The popular seafood restaurant chain Red Lobster, known for its buttery cheddar biscuits, plans to close more locations following its 2024 bankruptcy filing, Syracuse.com reported.
Prior to Red Lobster’s bankruptcy filing, the chain’s Orlando, Florida location lost $76 million in 2023, leading the chain to close dozens of North American locations.
The closures included “more than 50 locations whose equipment was put up for auctions just days before the Chapter 11 petition,” Syracuse.com reported. After the filing, additional locations shut down.
In September 2024, the popular chain was acquired out of bankruptcy by Fortress Investment Group, Syracuse.com said.
Among the changes, Damola Adamolekun, a former chief executive of P.F. Chang’s, was named CEO of Red Lobster to lead “the start of a new chapter” in the company.
On Feb. 10, 2026, Adamolekun told The Wall Street Journal that the chain is “reviewing its real estate footprint and leases,” adding that the company could close dozens of restaurants this year in an effort to cut costs. The exact number of potential closures has yet to be determined.
Syracuse.com reported that in late 2025, Red Lobster laid off around 200 restaurant employees, including managers.
Despite a 10% rise in sales from last year, Adamolekun told The Wall Street Journal that the company’s sales still haven’t returned to pre-bankruptcy levels and it needs to “slim down.”
As of today, Fortune reports that Red Lobster currently operates around 500 to 550 restaurants in the U.S., including one in Times Square and seven in Upstate New York.