Lobster in the Rough

Red Lobster filing for bankruptcy. Here's Why

Deals

Red Lobster will file for bankruptcy next week. It also closed around 100 locations, with locations and equipment being auctioned off.

With 578 restaurants across 44 states and Canada, Red Lobster serves 64 million customers a year, and it brings in $2 billion in annual sales, the company said in its bankruptcy filing. One in five lobster tails purchased in North America is bought by Red Lobster.

But recent mismanagement, competition, inflation and other factors brought down Red Lobster, analysts and former Red Lobster employees say.

Years of underinvestment in Red Lobster’s marketing, food quality, service and restaurant upgrades hurt the chain’s ability to compete with growing fast-casual and quick-service chains.

In January, the company hired Jonathan Tibus, a restructuring veteran, to assess its business. It named Tibus as CEO in March. Last week, the company began shutting down 93 restaurants in preparation for its bankruptcy.

As it ran out of cash, the company stopped paying its vendors last year.

The company plans to stay afloat with a $100 million financing agreement, it said in its bankruptcy petition.

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