Northwest, is bringing back its The Fish Taco through 25 April, the restaurant chain said. The dish includes crispy whitefish, shredded cheddar, cabbage, and Salsa Fresca, and is topped with a Creamy Cilantro sauce.
Addison, Texas, U.S.A.-based Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe, which operates 22 locations, mostly in Texas, is celebrating the fact that crawfish is back in season, and is offering it in a number of different styles.
"Our customers are crazy about our crawfish quality and flavor," Razoo’s CEO Jeff Powell said in a press release.
Photo courtesy of Quiznos
