Red Lobster’s Comeback Plan includes more Closures
Taking the helm in September 2024, Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun
helped claw the seafood chain out of bankruptcy.
In 2024, Red Lobster’s then new CEO unveiled his plan to revive the restaurant chain.
Red Lobster may be scaling back its footprint as it continues to claw its way out of bankruptcy.
Management for the seafood chain, which filed for bankruptcy in May 2024, is reviewing restaurant leases and closing underperforming sites to reduce costs and sharpen the company’s focus on stronger markets, Damola Adamolekun told
The Wall Street Journal
in an interview published Tuesday.
Despite a roughly 10% increase in sales compared with the prior year, Red Lobster has yet to return to pre‑bankruptcy performance levels, Adamolekun said, and lingering financial pressures mean getting smaller may be the most realistic path back to profitability.
….
….
https://www.independent.co.uk/us/money/red-lobster-closures-restaurants-rebrand-b2919178.html
February 12, 2026
Hopefully, this has nothing to do with the recent news from the USA.
https://www.filmboards.com/board/p/22977634/permalink/#p22977634
Well, that was his plan from the beginning (closures).
I like Red Lobster 🦞 (not just because of the nice logo)
and sincerely wish him and
'his'
company all the best. ​

Someone wanted an update.
https://www.filmboards.com/board/p/22876566/permalink/#p22876566
Menu Offerings from Red Lobster
🦞
Slim Chickens, Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom, and More!
https://www.restaurantnews.com/new-restaurant-menu-offerings-from-red-lobster-slim-chickens-old-chicago-pizza-taproom-and-more-111825/
November 18, 2025
Happy Hump Day!
​

Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun is certainly a role model, sometimes surprisingly so.
OWNING YOUR MARKET 🦞 Lessons from Red Lobster
Everyone loves a good comeback story, and lately I’ve been following one of the unlikeliest:
Red Lobster’s. Yes,
that
Red Lobster.
Just months ago, the company was circling the drain: struggling with debt and declining foot traffic, and the butt of public mockery over its
"Endless Shrimp"
debacle. Bankruptcy followed. But in August 2024 came a new CEO with a bold yet simple plan: double down on what they do best.
"There’s a lot of chain restaurants,"
CEO Damola Adamolekun told The Breakfast Club podcast,
"[but] there’s only one that serves lobster and crab the way we do."
Rather than relying on promo campaigns and gimmicks, Adamolekun went back to basics: cut costs, push excellent customer service and listen to what the audience wants. Turns out, Red Lobster customers want… lobster.
His strategy is paying off. Today, the once-struggling seafood chain has gone viral on Tiktok with a huge new fan base. In a recent interview, Adamolekun proudly announced that Red Lobster now buys 25% of all lobster caught in North America.
At first, I laughed. Then I realized, he’s making a serious point: When you control that much of a market, it means you’re not just in the game — you’re shaping it. You’re influencing everything from sourcing to pricing to public perception.
As a nonprofit CEO, I’m constantly looking to the for-profit world for inspiration on how to be a better leader and run a better organization. And Red Lobster’s story caught my attention with some clear parallels to how we’ve built the Jewish Grad Organization.
Stick to Basics and know your Customers
Parts of the Jewish communal world still seem to believe that the best way to get young people through the door is through promotions and gimmicks, the kosher equivalent of
"Endless Shrimp"
. Niche
"innovative"
programs and pet projects that grab headlines for the foundations who sponsor them, but which few young people are actually interested in. These initiatives tend to be costly relative to their impact and achieve no meaningful market saturation.
At JGO, we’ve taken a different path. For 14 years, we’ve been flying under the radar, quietly building Jewish life for graduate students on 156 campuses across North America. Our model is decentralized and student-driven: We support and train volunteer campus leaders who help shape the Jewish life that fits their grad school communities. We offer high-quality support, real listening and a network that allows Jewish pride and leadership to flourish on campus and beyond.
Like Red Lobster’s new CEO, we’ve doubled down on what actually works. Our bread-and-butter programs are Shabbat dinners, leadership training, Jewish learning, professional networking and mentorship. They may not be flashy, but they’re authentic, scalable, affordable — and exactly what our audience wants.
Jewish grad students have always been busy, but today, they’re under pressure. They’re navigating intense academic environments and planning their futures, all while facing increasing antisemitism on campus and in professional settings. Many feel invisible, isolated or unsure where they belong.
Own your Market
While the
"Jewish grad student market"
may not be featured on CNBC, it’s real, and it’s vital. These are the future leaders of our communities, our synagogues, our boardrooms and our families. Estimates suggest there are about 43,000 Jewish graduate students in North America. Last year alone, JGO engaged 10,500 of them, roughly 25% of the total population. That’s Red Lobster–level market share.
Capturing 25% of your market in the Jewish nonprofit world should never go unnoticed. But what’s most remarkable is how we’ve built all this without major institutional backing. We’ve done it without the flash — no gimmicks, no viral campaigns, just a laser focus on what we do best: creating meaningful, empowering Jewish experiences for grad students, wherever they are. While other initiatives draw multi-million-dollar investments for programs that rarely outlast the grant cycle, JGO relied on a lean team, efficient operations, entrepreneurial hustle and, above all, a passionate community of grassroots supporters. Our student leaders and partners are driven by one belief: Jewish grad students matter. They deserve Jewish community, too, and they need it now more than ever.
Unlike in the business world, we’ll never be satisfied without engaging the other 75% of the market. We’re hungry to reach every Jewish grad student and give them an opportunity to connect. That will take more than just our own grit and passion. It will take buy-in from the broader Jewish community.
Our success shows what’s possible even with limited resources. With serious investment in Jewish grad students, the impact will be transformative. The same way Red Lobster staked its comeback on owning its market, it’s time we, as a Jewish community, rec

