Red Lobster’s ‘Endless Shrimp’ is officially back this week — but with a twist to prevent another financial disaster

Red Lobster is bringing back its famous “Endless Shrimp” promotion starting Monday, marking a surprising revival of one of its most recognizable all-you-can-eat offerings.

The deal will return for a limited time at select locations, the company said. One Red Lobster location told FOX Business that the new offering will be priced at $24.99 per person, up from $20 in 2024, when it most recently appeared on menus. Other locations have reportedly priced the promotion at $29.99, according to USA Today.

Five different shrimp varieties – including a new flavor, “Marry Me Shrimp,” inspired by internet culture – will be offered with a choice of side: 

• Marry Me Shrimp: Shrimp in tomato cream sauce with a garlic and herb crumble topping
• Shrimp Linguini Alfredo: Shrimp in Alfredo sauce over linguini
• Walt’s Favorite Shrimp: Hand-breaded and lightly fried butterflied shrimp served with cocktail sauce
• Garlic Shrimp Scampi: Shrimp sautéed in a garlic lemon butter sauce
• Parrot Isle Coconut Shrimp: Hand-breaded jumbo coconut shrimp served with piña colada sauce

The deal was discontinued in 2024 after it was widely cited as a factor in the company’s disastrous financial loss ahead of its bankruptcy filing, which led to the closure of 130 restaurants.

While the company previously signaled it would not bring the promotion back, strong customer demand and a recent surge in engagement have led Red Lobster to reconsider its long-running, two-decade “legacy,” the Orlando-based chain announced Monday.

“After thousands of social media mentions since it last appeared on menus, Red Lobster, the iconic seafood restaurant brand, is announcing the return of one of its most popular experiences, for a limited time: Endless Shrimp,” it said.

The previous Endless Shrimp offering – a $20 menu item that became a permanent fixture in 2023 after being intermittently offered over 20 years – was widely seen as a marketing success that ultimately turned into a financial strain when demand overwhelmed supply costs.

It accounted for $11 million of the company’s $76 million net loss in 2023, Reuters reported.

When Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun took over in late 2024 to guide the chain out of bankruptcy, he initially ruled out bringing the promotion back, “because I know how to do math,” according to Today.

However, the company now appears to be revisiting that stance, with Adamolekun signaling a renewed focus on the in-demand offering in a statement Monday.

“This is about putting our guests first and bringing back something they truly love,” he said. “Endless Shrimp has been a part of Red Lobster’s legacy for 20 years and our guests have never stopped asking for it. We’re excited to bring it back, for a limited time, in a way that works for our business today and honors what made it special from the beginning. Because when our fans talk, we listen.”