Red Lobster closing oldest location in Tallahassee after 56 years

Red Lobster volition adjacent its oldest continuously operating edifice connected May 24. Supervisor Kaiya Davis confirmed to ABC News that nary different Red Lobster has operated continuously for arsenic agelong arsenic the 1970 Tallahassee restaurant.

"We tin corroborate the Tallahassee edifice volition beryllium closing. This edifice holds a peculiar spot successful Red Lobster's past and has been a meaningful portion of the assemblage for decades. We're grateful to the guests and squad members who person supported it implicit the years," a Red Lobster spokesperson said.

The institution said regular concern factors led to the decision. "As portion of the mean people of business, Red Lobster continuously evaluates edifice show and lease presumption and may, from clip to time, take to adjacent oregon relocate prime restaurants. This determination reflects idiosyncratic concern circumstances circumstantial to this location," the spokesperson said.

Red Lobster is closing the determination arsenic it tries to stabilize its concern aft filing for bankruptcy successful May 2024. The concatenation near Chapter 11 successful September 2024 erstwhile a tribunal approved its restructuring plan, which included closing respective locations and changing its menu. In a February interrogation with The Wall Street Journal, CEO Damola Adamolekun said the concatenation "needed to get smaller" and that lease presumption and the wide edifice portfolio were being reviewed.

Seventeen Red Lobster locations successful Florida closed successful 2024, but the Tallahassee edifice stayed unfastened until now. When it archetypal opened, a paper advertisement promised "outstanding" nutrient successful an "informal" setting. Back then, Shrimp Creole en Casserole outgo $1.95 and the steak-and-lobster platter was $3.55. Today, Surf and Turf costs astir $50, though prices alteration by location.

Horace Williams worked arsenic caput grillmaster astatine the Tallahassee determination for implicit forty years. "I person cooked implicit a 100 meals a day, sometimes 150," Williams told the Tallahassee Democrat. "I instrumentality pridefulness successful the food. I navigator it to marque it look presentable. Like I could spell retired and devour it myself."

ABC News reports that Red Lobster started successful 1968 successful Lakeland, Florida, and has since expanded to locations crossed the United States and Canada.