New Shrimp SKU
Red Lobster is adding OLD BAY Seasoned Scampi to its Endless Shrimp program beginning Oct. 12, bringing the iconic Chesapeake-style seasoning blend to the chain's all-you-can-eat shrimp format priced at $24.99 at most participating U.S. locations. The launch gives the program its sixth distinct shrimp preparation, giving operators a branded flavor hook tied to one of seafood's most recognizable regional spice identities.
The full Endless Shrimp roster now spans NEW OLD BAY Seasoned Scampi, Garlic Bread-Crusted Shrimp, Shrimp Linguini Alfredo, Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Parrot Isle Coconut Shrimp, and Walt's Favorite Shrimp — all mix-and-match, dine-in only, served with one side and Cheddar Bay Biscuits. The $24.99 price point and expanded flavor count signal a deliberate move to drive repeat traffic on the shrimp category, which has historically anchored Red Lobster's value proposition through multiple ownership cycles.
Shrimp's Role in Traffic Strategy
For seafood-category watchers, the Endless Shrimp program carries outsized supply-chain significance. Red Lobster is among the largest single-concept buyers of shrimp in U.S. foodservice, and its promotional cadence influences procurement volumes across warm-water farm-raised species — primarily whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) sourced from Latin America and Southeast Asia. The chain's 2023 bankruptcy filing was partly attributed to elevated costs during a prior Endless Shrimp promotion when guest counts outpaced margin assumptions; the $24.99 price floor suggests management has recalibrated the program's intake and labor economics accordingly.
The OLD BAY co-brand is a low-capital differentiation lever: rather than introducing a new shrimp form factor or sourcing a premium wild-caught species, Red Lobster is layering a licensed seasoning identity onto an existing scampi preparation. For supply-chain teams, that translates to minimal SKU disruption — the same IQF shrimp base, a seasoning reformulation at the prep station level.
October Promotional Slate
The chain is pairing the Endless Shrimp news with a broader October value push. From Oct. 9 through Oct. 12, dine-in guests across U.S. locations can add a $1 individually portioned appetizer — Parrot Isle Coconut Shrimp, Shrimp Cocktail (four premium jumbo shrimp), or Mozzarella Cheesesticks — to any entrée purchase. Both shrimp appetizers keep the spotlight on the category during a traditionally strong casual-dining traffic window ahead of the holiday season.
Beginning Oct. 12, a new Late Night Happy Hour runs from 9 p.m. to close, Monday through Friday at participating locations, layering onto the existing 3–6 p.m. window. The late-night menu at $2 off includes Seafood-Stuffed Mushrooms, Lobster Flatbread, Crab Queso, and Lobster Dip — a roster that keeps shellfish front and center in the bar program. Cocktails, wine, and beer are offered at $6 during both happy-hour windows.
Rounding out the month, a Halloween weekend promotion (Oct. 30–Nov. 1) offers free kids' meals — up to two per table for dine-in, one per online To Go order using code SPOOKY26 — with the purchase of one full-price adult entrée, valid in the U.S. and Canada.
Chief Marketing Officer Andy Pitts framed the slate around layering choice and value: "This October, that means more value and choice, with some fun built in, all centered on the food, flavor and hospitality they expect from us."
For seafood-industry observers tracking casual-dining shrimp demand and restaurant seafood program trends, Red Lobster's October moves reflect a deliberate effort to rebuild guest frequency around its core shrimp identity — a category the chain remains uniquely positioned to own at scale in U.S. foodservice.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
