Orlando, June 13, 2026, 09:02 EDT
- Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun said he’s aiming for the seafood chain to be the “most AI-forward restaurant company that exists.”
- The company is considering AI to help with sales forecasting, food orders, scheduling, HR tasks and performance reports at the store level.
- The push is paired with a new “Endless Endless Card” sweepstakes. Red Lobster is still dealing with the fallout from its 2024 bankruptcy and more store closures.
Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun is betting on artificial intelligence for the chain’s recovery after bankruptcy. Adamolekun, 37, told The Black Money Tree Podcast he’s “trying to be the most AI-forward restaurant company that exists.” As the youngest CEO in Red Lobster’s history, Adamolekun has worked to push the tech angle while also trying to bring back customers shaken by the 2024 bankruptcy. Moneywise
Adamolekun isn’t looking to roll out some big AI platform across Red Lobster. The focus is on how teams can use AI for things like HR reviews, training, running restaurants, sales forecasts, food orders and staff schedules, according to recent reports. “Everybody’s got ideas if you give them the empowerment to come up with them,” Adamolekun said. He’s going step by step by department, figuring out where automation can cut out manual work. Black Enterprise
Timing is important as restaurants shift from testing AI to actually using it in operations. A National Restaurant Association report, according to Restaurant Dive, said 26% of restaurant operators used AI-related tools in 2026. Marketing and admin tasks ranked as top uses. The group also said tech could help operators tackle higher costs, smaller consumer budgets, and productivity problems.
Red Lobster is trying out a promotion with a tweak. Its “Endless Endless Card” sweepstakes launched June 10 and wraps up June 17, according to company rules. One winner will get to pick between a card package valued at $9,400 or cash worth $15,000. The card gives the holder one Endless Shrimp dine-in meal per month for 25 years and includes a biometric safe plus a year of ju jitsu classes. Red Lobster
Endless Shrimp became a big part of Red Lobster’s bankruptcy. Red Lobster told Reuters that its Chapter 11 move was due to high inflation, steep rent, and decisions like running its Endless Shrimp promo, which cost $11 million. The business came out of bankruptcy in September 2024 under RL Investor Holdings, linked to Fortress Investment Group, with 545 locations and a commitment for at least $60 million in new funds.
Red Lobster’s turnaround is facing more setbacks. Eater reported the Times Square spot will close June 14 after 23 years. The company blamed construction for cutting off access and visibility, plus foot traffic, and said the building is turning into a residential tower. Vanity Fair reported Adamolekun says same-store sales are picking up and Red Lobster is targeting positive net income by the end of the fiscal year. But Red Lobster lost money in four of the last five quarters, and 2025 sales are still over 20% below pre-bankruptcy.
Adamolekun is pushing to steer Red Lobster’s comeback beyond just cutting costs, leaning on social media, throwback menu items and a round of public appearances to win back customers. “People just really care about this brand,” he told Vanity Fair. But economist Eileen Appelbaum told the publication that “temporary stabilization is the most likely outcome” if the chain can’t turn its CEO-driven momentum into something stronger. Vanity Fair
