Does Red Lobster Give Free Biscuits? The Truth About Their Iconic Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Red Lobster is stretching its well-loved Cheddar Bay Biscuits into longer Cheddar Bay Breadsticks on Monday.

However, biscuit fans don’t need to worry—the new shape will only be available at one restaurant in New York City’s Times Square from noon to 7 p.m. on one day only. m.

“Our guests have loved our Cheddar Bay Biscuits for more than 30 years, and it made us wonder why there isn’t more Cheddar Bay in the world,” Red Lobster’s chief experience officer, Sara Bittorf, said in a statement. So, we’re bringing a whole new level of “dough-liciousness” to the table. We’re sure our new Cheddar Bay Breadsticks will be up to the task. ”.

This is not an April Fool’s joke; Red Lobster in Orlando, Florida, is calling the change a “biscuit surprise.” The idea seems like it could stick around, though. It’s better to dunk breadstick-shaped biscuits in scampi, melted butter, or Alfredo sauce, all of which are common menu items.

Red Lobster’s signature dish is the Cheddar Bay Biscuit, which the chain serves more than 350 million of every year, according to its website. And for people who eat in, the warm, cheesy biscuits have always been free and unlimited. This is a much better deal on food than the all-you-can-eat shrimp deal in 2023, which brought in more customers but cost the chain millions of dollars.

Every main dish that is ordered to go comes with two warm biscuits for free, but customers can pay a little extra for more. They are also sold in stores to home cooks as both a biscuit mix and frozen, ready-to-bake cookies. Plus, there are Cheddar Bay Biscuit-coated frozen shrimp and cod.

So maybe it’s time to make Cheddar Bay Breadsticks a permanent part of the menu the other 364 days of the year.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits hold an iconic status in the world of chain restaurant appetizers. The warm, soft, cheesy biscuits served at Red Lobster locations across America have become synonymous with the seafood chain. Many diners look forward to sinking their teeth into these tasty biscuits before their meal almost as much as their main entrée.

But does Red Lobster give them out for free? This is a common question for new customers and biscuit lovers alike. In this article, we’ll uncover the truth about Red Lobster’s famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits and their complimentary status.

Below we’ll cover:

Are the biscuits unlimited?
Do you have to order food to get them?
How many come in each basket?
Takeout and delivery details
Their origins and history
Copycat recipes to make at home

Here’s everything you need to know about scoring free biscuits at Red Lobster restaurants.

Are Cheddar Bay Biscuits Really Unlimited at Red Lobster?

This is probably the biggest question around Red Lobster’s famous biscuits – and fortunately, the answer is yes! When dining in at a Red Lobster restaurant, the Cheddar Bay Biscuits are unlimited and complimentary.

Servers will continuously bring out fresh hot batches of biscuits until every guest at the table is satisfied. You can enjoy as many baskets as you desire, with no extra charge. They are truly unlimited.

This unlimited complimentary policy has been in place since the original launch of Cheddar Bay Biscuits back in 1992. 30 years later, it still stands today. For dine-in customers, the biscuits flow freely and endlessly.

So feel free to ask for more as needed – it’s all part of the Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit experience! Just beware that you may end up filling up on them before your meal arrives.

Do You Have to Order Food to Get Free Biscuits?

Nope – you do not have to order any food purchase to receive unlimited free biscuits when dining in at Red Lobster. They will gladly bring basket after basket even if you are just there for the biscuits.

Some customers will visit a Red Lobster specifically just to enjoy the biscuits, which is completely allowed They make a great free appetizer on their own.

However, the restaurant asks that tables ordering only biscuits and no food please limit their stay to 30 minutes so they can accommodate more incoming guests. But feel free to enjoy as many baskets as you can in that time!

How Many Biscuits Come in Each Basket?

When dining in at Red Lobster restaurants in the United States, each basket of fresh Cheddar Bay Biscuits contains 4 biscuits.

