Where Red Lobster Sources Its Namesake Seafood From

Although Red Lobster fans don't always agree on the restaurant's controversial appetizers, it's a casual, sit-down seafood chain that most know and love. Like any restaurant, Red Lobster has to get its namesake food from somewhere. Where exactly do all these little crustaceans come from?

There are four different types of lobster the company buys: Maine, rock, Norway, and langostino lobster. Red Lobster sources its lobsters differently depending on the type. Maine lobster comes from the Northeastern United States and parts of Canada, as you might have guessed. Rock lobster is purchased from the Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Norway lobster actually comes from fisheries off the coast of Scotland, while the langostino lobster comes from coastal Chile. To be fair, langostino isn't really lobster; it's shrimp. We discussed this in more detail when we looked into Red Lobster's creamy lobster mashed potatoes.

Honestly, it's refreshing that Red Lobster even has this information publicly available. It's not as if food supply chains are well known for their openness and honesty. The fact the company chose to emphasize the lobster it serves are mostly wild caught might be more a PR stunt than anything, but hey, at least you know the lobster at Red Lobster is real.

Red Lobster's downfall in 2024 was pretty spectacular. As part of its new brand refresh, its focused more on sustainability and sourcing. This doesn't just cover lobster, either. Ever wonder where it sources its flounder? Off the coast of Alaska. Its farm raised trout and salmon? Colombia and Chile, respectively. 

It's not entirely clear how long Red Lobster has been committed to sustainable seafood practices. The company is a member of the Global Seafood Alliance (formerly the Global Aquaculture Alliance), for one. In early 2025, Red Lobster launched the Red Lobster Ocean Sustainability Challenge which is designed to engage middle schoolers to think of new and innovative ways to address ocean health. It's a pretty cute and PR friendly way to engage the public on issues that matter. As a company that relies on the ocean's bounty, addressing fishing sustainability is an important thing to do. 

There is just one caveat to all this. Red Lobster is currently facing a class action lawsuit regarding its sustainability claims, mostly in terms of its farmed shrimp. Class action suits generally don't make it to trial (30% are dropped and another 30% are dismissed) or end in meaningful benefits for plaintiffs. However, in early 2024 a judge denied Red Lobster's motion to dismiss. The case is still pending, but here's hoping Red Lobster continues with its sustainability efforts despite the setback.