Red Lobster is one of the most well-known seafood restaurant chains in America With over 700 locations across the United States and internationally, it’s no surprise that many people are curious about where the very first Red Lobster opened As a seafood lover and blog writer, I decided to do some digging into the history of this popular restaurant to find out where it all started.
The Beginning – Lakeland, Florida
The first Red Lobster restaurant opened its doors on January 18, 1968 in Lakeland, Florida. The creators were Bill Darden and Charley Woodsby, two entrepreneurs who wanted to make seafood dining accessible and affordable to people living far from the coasts
At the time, seafood restaurants were upscale and primarily located in coastal towns. Darden and Woodsby saw an opportunity to bring fresh, high-quality seafood to middle America. They opened the first location in Lakeland, which is in central Florida and about 45 miles from the nearest beach.
The original restaurant was called “Red Lobster Inn” and sat on South Florida Avenue in Lakeland. It featured the nautical theme and signature casual seafood menu that the chain would later become known for.
Expanding Across the South
The Lakeland location proved successful, and in 1970 the founders opened 4 more Red Lobster locations across the Southeastern United States. They chose sites in Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Tallahassee, Florida as well as Chattanooga, Tennessee.
General Mills took notice of Red Lobster’s growth and acquired the 5-restaurant company that same year. With the corporation’s backing Red Lobster began expanding rapidly throughout the 1970s and 1980s mostly across the American South.
By 1975 there were 49 locations, and by 1985 there were over 400 Red Lobster restaurants operating in the United States. Though the chain has grown exponentially since its humble Florida beginnings, Lakeland remains home to the original.
What the Original Location Looks Like Today
The first Red Lobster building still exists in Lakeland at its original address of 942 S. Florida Ave. It went through some renovations and additions over the years before being sold and repurposed.
Today, the structure houses a Regions Bank branch. Though it’s no longer an operating Red Lobster, you can still see elements of the original exterior like the sloped roofline.
Inside, there are thankfully a few remaining nods to its former life as Lakeland’s first Red Lobster location. The ceiling beams and interior stone walls still mimic a seaside lodge aesthetic.
Honoring Red Lobster History in Lakeland
Though the original building is now a bank, Red Lobster has not forgotten its Lakeland roots. In 2018, Lakeland celebrated the restaurant’s 50th anniversary in a big way.
The mayor declared January 18th (the anniversary of the first opening) as “Red Lobster Day” and renamed a section of road near the original site as “Red Lobster Way.” Red Lobster executives and Darden family members attended anniversary events around the city.
There is also a plaque outside the old location commemorating its history. It reads “Red Lobster Restaurant founder Bill Darden opened the world’s first Red Lobster restaurant in 1968 at this location in Lakeland, Florida.”
So while you can no longer dine at the original Red Lobster, Lakeland has made sure its significance is remembered. The location on South Florida Avenue played a key role in the history of this iconic restaurant chain.
Visiting the First Red Lobster Site
Though it is now a bank, visiting the original Red Lobster location is a fun activity for loyal fans of the chain. Lakeland, Florida is located along Interstate 4 between Orlando and Tampa. It makes a convenient detour for anyone driving to central Florida destinations like Walt Disney World.
When visiting Lakeland, you can drive by or walk to the site at 942 S. Florida Avenue just north of downtown. Be sure to check out the commemorative plaque and interior remnants paying homage to its roots as the spot where Red Lobster first began in 1968.
Snapping a photo by the “Where It All Began” plaque or in front of the building is a great way to mark the historical spot. While you’re in town, don’t miss the opportunity to dine at the local Red Lobster on Lakeland Hills Boulevard to complete the experience!
More Than 50 Years of Seafood and Growth
It’s incredible to look back on those humble beginnings in Lakeland when Red Lobster was a single new restaurant. Now, it’s one of the largest and most successful casual dining chains in the world.
But it all traces back to Lakeland, where founder Bill Darden took a chance on making seafood affordable and accessible for middle America. He most likely never imagined that small Florida restaurant would one day grow into an international dining empire.
The original Red Lobster building may be a bank now, but its historical significance remains. So for seafood fans and restaurant history buffs alike, it’s well worth a visit to the unassuming Lakeland, Florida address that started it all over 50 years ago.
Which Red Lobster restaurants in Florida have closed?
As of Monday, May 13, these Red Lobster locations in Florida have closed:
The first Red Lobster seafood restaurant opened in 1968 along U.S. 92 with a view of Lake Parker in Lakeland, Florida.
Show Caption Hide Caption Red Lobster closing US locationsRed Lobster has reportedly closed dozens of restaurants across the country and an online restaurant liquidator plans to auction off kitchen equipment.Fox – LA
- The concept of Red Lobster? Open a seafood restaurant in a landlocked community and see if it can be franchised.
- Former Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles, a Lakeland native, was an early investor in Red Lobster.
- When Red Lobster first opened, among the early menu items were a half-dozen oysters for 65 cents and a platter of frog legs & hush puppies for $2.50.
The end of an era?
As Red Lobster locations close across the country, including more than a dozen in Florida, memories of unlimited Cheddar Bay Biscuits and Ultimate Feasts are popping up online and what the seafood restaurant chain meant to diners over the years.
Frog legs at Red Lobster? That was a thing.
A fast-casual Red Lobster restaurant? It lasted a year, with only two sites in Florida.
This week, there were signs on the door of some Red Lobster locations with empty parking lots, including a location in Leesburg and others across the country. The signs said: “This location is closed. We look forward to serving you at another Red Lobster in the future.”
Red Lobster, the once popular seafood restaurant that started in Lakeland, Florida, in the late 1960s, was considering a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, according to multiple news sources.
Heres a look back at the iconic seafood restaurant, Red Lobster food facts and its ties to Florida.
Red Lobster opened in Lakeland in 1968
FAQ
Where in Lakeland was the first Red Lobster?
The original location on Lake Parker still stands on Memorial Boulevard, now home to. You’ll find the current Red Lobster near the Lakeland Square Mall.
Are Olive Garden and Red Lobster owned by the same parent company?
Darden SW LLC, a Florida limited liability company, the sole member of which is GMRI, Inc., doing business as Red Lobster and Olive Garden. Florida SE, Inc., a Florida corporation and direct wholly owned subsidiary of GMRI, Inc., doing business as Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52.
What was the original name of the Red Lobster restaurant?
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The Green Frog:At 19, Bill Darden opened his first restaurant, a small lunch counter named The Green Frog in Waycross, Georgia, in 1937.
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Early Success:The Green Frog was successful, and Darden expanded his restaurant holdings, purchasing rights to franchise Howard Johnson restaurants and later Gary’s Duck Inn, a seafood restaurant in Orlando.
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Red Lobster Inns of America:Darden later founded Red Lobster Inns of America and opened the first Red Lobster restaurant in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968.
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Darden Restaurants:Red Lobster, which grew quickly, formed the basis of the organization that later became known as Darden Restaurants.
Does New York have a Red Lobster?
Red Lobster – New York – Times Square.