In Could 2024, seafood restaurant chain Crimson Lobster filed for chapter. Whereas there have been many elements that contributed to Crimson Lobster’s Chapter 11, one specifically—its infinite shrimp providing—took a lot of the blame.
However now the corporate, having emerged from chapter, is leaning into that financially disastrous providing by launching a brand new promotion that performs on individuals’s familiarity with its infinite shrimp historical past. Right here’s what it is advisable learn about Crimson Lobster’s new SpendLESS Shrimp marketing campaign.
Countless shrimp helped ship Crimson Lobster into chapter 11
In Could 2024, Crimson Lobster filed for Chapter 11 chapter safety. Most of the headlines surrounding the corporate’s chapter focused on how its then-endless shrimp providing, the place clients might eat as a lot shrimp as they needed for a set worth, led the corporate to an $11 million loss and, finally, insolvency.
Nevertheless, as Quick Firm beforehand reported, whereas its infinite shrimp losses helped contribute to Crimson Lobster’s monetary woes, they weren’t the one supply of Crimson Lobster’s troubles. Like many restaurant chains, Crimson Lobster’s backside line was impacted by declining foot site visitors post-pandemic, inflationary pressures, and burdensome rental leases.
However by the autumn of 2024, Crimson Lobster emerged from chapter with new house owners, new bosses, and fewer shops—and hopes for a return to profitability. Since then, the corporate has added new menu gadgets and the return of outdated occasions to excite diners and increase gross sales. And now, the corporate is embracing its infinite shrimp fiasco in hopes of clawing again much more clients.
SpendLESS Shrimp is right here
Countless shrimp might be by no means coming again, however that received’t cease Crimson Lobster from making an attempt to capitalize on its disastrous advertising and marketing marketing campaign that helped ship the corporate into chapter 11.
Crimson Lobster has introduced a brand new marketing campaign referred to as SpendLESS Shrimp, which is clearly a little bit of identify play on its former infinite shrimp promotion. In a press launch saying the marketing campaign, the corporate didn’t even shrink back from the affiliation, stating, “Crimson Lobster is popping the tide one yr after rising from chapter by introducing a contemporary tackle a fan-favorite promotion.”
However SpendLESS Shimp, as its identify suggests, received’t let you entry limitless shrimp. As a substitute, the brand new marketing campaign gives clients a brand new dish referred to as Final SpendLESS Shrimp, which is three completely different shrimp choices for a set worth of $15.99. Included within the Final SpendLESS Shrimp dish is:
- Garlic Shrimp Scampi
- Shrimp Linguini Alfredo
- Popcorn Shrimp
Saying the promotion, Damola Adamolekun, Crimson Lobster’s latest CEO, mentioned, “Since getting into this position, I’ve gotten questions on Countless Shrimp – ‘Is it coming again? ‘What actually occurred with the promotion?’ ‘How a lot shrimp is an excessive amount of shrimp?’ And it’s time we formally flip the tides.”
Adamolekun mentioned the brand new Final SpendLESS Shrimp dish is a part of a brand new chapter at Crimson Lobster. “It might not be infinite, however you’ll positively spend much less.”
But it’s a dish that the corporate clearly hopes makes clients are available and spend extra, so it could actually keep away from a repeat of its current previous within the years forward.
