FOOD NEWS
The Fascinating Origin Story Behind Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits
BY AUTUMN SWIERS
Red Lobster's famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits are more than just a simple side dish, and the cult favorite has an intriguing history.
The biscuits were created in 1992 by Kurt Hankins, the then-head of Red Lobster's culinary development team, who was inspired by Texas Toast and French bread.
Using a traditional biscuit recipe, Hankins swapped in garlic for sugar and added cheese to create the delicious biscuits that are so popular today.
By 1996, the biscuits had a proper name, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, "to reflect the seaside atmosphere of Red Lobster restaurants," according to a press release.
The restaurant started serving the biscuits as an appetizer in the waiting room, but demand was so strong that servers couldn't keep up.
In 2017, the restaurant sold almost a million freshly baked biscuits per day, and today, there are even frozen and dry-mix options available.