Red Lobster’s CEO on weighing the Risks and Rewards of a Turnaround Role
When Damola Adamolekun (36) accepted the CEO role at Red Lobster, the nation’s largest casual dining seafood chain was in bankruptcy and weighed down by years of operational missteps. On paper, it was
the kind of job most executives might politely decline: high risk, thin margin for error and limited time
to stabilize. For Adamolekun, though, it was an irresistible equation.
Damola Adamolekun, Red Lobster CEO
"I think this can be the greatest comeback in the history of the restaurant industry,"
he told me in a wide-ranging interview for Fortune‘s newly-launched CEO Playbook vodcast.
"To lead that would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
For corner office aspirants, the decision framework Adamolekun describes offers a blueprint for assessing when to take on a transformational role. At the heart of it is risk-versus-return, akin to the calculus in investing, where Adamolekun began his career in finance before shifting to restaurant leadership: first as CEO of P.F. Changs, followed by Red Lobster.
"Investing is the business of risk assessment, and I think you should manage your career the same way,"
he says.
"Risk on its own isn’t something to avoid. You just need adequate return."
That
return
isn’t only financial. In Adamolekun’s case, it was the chance to make history by leading a legendary turnaround, backed by owners and a team he trusted. The potential downside, he says, was clear: the company could fail despite his efforts. But the upside — a revitalized Red Lobster and a career-defining achievement —
was worth the gamble.
This kind of decision-making requires more than rational calculation, he cautions. It also demands self-knowledge.
"Some people don’t want to take any risk because they’re not comfortable in that environment,"
he notes.
"You need to know yourself as well, and the risk-reward tolerance is going to be different for every person."
Ambition plays a role, too. Adamolekun says he has never shied away from setting daunting goals, even at the risk of publicly flopping.
"Some people refuse to set ambitious goals because they’re terrified of failure,"
he says.
"I’m not afraid of that. I don’t mind setting really high goals, and I don’t mind going after difficult things. You do your best and try to win."
When weighing whether to take on the helm of a company in crisis, aspiring CEOs should step back and interrogate three essential dimensions of the role:
️​
What’s the actual upside?
Look beyond financial incentives. Is the role a chance to redefine an industry, leave a legacy or develop capabilities you can’t elsewhere?
️​
Do you trust the backers?
Turnarounds live or die on aligned stakeholders. Without supportive ownership, capital and a resilient team, the odds of success diminish sharply.
️​
What’s your risk appetite?
Not every leader thrives in crisis. Assess honestly whether you’re comfortable betting your reputation — and perhaps your career — on a comeback.
For Adamolekun, his current ambition distills down to a single, audacious mandate:
"To save Red Lobster. That’s enough."
https://fortune.com/article/red-lobster-ceo-risks-rewards-turnaround-role-damola-adamolekun/
August 25, 2025
That's more than enough, Mr. Adamolekun.
You have my great respect for your achievements.
Just as you have a very interesting CV.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damola_Adamolekun
Popular Seafood Restaurant stages a surprising Comeback after Bankruptcy
https://www.mensjournal.com/drink/red-lobster-stages-surprising-comeback-after-bankruptcy
June 17, 2025
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by /.ㅤ February 26, 2025 06:41 PM
Member since January 25, 2022
Thank you for your coverage on this topic, Tara.
I hope you can eat at Red Lobster one day.
I would like to…and I would love to have a clam chowder now.
This super-tasty mussel soup was served like this ​…longer ago. ​

