Does Red Lobster Serve Fresh Fish, Or Is It All Frozen?

In the past, Red Lobster was famous for deals like endless crab or endless shrimp (an experience we lived to review). Despite recent changes, it's still the biggest seafood chain in the country, offering delicacies like snow crab and lobster tail that most of us can't find outside fine dining establishments, regardless of how far we are from the ocean. Because the chain provides so much seafood, it's not feasible for everything on the menu to be prepared from fresh ingredients daily. As a result, many items are frozen.

In one Reddit AMA thread, a Red Lobster server, who reportedly worked at the restaurant during the endless shrimp promotion, explained that only some fish was brought into the restaurant fresh. That would include the "salmon, tilapia, trout, and whatever other fresh fish the restaurant carries." The Reddit user also pointed out that Red Lobster locations are less common near the coast, where local restaurants can serve fresh seafood much more easily. The chain is more successful further inland, where fresh fish is less likely to be found. Thus, the demand for an establishment like Red Lobster is higher, and frozen would be the standard.

According to the Red Lobster website, some of its seafood is flash frozen on the boat (or immediately upon coming to shore) in order to preserve freshness and quality. Based on what we can tell from the Reddit thread and the list of fresh fish choices, it's likely that all shellfish and some other seafood, like flounder, come into stores frozen. As for the Cheddar Bay Biscuits? Those are baked fresh in store.

In 2002, Red Lobster implemented a fresh fish initiative in an effort to offer healthier menu choices to diners. Its fresh fish offerings included both king salmon and Atlantic salmon, grouper, tilapia, and trout in a variety of preparations. Much of what Red Lobster is known for wasn't included in this, but the chain did offer that option for those interested in something a little different.

Of course, freezing isn't necessarily a bad thing, even though fresh food often has a better reputation. It allows menu items to be available all year long, rather than relying on what is seasonally available. The modern flash-freezing process can actually preserve quality and taste so that the seafood ends up tasting even better than fresh in some cases. It can also cut back on waste because product is less likely to spoil if it isn't used in time.

Even though not all of Red Lobster's menu is fresh, that's by design. Flash freezing allows the company to maintain consistency across the brand. Diners in Idaho can expect the same menu and same taste as those in Maine or Arizona, no matter what they order. If you're not sure what to order, we ranked 18 popular Red Lobster dishes for your convenience.