Red Lobster is calling it quits in NYC. <\/p>\n
The seafood chain will permanently close its flagship restaurant in Times Square on June 14, ending a 23-year run in one of the world\u2019s busiest tourist destinations, WABC reported<\/a> on Friday.<\/p>\n Red Lobster officials said years of construction at the restaurant\u2019s address \u2014 5 Times Square<\/a> \u2014 on the corner of 41st Street and Seventh Avenue have kept customers away and turned the once-bustling location into one it could no longer afford to operate.<\/p>\n Red Lobster\u2019s Times Square flagship will close on June 14 after 23 years in business. Angel Chevrestt<\/p>\n \u201cTimes Square has been an important chapter in Red Lobster\u2019s history, and this was a difficult decision,\u201d Red Lobster said in a statement. \u201cExtensive and prolonged construction at the building has significantly impacted access, visibility, and foot traffic at this restaurant.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven those conditions, along with the building\u2019s planned conversion to residential use, continuing to operate at this location was no longer viable.\u201d<\/p>\n All employees at the Times Square location will be offered transfers to other Red Lobster restaurants and additional pay to help with the transition.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are grateful to the team members and guests who have made this restaurant special over the years,\u201d the statement continued.<\/p>\n \u201cAll team members are being offered the opportunity to be transferred to the Red Lobster location of their choice and to receive additional pay to support them through this transition.\u201d<\/p>\n The seafood chain blamed ongoing construction around 5 Times Square for hurting traffic and access. Angel Chevrestt<\/p>\n The closure marks the end of Red Lobster\u2019s only NYC location.<\/p>\n Since opening in 2003, the sprawling restaurant occupied a prime corner of Times Square, serving tourists, office workers and theatergoers while acting as a showcase location for the national chain.<\/p>\n The restaurant also became known for splashy promotions, including a one-day free lobster giveaway in 2023.<\/p>\n More than 100 Red Lobster locations have closed in recent years as the company works to cut costs. Red Lobster<\/p>\n In 2024, the Post reported that the owners of 5 Times Square asked for an annual rent of $2.2 millio<\/a>n as the three-level, 16,482 square-foot space scrambled to remain open. <\/p>\n Employees were previously told that the eatery wasn\u2019t on the chopping block, describing the location as a \u201chigh-performing store.\u201d<\/p>\n The shutdown comes as Red Lobster continues to recover from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing<\/a> in May 2024.<\/p>\n The Times Square closure marks the end of Red Lobster\u2019s only NYC location. Robert Mecea<\/p>\n More than 100 locations have closed in recent years as the company works to cut costs. The Times Square restaurant was already on a list of locations the company warned could be at risk during the bankruptcy process.<\/p>\n Since emerging from Chapter 11, Red Lobster has said more underperforming restaurants could still face closure<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Orlando-based chain ended 2025 with more than 500 restaurants nationwide and $1.56 billion in sales, down 6.2% from the previous year, according to Restaurant Business<\/a> citing Technomic data.<\/p>\n