How To Hack Red Lobster's Menu For A Luxurious Loaded Potato

While Red Lobster may be known for its lobster, its signature Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and a bounty of other seafood offerings, die-hard Red Lobster fans know that the popular chain need not be limited to its standard menu. In fact, there are plenty of secret menu hacks you need to try, including an upgrade to its standard baked potato.

Inspired by Red Lobster's Creamy Lobster Baked Potato side, this hack ups the cheesy goodness and sidesteps the dreaded lack of crustacean meat, which has been noted by those who've been previously disappointed by the side (you should think twice about ordering from Red Lobster), by capitalizing on its ooey gooey dips.

Cheaper than most Red Lobster's signature feasts, seafood boils, and even some of the shrimp plates, it all starts with a humble, plain baked potato (the lowest cost tier on the sides menu, alongside cole slaw, fries, and broccoli). This is the foundation for a decadent dish worthy of its secret hack reputation. Now all you have to do is choose your dip. Red Lobster currently offers two at the same price that are better than the beurre blanc sauce: Lobster Dip and Crab Queso. Either one works, but it's the lobster that gets you the most bang for your buck. Once you've topped your tater with a generous portion of dip — bliss.

Since 1968, Red Lobster has been a popular seafood restaurant option for cost-conscious consumers looking for a way to get their shellfish fix. Through all the ups and downs, the love for Red Lobster's annual Lobster Fest, Crab Fest, and its now-defunct Endless Shrimp has been real. Even with multiple ownership changes and a 2024 bankruptcy caused by the perfect storm of rising operating costs, its $20 all-you-can-eat shrimp promotion (RIP), and the COVID-19 pandemic, Red Lobster has proven its staying power, slowly working its way back to recovery. And now, you have another way to enjoy its offerings.

Though Red Lobster considers these dips an appetizer, combining them with a whole baked potato (along with the included tortilla chips that accompany the dip, and those free, unlimited Cheddar Bay Biscuits for dine-in customers), this combo absolutely fills and satisfies like an entree — but for so much cheaper. It delivers a memorable, luxurious, flavor-packed experience while locking in your repeat-customer status. Now, that's definitely on the menu. 

Just be sure to let the waiter know you want both the potato and the dip to come out together, and soon you'll be adding this to your list of chain restaurants with the absolute best loaded baked potatoes, even if it's not by their design. Prices fluctuate depending on the market and location.