Time to invest! 🦞
Thank you for your coverage on this topic, Tara. I hope you can eat at Red Lobster one day
My password is password.

CEO shares 3 Changes the Chain is making to come back after Bankruptcy
Red Lobster is charting a course for recovery under the leadership of its new millennial CEO.
Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun
Damola Adamolekun, 36, was appointed CEO of Red Lobster in August, becoming the company's sixth and youngest chief executive after he was brought on to help revitalize the brand following years of declining sales and a bankruptcy filing.
Before joining Red Lobster, Adamolekun served as CEO of P.F. Chang's and was a partner at Paulson & Co., where he played a key role in acquiring the Asian-American restaurant chain in 2019.
Under Adamolekun's leadership, Red Lobster emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy four months after filing in May 2024. When the chain exited bankruptcy, Red Lobster was acquired by RL Investor Holdings, which included a plan to invest $60 million into the chain, the Associated Press reported at the time.
"Red Lobster is now a stronger, more resilient company, and today is the start of a new chapter in our history,"
Adamolekun said in a statement after the chain exited bankruptcy.
….
….
https://www.businessinsider.com/red-lobster-ceo-plan-to-revive-the-chain-2025-2
February 25, 2025
Sounds very good.
Even the rest of the article…nobody here will read anyhow.
And for special reasons he won't show the
Hitler salute
as Elon Musk did. ☻
Time to invest!
🦞

soapbox original gangster January 21, 2025 04:17 AM
Member since October 31, 2021
i was wrong: red lobster lives! at least in june of 2024: red lobster in orlando
Go, Orlando Lobster, go!
Sorry, I'm glad that you were wrong.
And seems that the
Red Lobster
makes it against all odds across the world.
As posted here today on page #3:
Worst (and Best) reviewed Red Lobster Dishes
🦞 Upload January 19, 2025
"Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy, but continues to serve customers at hundreds of locations worldwide. Is the food still worth it? From Linguine Alfredo to artichoke dip, we unravel the best reviewed menu items and the ones you should skip."
🦞
Worst: Caesar salad | 0:00
Worst: Calamari | 0:51
Worst: Seafood stuffed mushrooms | 1:22
Worst: Key lime pie | 1:53
Worst: Lobster bisque | 2:22
Worst: French fries | 2:55
Best: Cheddar Bay Biscuits | 3:22
Best: Shrimp | 3:50
Best: Linguini Alfredo | 4:24
Best: Lobster artichoke dip | 5:14
Best: Brownie Overboard | 5:48
Best: Brussels sprouts | 6:36
Best: Lobster tails | 7:07