Some international locations may serve 6 biscuits per basket instead, but 4 is standard in the US.

Since the biscuits are unlimited free refills when dining in, you can continuously order more baskets to keep that cheesy goodness flowing at your table!

Are Biscuits Free for Takeout and Delivery Too?

Here’s where things get a bit different – for takeout and delivery orders, Red Lobster has to limit the number of free biscuits provided.

For takeout, each entrée order comes with 2 complimentary Cheddar Bay Biscuits included. Extra biscuits can be added in quantities of 6 or 12 for an additional charge of $2.79 or $5.29 respectively.

For delivery orders, it’s the same policy – 2 free biscuits per entrée, with paid add-ons available.

This policy applies only to off-premise takeout and delivery food orders. Dining in the restaurant still allows for unlimited free biscuits.

Red Lobster has clarified this takeout biscuit policy on their online menus to avoid confusion. So enjoy those 2 free biscuits on your seafood feast at home – and get extras if you need even more!

The Origins and History of Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Now that the biscuit policies are clear, let’s take a quick look back at the origins of these famous biscuits:

First introduced in 1992 at Red Lobster restaurants.
Created by Executive Chef Jerome Grant Lye.
Inspired by traditional Cheddar Bay Inn biscuits in Rhode Island.
Originally made with pancake mix before developing custom recipe.
Biscuits became immensely popular right away.
Red Lobster now bakes nearly 1 million per day!
They’ve become synonymous with the chain.
Voted America’s favorite restaurant chain appetizer.
Featured in pop culture from SNL to Beyoncé.

Thanks to their sheer tastiness and complimentary unlimited nature, Cheddar Bay Biscuits have become ingrained in American food culture. They’re the perfect start to any Red Lobster seafood feast.

Copycat Recipes to Make Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Home

Want to enjoy these biscuits in the comfort of your own home? There are tons of copycat recipes online that replicate the taste and texture of Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Some popular 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 Biscuits

Give one of these recipes a try during your next baking session. They make a great accompaniment to homemade seafood dinners or on their own as an appetizer or snack.

Just beware – once you bake them at home, you may end up indulging in unlimited biscuits every night!

Satisfy Your Biscuit Cravings at Red Lobster

And while takeout diners are limited to 2 biscuits per meal, you can always tack on extra for a small fee. Either way, enjoy this iconic chain restaurant appetizer whenever the biscuit cravings strike.

Stop by your local Red Lobster and dive right into those warm, fresh-baked biscuits. And be sure to let us know if you have any other questions!

does red lobster give free biscuits

Want breaking news at your fingertips?

Get today’s need-to-know restaurant industry intelligence. Sign up to receive texts from Restaurant Business on news and insights that matter to your brand.

The latest from Restaurant Business, sent straight to your inbox.

Thanks for signing up!

How To Cook: Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix

What are Red Lobster biscuits?

You would think that Red Lobster would be known for their seafood, but say “Red Lobster” and most people are likely to think of the hot, buttery biscuits known as Cheddar Bay Biscuits. And of course southerners know biscuits are where it’s at.

Can Red Lobster biscuits be frozen?

These Red Lobster Biscuits are best served warm from the oven and are worth every single calorie. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months. To freeze them, cool completely and wrap them individually in aluminum foil and then place them in a zip-top freezer bag.

Do you have to pay for Red Lobster biscuits?

When you’ve eaten all the Red Lobster dishes and biscuits you can handle and realize you have a couple of extras, you might be pressed (and reasonably so) to ask your waiter for a bag to take the rest home. Unfortunately, your server may have told you that you would have to pay for the biscuits separately.

What to eat with Red Lobster biscuits?

Brush over the warm biscuits. Red Lobster cheddar biscuits are delicious on their own and pair perfectly with seafood dishes. Try them next to easy grilled salmon, asparagus salmon foil packets, easy baked tilapia (or cod), shrimp etouffee, or creamy seafood chowder.