Posts tagged: Lobster

To keep things consistent, I ordered both meals at the chain’s Times Square restaurant.

I wanted to see how the revamped menu stacked up against what I remembered, from portion sizes to presentation and overall value.

The first time I went was in June 2024, shortly after the chain had filed for bankruptcy protection.

In 2024, I ordered the Endless Shrimp, while in 2026, I chose its closest equivalent, Shrimp Your Way, a former promotion that returned in January.

For both meals, I ordered the grilled shrimp, Walt’s favorite shrimp, and the Parrot Isle coconut shrimp.

At first glance, the meals looked nearly identical. However, once I started digging in, the differences became much more noticeable.

When I ordered it in June 2024, it was priced at $25. At the Times Square location, however, it cost $30 for unlimited refills of any of the three types of shrimp I ordered, in addition to other dishes like garlic shrimp scampi and shrimp linguini Alfredo.

The most obvious difference between the two meals was the price — Shrimp Your Way lets guests choose from two, three, or four kinds of shrimp, plus one side, for a set price.

I chose to order three kinds of shrimp — the grilled shrimp, Walt’s favorite shrimp, and the Parrot Isle coconut shrimp — for $25.99, excluding tax and tip.

Another major difference: Shrimp Your Way isn’t an all-you-can-eat option.

The shrimp I ordered in 2024 was grilled and had a buttery garlic glaze. I thought the shrimp were on the smaller side, but since there were six of them on the skewer, I didn’t mind.

The skewer felt like a somewhat healthier option compared to the decadent, intensely rich dishes I’ve had at Red Lobster before, like the shrimp linguini or the lobster dip.

The rice was also flavorful and well-seasoned — it was a nice addition to my plate.

At the time, I was impressed by the portion size. However, looking back, I now think the portion size of rice was pretty small.

Then again, the assumption is that people will keep refilling and refilling their plates.

Instead of a small scoop of wild rice, this rice covered half of the plate, which I wasn’t expecting. Even though, under the revamped menu, I wasn’t able to keep refilling my plate, I definitely think the extra rice made it feel like a great value for less than $30.

The shrimp were just as crispy and juicy years later, with the same rich, garlicky flavor I enjoyed the first time.

Both times, the coleslaw was fresh and tangy, and its dressing packed a lot of flavor while not overpowering the vegetables.

The coleslaw brought a light, citrus flavor that balanced my meal.

It was piled onto the plate, and I thought the coleslaw itself tasted even fresher and more flavorful than I remembered it being years ago.

I was given five pieces of Walt’s shrimp as part of the Endless Shrimp promotion. They came with a small tub of cocktail sauce, which I thought had a tart, tomato flavor that complemented the shrimp.

I enjoyed these shrimp and thought the breading was the ideal thickness. However, compared to the grilled shrimp and the coconut shrimp, they could have used a touch more flavor.

They really just tasted like breading and plain shrimp.

I majorly preferred the shrimp now, which were more heavily fried and, I thought, more flavorful as well. Something about the seasoning was more pronounced, and I liked how they paired with the other varieties of shrimp.

I also received more dipping sauce this time around. In addition to the classic cocktail sauce and piña colada sauce served with the coconut shrimp, I also got a side of tartar sauce, which turned out to be my favorite of the three.

It was creamy and tangy, and it paired well with all three types of shrimp.

In both 2024 and 2026, the platter came with four pieces of coconut shrimp and a piña colada-flavored dipping sauce.

I thought that including it as part of the $30 endless shrimp deal was a great value.

The coconut shavings flaked off in my mouth with every bite, adding a level of sweetness to my otherwise savory platter of shrimp.

The creamy, pineapple-flavored sauce added tartness to the coconut shrimp, and I found the meat inside to be quite tender.

I definitely would have been satisfied with just the first platter of shrimp. However, for the sake of journalism and trying to get the biggest bang for my buck, I decided to order more.

When our server came back to check in, I was given the choice of two shrimp dishes. I chose to get the shrimp skewer and the coconut shrimp again.

Again, the shrimp was buttery and tender. I didn’t struggle too much to finish this second helping.

Despite the aroma of the coconut shrimp calling to me, I couldn’t finish more than one of them.

Here’s the deal: I know Endless Shrimp is objectively a bad business idea.

It’s not cost-effective for Red Lobster. Also, I could barely get through two servings of each type of shrimp, and the shrimp are noticeably better now, at least in my experience.

However, after my second visit, I wished — for just $5 more — that I could load up my plate with refills of all three shrimp dishes.

The chain’s new CEO hasn’t ruled out bringing back Endless Shrimp, though it won’t return anytime soon or be exactly like it was.

“I don’t want to say anything’s forever forever, but the way it was done on an endless fashion without managing how much is being given away, and yeah, the way it was done, it’s certainly the end,” Adamolekun told the Wall Street Journal podcast in October 2024.

If Endless Shrimp ever does make its grand return, I’ll be first in line. Until then, I can’t wait to go back to Red Lobster and try more of its revamped menu.

Business Insider reached out to Red Lobster for comment, but did not receive a response.