History
Red Lobster was founded in 1968 by entrepreneurs Bill Darden and Charley Woodsby. Originally billed as a "Harbor for Seafood Lovers", the first restaurant in Lakeland, Florida, was followed by several others throughout the southeast. In 1970, General Mills acquired Red Lobster as a five-unit company. With new backing, the chain expanded rapidly in the 1980s.
Red Lobster entered into Canada in the 1980s. The company still maintains a presence, but has since exited the Quebec market in September 1997 due to financial losses, and has never existed in British Columbia.
In 1995, Red Lobster (along with Olive Garden and other sister chains), became part of Darden Restaurants, Inc.. During that time, General Mills decided to release Darden into an independent, publicly-traded corporation.
True to its name and slogan, the brand specializes in most seafood, including lobster.
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