Red Lobster is closing more restaurants after bankruptcy. Where does that leave its beloved Cheddar Bay biscuits?

Red Lobster has filed for bankruptcy and closed a fifth of its restaurants, leaving millions of customers wondering where to get the chain’s famous Cheddar Bay biscuits if the company goes under.
According to USA Today, 20% of all Red Lobster locations operating at the beginning of the year are either closed or about to shut down. The company announced its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in May.
“This restructuring is the best path forward for Red Lobster,” CEO Jonathan Tibus said in the announcement. “It allows us to address several financial and operational challenges and emerge stronger and re-focused on our growth.”
The filing came after a series of financial losses for the chain. Red Lobster reported an $11 million loss in its third quarter in 2023, which was largely due to a loss of profit from the Ultimate Endless Shrimp deal, Restaurant Business reports.
The offer, which allowed guests to choose two types of unlimited shrimp for $20, was meant to bring more traffic to the restaurant. It backfired when more guests than expected opted for the menu item.
Additionally, the company’s largest investor, Thai Union Group, announced in January it would exit its minority investment and cited a number of financial burdens as contributors in its decision.
“The combination of Covid-19 pandemic, sustained industry headwinds, higher interest rates and rising material and labor costs have impacted Red Lobster, resulting in prolonged negative financial contributions to Thai Union and its shareholders,” CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said in a statement.
“After detailed analysis, we have determined that Red Lobster’s ongoing financial requirements no longer align with our capital allocation priorities and therefore are pursuing an exit of our minority investment.”
A Chapter 11 filing allows the chain to remain open while it restructures its debts, but it remains unclear whether Red Lobster will close any more locations. In that case, fans of the Red Lobster biscuit may be wondering where that leaves them.
Just like Olive Garden is known for its breadsticks and the Cheesecake Factory for its whole wheat bread, one of Red Lobster’s main attractions is the Cheddar Bay biscuits it serves with all meals.
In a Buzzfeed showdown of the best free restaurant bread, the Cheddar Bay biscuits were the overwhelming winners.
While most restaurants serve plain or lightly flavored risen bread, Red Lobster’s offering stands out for being a simple type of drop biscuit flavored with cheddar cheese and garlic butter.
Cheddar Bay biscuits have become so popular that Red Lobster even celebrated the biscuits’ 25th anniversary with a line of merchandise including T-shirts and flavored lip balm, per Tasting Table.
Red Lobster does have a line of Red Lobster at Home products, including the famous Cheddar Bay biscuit mix. It’s unclear whether sales would continue if its operating restaurant chain closed its stores, but for now, anyone whose local Red Lobster has closed its doors can still order biscuit mix online.
As with any biscuit recipe, make sure to use very cold liquid and don’t overmix, which would contribute a tougher texture. One Redditor recommends using buttermilk instead of water and adding three to four times the amount of shredded cheese listed in the recipe.
You don’t even need biscuit mix to make your own at home — while the official Red Lobster biscuit recipe hasn’t been released to the public, there are plenty of copycat versions online.
The Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits from The Kitchn seem to be most true to the original recipe, as it has nearly the same ingredients as the box mix, like baking soda and buttermilk.
However, there is one ingredient listed in the box mix that is rarely duplicated in Cheddar Bay dupe recipes: To make the most realistic Cheddar Bay dupe, add onion powder to your garlic butter.