For a few years now, Red Lobster has made the news for all the wrong reasons. The once-extremely-popular seafood chain has suffered a significant drop in sales since 2019, causing leadership to file for bankruptcy in 2024 and close 99 of its more than 500 locations in the United States — mostly due to an endless shrimp special that proved to be a debacle. At least for now, the closures seem to have stabilized the restaurant brand, with its new CEO planning to create a new menu, bring back those famous hush puppies, freshen up its locations, and appeal more to younger generations.
One easy way to grow in popularity with younger generations is through TikTok. And through no effort of its own, Red Lobster was the subject of one brilliant restaurant hack by TikTok user @amariyaps. It’s one of those restaurant ordering hacks (like doubling up on Arby’s sandwiches) that’s so painfully obvious and simple, we wonder how we’ve never thought of it before.
While it’s not on the menu specifically — and it isn’t promoted by Red Lobster at all — this ordering hack is all right there in front of you. So what is it? Just order a side of Red Lobster’s shrimp scampi garlic butter sauce to pair with your already delicious crab legs. Dip the crab legs in the butter, or just let them bathe for a few minutes. The result is a flavor bomb that combines two tasty menu items into one near-perfect entree.
Red Lobster’s shrimp scampi garlic butter sauce has flavor and versatility
If you order a Red Lobster snow crab leg dish, you already have the option of a side of garlic butter sauce. But there’s just something about the shrimp scampi version that hits different. The restaurant doesn’t offer the sauce as an option on its menu, but it never hurts to ask. If you can’t get the sauce by itself, you can get one order of shrimp scampi baked in the garlic sauce for $8.49 (depending on location).
But back to the hack itself. This TikTok user got us thinking: What else could we do with that incredible shrimp scampi sauce? And, honestly, the options are unlimited. In addition to the crab legs, you could drizzle the sauce over an order of grilled shrimp, a lobster tail, or one of the many Red Lobster fish selections. The shrimp scampi garlic butter sauce would pair well with one of the seafood chain’s classic menu items — such as the lemon basil mahi, grilled salmon, or even a cut of nice steak, like the sirloin or filet mignon. You might even consider it with a fried entree like the calamari, coconut shrimp, or fish and chips — making sure not to overdo it with the sauce and take away the crispiness of these menu items.
A restaurant chain’s success will always hinge on the quality of its food, service, and restaurant atmosphere — which literally makes food taste better. Even Red Lobster — with all its prior success — has struggled over the last decade. But with a new menu, forward-thinking leadership, and younger customers who will continue to visit the restaurant and create innovative hacks like the one we’ve highlighted here, we think the seafood chain has a brighter future ahead.