i was wrong: red lobster lives! at least in june of 2024: red lobster in orlando

Ok, let's break this down:
Sex-pest stalker; Sylvia Plath was a woman and I'm a man and so perhaps that difference between us could bring up a 'sex' thing but she was dead before I was reading poetry and I much preferred her husband Ted Hughes style over her (And even at that I'm not a huge fan of his
)
Misogynist; I do have a healthy hatred for woman Tara but it's no more or less healthy that my hatred of men and so I'd go for more misanthropic aspect with it and it is only a healthy hate based on actions people regularly make rather than anything which is particular to a person or group of people
Germany hater; We don't have a better term than that? What about teutophobic? I happy to like Germany and its people. A massive boon to Western civilisation and a rich culture which can be found in places all over the world. I'm particularly fond of beer, traditional German food, engineering and the classic beauty of the women over the years. I would swap out football pride and the music though, I don't hate it but it pairs against Anglophilic appreciations within me
Liar; Well we all lie to some degree Tara
I don't claim to be a male feminist and then get caught for rape down the line and so my lying is much less destructive than that. If a set of jodhpurs make you look like you have a big bottom I would say that they don't. That's a lie and it's very selfish of me and so it's not little white lies always
So there we are. List broken down. Proven to be wrong. Why do you hate me so to make something up like that?
Call me ∑

∂³∑x² January 21, 2025 03:18 AM
Member since May 7, 2024
I'm not sure for what Tara
Gordon Ramsay is a Scot, that's a woman in his oven and the phrase for a woman to want "One in the
oven
" means to be
pregnant
.
I was
just going along with your lead
.
Are you a big Sylvia Plath fan or something?
Sex-pest stalker, misogynist, Germany hater, liar. 🤪
REPORTED

I'm not sure for what Tara
Gordon Ramsay is a Scot, that's a woman in his oven and the phrase for a woman to want "One in the oven" means to be pregnant.
I was just going along with your lead.
Are you a big Sylvia Plath fan or something?
Call me ∑

∂³∑x² January 21, 2025 03:14 AM
Member since May 7, 2024
Careful now Jasno. She really wants a Scot to give her one in the oven
['Photo' with Anne Frank in the oven]
REPORTED

Careful now Jasno. She really wants a Scot to give her one in the oven
Call me ∑

Jaja January 21, 2025 02:58 AM
Member since November 20, 2020
/Sicky ∂³∑x² is yours too?/
Hell no. There's no way I can do a Scottish accent.
Come on, you already did a Scottish accent.
I remember your Vocaroo well, was a good one!
And that other
'thing'
∂³∑x² can only do the Scot with DF's AI-support. ☻

/Sicky ∂³∑x² is yours too? 🤪/
Hell no. There's no way I can do a Scottish accent.
Coming back en 2026-Viva Venezuela!

Jaja January 21, 2025 02:35 AM
Member since November 20, 2020
I think he may have a crush on you. But who doesn't?
Do you try to smear honey on my face again? ☻
Or do you subtly tell me, that this annoying
sex-sock Sicky
∂³∑x² is yours too? 🤪

I think he may have a crush on you. But who doesn't?
Coming back en 2026-Viva Venezuela!

Jaja January 21, 2025 02:23 AM
Member since November 20, 2020
Nostalgic bump.
I didn't notice before that the lobster is enjoying a lemon in a sophisticated manner.
There was no
"bump"
necessary, Jasno.
Sicko stalker
Sicky
∂³∑x² already trolls the whole day around. 🤪

Nostalgic bump. I didn't notice before that the lobster is enjoying a lemon in a sophisticated manner.
Coming back en 2026-Viva Venezuela!

Wu Ming said...
∂³∑x² January 21, 2025 02:40 AM
Member since May 7, 2024
I'm just backing up my claim that you said "We" Tara
But that's for noticing how brilliant I am
I only quoted Sicko stalker
Sicky
's "we". 🤪
However, it's just a genital-controlled scumbag.
Here is Germany (1945)
https://www.filmboards.com/board/10037773/
Tara Tara Tara Tara (1980)
https://www.filmboards.com/board/10083047/
Yah yah, two examples of many. 🤪
expand
Did you mention "We" for a reason Tara?
Call me ∑