Even as it works to rebuild its brand after bankruptcy, Red Lobster hasn’t stopped trimming its footprint in 2026.
The seafood chain’s footprint has shrunk to approximately 540 restaurants nationwide, down from over 700 before its bankruptcy.
In May 2024, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, closing more than 100 locations that year after its “Ultimate Endless Shrimp” promotion contributed to an estimated $19 million loss. Notably, earlier this week Red Lobster announced that it was bringing back the same promotion after a successful test trial in April.
Some closures have garnered more public attention than others. Red Lobster’s oldest continuously operating restaurant, located in Tallahassee, Florida, closed in May after 56 years in business. The company called it “a special place in Red Lobster’s history” that had “been a meaningful part of the community for decades.”
The same day, the chain also closed locations in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; Overland Park, Kansas; and Independence, Missouri.
In June, Red Lobster shuttered its Times Square restaurant after 23 years, leaving Manhattan without a single Red Lobster location. “It’s the only place I eat lobster,” a patron told The New York Times.
The company cited ongoing construction that hurt access and foot traffic, along with the building’s planned conversion into residential apartments, as key factors in the change. “Times Square has been an important chapter in Red Lobster’s history, and this was a difficult decision,” the company told Fox4 News.
Displaced employees from both the Tallahassee and Times Square locations were offered transfers and additional pay to help with the transition.
Which Red Lobster locations are closing in 2026?
Inc. confirmed the following closures for 2026:
New York
- 582 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10036
Alabama
- 300 Eastdale Circle, Montgomery, AL 36117
- 1030 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216
Florida
- 2583 N. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32303
Pennsylvania
- 935 Wayne Avenue, Chambersburg, PA 17201
- 1502 Scranton Carbondale Highway, Scranton, PA 18508
Kansas
- 9475 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66212
- 2011 SW. Wanamaker Road, Topeka, KS 66604
Missouri
- 4328 S. Noland Road, Independence, MO 64055
Connecticut
- 4485 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06606
Georgia
- 1425 13th Street, Columbus, GA 31901
Louisiana
- 6051 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70836
Michigan
- 4109 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706
Texas
- 8401 Gateway Boulevard W., El Paso, TX 79925
Minnesota
- 2925 White Bear Avenue, Maplewood, MN 55109
California
- 1525 S. Bradley Road, Santa Maria, CA 93454 (set to close)
- 72291 CA-111, Palm Desert, CA 92260 (set to close)
Red Lobster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
—Amaya Nichole, News Writer
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This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com.
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