**Red Lobster CEO Reflects on Costly Endless Shrimp Deal and Future Plans**

Red Lobster's new CEO, Damola Adamolekun, expressed his initial concerns about the restaurant chain's decision to incorporate the endless shrimp deal into its permanent menu—a move that reportedly cost the company $11 million in its initial quarter. In a recent interview with CNN, Adamolekun revisited his thoughts upon learning about the $20 all-you-can-eat shrimp offer. His first reaction was, "That's a very expensive product to give away endlessly."

Last year, Red Lobster transitioned its popular endless shrimp promotion, which had been a limited-time offer for two decades, into a permanent feature on its menu. Adamolekun revealed that this decision caused a significant strain on various operational levels, including the kitchen staff, servers, and hosts, as they faced an unprecedented influx of shrimp-loving customers. "You stress out the kitchen. You stress out the servers. You stress out the host. People can't get a table," he explained to CNN, highlighting the chaos that ensued.

Although the CEO acknowledged the operational and financial challenges posed by the endless shrimp deal, he did not entirely dismiss the possibility of its return. "I never want to say never, but certainly not the way that it was done," Adamolekun noted. He emphasized that any future iteration of the offer would need to be financially viable and better managed.

Adamolekun, 35, took over as Red Lobster's CEO in August. Recalling a personal experience with the chain, he shared that his first visit to Red Lobster was at a Springfield location, where he dined with his family after Sunday church. With a vision to rejuvenate the brand, Adamolekun hopes to restore the legacy of what he describes as the "first really successful casual dining chain in America at scale."

Red Lobster was founded in 1968 by Bill Darden, with its inaugural restaurant located in Lakeland, Florida. Adamolekun’s ambition is to navigate the company through its current challenges while honoring its storied history.