Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection

ORLANDO

Red Lobster, the casual dining chain that brought seafood to the masses with inventions like popcorn shrimp and “endless” seafood deals, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The 56-year-old chain made the filing days after shuttering dozens of restaurants.

“This restructuring is the best path forward for Red Lobster. It allows us to address several financial and operational challenges and emerge stronger and re-focused on our growth," CEO Jonathan Tibus said. Tibus, a corporate restructuring expert, took the top post at the chain in March.

Red Lobster said its 600 restaurants would continue to operate through the bankruptcy proceedings, which are intended to simplify operations, close locations and pursue a sale. As part of the filing, Red Lobster entered into a so-called “stalking horse” agreement, meaning it plans to sell its business to an entity formed and controlled by its lenders.

According to court filings, Red Lobster has 551 U.S. restaurants, 27 restaurants in Canada and 27 franchised locations in Mexico, Japan, Ecuador and Thailand. The company said it has 36,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada.

Aaron Allen, the founder of restaurant consulting firm Aaron Allen & Associates, said that the bankruptcy was the culmination of two decades of trouble at Red Lobster, which has struggled with increasing competition from faster, cheaper chains like Chipotle and Panera.

Sometimes, Red Lobster would lower its prices to compete, a move that was often disastrous. In 2003, the company lost millions of dollars on an all-you-can-eat “Endless Crab” promotion when crab prices rose, Allen said. Twenty years later, the chain did the same thing with an “Ultimate Endless Shrimp” promotion.