Flavor Flav makes good on promise to save Red Lobster, announces Crabfest is back

There is no one more qualified, or frankly enthusiastic enough, to announce the return of Red Lobster’s Crabfest than Flavor Flav.

Earlier this month the Public Enemy rapper ordered every item on the Red Lobster menu in an attempt help the seafood chain, which has filed for bankruptcy and closed multiple restaurants in recent weeks. Now the company has officially enlisted Flav's help to announce that CrabFest was back. 

“When the internet says Red Lobster is going away, boy, Flavor Flav says not today,” he says in a 30-second clip, referencing viral post on X about ordering the entire menu.

Flav says he's just trying to “help save one of America's greatest dining dynasties.”

Sara Bittorf, chief experience officer at Red Lobster, said in a news release that the collab with Flav was a no-brainer for the company.

“We love seeing our fans show up and rally for us, so when Flavor Flav reached out, we answered the call and invited him to join us in reminding fans we’re here to stay,” she said.

Flavor Flav's heroic fight to save cheddar bay biscuits

Flav’s spontaneous visit to a Red Lobster restaurant caused quite a stir online, prompting customers to extend their kudos to the rapper in the comments for his effort to save the Cheddar Bay Biscuits. 

Others were more skeptical, telling the rapper in the comments that the stunt wasn’t going to be enough to save the longstanding chain.

“Flav, I don’t think this is gonna be enough to save them. Recipe for the biscuits is online,” @TheRealBunnie wrote in the comments. 

Flavor Flav brings the ‘flavor’ to CrabFest, announces 2024 promotion

Red Lobster has got all the crab fixings, offering customers the ability to choose between a full pound of steamed snow or Bairdi wild-caught crab legs, the company says. 

Then, you get choose between one of three flavor options, including Cajun Butter, Roasted Garlic Butter, or Simply Steamed. 

The seafood chain is also offering other “craveable crab creations" starting at $20, including Creamy Crab Carbonara, Crab & Lobster Duo, Snow Crab & Crab-Topped Steak, or a side of Crab Mac & Cheese. 

Red Lobster, Flavor Flav bantered before collab

Red Lobster and Flav traded banter on social media ahead of the collaboration, trading words in the comments on a USA TODAY post on X last week.

"Flavor Flav and @redlobster is the duo we didn't know we needed," USA TODAY said in the post, to which Flav replied: "I knew."

Red Lobster replied: "Flavor has been our number 1 hype man since the beginning!"

Red Lobster works to ‘restructure’ amid financial difficulty 

Its been a rough couple of months for Red Lobster, which is working to recover after “massive debt, a carousel of CEOs, an all-you-can-eat shrimp controversy and an overall decline in guests” bled them dry, USA TODAY reported.

They assured customers in May that the closure of 93 nonperforming stores and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing did not mean they were going out of business. 

“Filing for bankruptcy does not mean we are going out of business," according to a statement obtained by USA TODAY. “In fact, it means just the opposite. It is a legal process that allows us to make changes to our business and our cost structure so that Red Lobster can continue as a stronger company going forward."

The seafood chain is currently “working to identify and eliminate nonproductive spending across all departments,” according to CEO Jonathan Tibus.

They have attempted to relocate employees of "financially burdensome" stores to nearby locations and reorganize mid level management, Tibus said. 

Red Lobster will begin to implement a “three-prong strategic priority plan,” which includes making sure Red Lobster is a "great place to work.” 

They are focusing on employee culture and retention, continuing to provide "consistent experiences and excellent customer service," and reducing the company's cost structure without compromising quality, Tibus detailed in the bankruptcy filing.

"This restructuring is the best path forward for Red Lobster. It allows us to address several financial and operational challenges and emerge stronger and re-focused on our growth," Tibus said in a statement. "The support we've received from our lenders and vendors will help ensure that we can complete the sale process quickly and efficiently while remaining focused on our employees and guests."

Contributing: Gabe Hauari, Jonathan Limehouse and Brendan Morrow