Red Lobster is stretching its well-loved Cheddar Bay Biscuits into longer Cheddar Bay Breadsticks on Monday.
But fans of the iconic biscuits need not fear—the new shape will be served for one day only and at just one restaurant in New York City’s Times Square location between the hours of noon and 7 p.m.
“We’ve won over the hearts and stomachs of our guests for more than 30 years with Cheddar Bay Biscuits and it got us thinking—why isn’t there more Cheddar Bay in the world,” Sara Bittorf, chief experience officer at Red Lobster, said in a statement. “So, we’re introducing a whole new level of ‘dough-liciousness’ to the table and have no doubt our new Cheddar Bay Breadsticks will rise to the occasion.”
Orlando, Florida-based Red Lobster is calling the change a “biscuit surprise” rather than an April Fool’s joke, but the idea sounds like it may have staying power. Breadstick-shaped biscuits are better for dunking in scampi, melted butter and Alfredo sauce—all widely used ingredients on the menu.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits are an immensely popular Red Lobster signature; the chain serves up more than 350 million each year, according to its website. And for guests dining in, the warm, cheesy biscuits have long been free and unlimited—a much lower food cost than 2023’s all-you-can-eat shrimp deal that boosted traffic but lost the chain millions.
For carryout orders, every entrée comes with two warm biscuits at no charge, but customers can order more for a small price. They are also sold at retail for home cooks, both as a biscuit mix and in frozen ready-to-bake form. Plus, there are Cheddar Bay Biscuit-coated frozen shrimp and cod.
So maybe it’s time to add Cheddar Bay Breadsticks to the permanent lineup the other 364 days of the year.
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Are the Biscuits at Red Lobster Really Free?
Red Lobster’s famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits are one of the most iconic and beloved chain restaurant appetizers out there. The warm, soft, cheesy biscuits are served as an unlimited, complimentary appetizer when dining in at Red Lobster locations across the United States. But are they really free or is there a catch? In this article, we’ll uncover the truth about the free Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster.
The Origin of Cheddar Bay BiscuitsFirst introduced by Red Lobster in 1992, the Cheddar Bay Biscuits were created by Executive Chef Jerome Grant Lye and were inspired by the biscuits served at the Cheddar Bay Inn in Rhode Island. They quickly became immensely popular and synonymous with Red Lobster. Now nearly 30 years later the chain bakes and serves around 1 million Cheddar Bay Biscuits every single day! They have become an iconic menu item.
Are the Biscuits Free with a Food Purchase?
When dining in at Red Lobster, the Cheddar Bay Biscuits are free and unlimited regardless of whether you order any food or not. You do not have to purchase a meal to receive the complimentary biscuits. Even if you just come in for the biscuits, the servers will continuously bring out basket after basket for your table.
That said, Red Lobster does request that tables only ordering biscuits and no food limit their stay to 30 minutes so they can accommodate other incoming guests. But you are absolutely welcome to enjoy unlimited baskets of biscuits without buying food during that time frame.
How Many Biscuits Do You Get?
Each basket contains 4 fresh warm Cheddar Bay Biscuits. As a dine-in guest, you can request as many baskets as you want, whenever you want. Servers will happily keep them coming until you’ve had your fill.
What About Takeout and Delivery Orders?
Here’s where the policy changes slightly. For takeout orders, Red Lobster includes 2 complimentary Cheddar Bay Biscuits per entree ordered. Extra biscuits can be added on in quantities of 6 or 12 for an additional charge.
For delivery orders, it’s the same policy – 2 free biscuits per entree, with paid add-ons available.
So when ordering takeout or delivery, you are limited to 2 free biscuits per entree. Dining in the restaurant still allows for unlimited, complimentary biscuits. Red Lobster has clarified the policy on their online ordering menus to prevent confusion between dine-in and takeout.
Recent Confusion and Rumors
In early 2020, some media outlets mistakenly reported that Red Lobster was eliminating unlimited biscuits, claiming the chain would only allow 2 biscuits per entree for all orders. This caused panic among biscuit lovers!
But Red Lobster quickly refuted the rumors and confirmed that the unlimited biscuits are still very much free for dine-in guests. The earlier confusion likely stemmed from the takeout ordering policy details on their website. They have since updated the language online to prevent misinformation.
So rest assured, Cheddar Bay Biscuits remain free and unlimited when you dine in at Red Lobster. Feel free to keep dipping, dunking, and indulging to your heart’s content!
Nutrition & Ingredients
Now let’s take a look at what’s actually in these craveworthy biscuits:
- Around 100 calories per biscuit
- 6g fat
- 370mg sodium
- 2g protein
Ingredients include:
- Flour
- Butter
- Shortening
- Milk
- Cheddar cheese
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Parsley
They contain many of the core ingredients you’d expect in a basic biscuit recipe, with the extra punch of cheese and garlic. The rich, decadent taste and texture is what keeps customers coming back for more.
Copycat Recipes to Make at Home
Want to enjoy unlimited Red Lobster-style biscuits from your own kitchen? There are many copycat recipes online that allow you to recreate the taste and texture at home.
Some popular copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuit recipes include:
- Paula Deen’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- Tasty’s Copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- Food Network Kitchen’s Copycat Cheddar Biscuits
- Tabitha Brown’s Vegan Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Give one of these recipes a try during your next baking day. They make a great accompaniment to seafood dinners or are delicious on their own as an appetizer or snack.
Just know that it’s hard to limit yourself to just 2 or 4 biscuits when you start baking these at home!
The Bottom Line
So are the biscuits really free at Red Lobster? The short answer is yes, the Cheddar Bay Biscuits are free and unlimited when dining in at a Red Lobster restaurant. You do not have to purchase any food to receive endless baskets of biscuits at your table.
Takeout and delivery orders do come with a limit of 2 per entree, but dining in is unlimited. After 30+ years, the iconic Cheddar Bay Biscuit is still free for dine-in guests to enjoy. So next time a biscuit craving strikes, head to Red Lobster for your fill!
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FAQ
Are Red Lobster biscuits complimentary?
Out of the many dishes that Red Lobster serves at its eateries, it’s those complimentary Cheddar Bay Biscuits that really shine for most diners.
Does Red Lobster charge for the biscuits?
For carryout orders, every entrée comes with two warm biscuits at no charge, but customers can order more for a small price.
Are Red Lobster biscuits bottomless?
Learn about Red Lobster CEO’s decision to bring unlimited cheddar bay biscuits to your table. Ask for as many as you want!
Do you have to pay for Cheddar Bay Biscuits?
Specifically, extra Cheddar Bay Biscuits can be ordered by the dozen for $5.29 or half-dozen for $2.79, with prices potentially varying by location. But again, these charges are only for takeout orders. The biscuits are still on the house when you’re dining in.