Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits Are Unlimited (But There's A Catch)

Red Lobster's unlimited Cheddar Bay biscuits are a great deal. The cheesy, buttery, herb-filled biscuits are so popular you can buy them in the frozen aisle to heat up and serve at home. It's hard to beat having them brought out to your table again and again as you finish basket after basket. There is one catch, however – these biscuits are only free for paying customers who dine in. This is just something to keep in mind before your next visit to Red Lobster.

There was a brief moment where the internet was worried they lost the privilege of free, unlimited cheese biscuits. In 2020 Red Lobster focused its website on online ordering. Under its entry for ordering a dozen Cheddar Bay biscuits, the website now includes a sentence saying, "All entrées come with two warm, house-made Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Not enough? Order extra here." Not everyone understood that the disclaimer only applied to online orders, and a short-lived panic was born. These never-ending baskets most likely won't go away anytime soon since the increase in blood sugar that comes with a restaurant's free bread often leads to higher appetites and bigger orders from customers.

Unfortunately, we did lose one limitless deal recently. Red Lobster's unlimited shrimp promotion ended with its bankruptcy in 2024. The deal was so good for customers that it lost the restaurant $11 million. While shrimp leading to Red Lobster's demise makes for an attention-getting headline, it's not the reason the chain filed for Chapter 11. The chain was already lagging behind with consumers when it was sold off to the private equity firm Golden Gate Capital in 2014. To pay for the purchase, the firm used a common strategy in the world of private equity where they sell the real estate the restaurant is on and then lease it from the new owner. It's commonly known as sale-leaseback. Many think this is what led to the chain's financial struggles.

Replacing the unlimited shrimp deal is the more fiscally sound Ultimate SpendLESS Shrimp, where you get Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Shrimp Linguini Alfredo, and Popcorn Shrimp with Chesapeake Fries all on one plate. It's part of Red Lobster's plan to make a comeback, along with seafood boils and bacon-wrapped scallops.