Starting Monday, Red Lobster fans will be able to get their seafood fix with an added bonus—and they’ll even be able to reserve a table from home.
For every dollar spent, Red Lobster customers now have the opportunity to earn points toward free food as part of the new “My Red Lobster Rewards” program, which launched nationwide. The initiative was announced alongside the launch of the casual dining chain’s first mobile app.
After downloading the app, guests can earn one point for every dollar they spend at Red Lobster restaurants. To earn points, guests must scan the QR code at the bottom of their receipt.
When members earn 125 points, they will receive a reward with three free food choices that the chain plans to announce later. To redeem the reward, guests must show the screen to their server before paying.
To welcome new and returning customers to the online platform, Red Lobster is offering 75 free points to users who sign up for the app, which is available for both iOS and Android.
In addition to the QR scanner and point tracker, the app features simple navigation menus and a restaurant finder. The app is designed to boost connectivity and convenience for fans of Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits, lobster dishes, and other seafood specialties.
In addition to rewarding visitors with points, the app allows guests to add their names to the wait list at the local Red Lobster, where available. The chain also announced that guests will soon be able to place orders online.
“We want our loyal guests to know how much we appreciate them, so we designed a program that rewards them for their love of seafood,” says Salli Setta, Red Lobster’s president, in a statement. “Guests can earn points simply by dining with us, and the ‘My Red Lobster Rewards’ app makes it easy to accumulate, track, and redeem points right from their mobile phone.”
The formerly Darden–owned seafood giant, privately held by Golden Gate Capital since 2014, operates more than 700 units internationally.
The seafood brand last made waves in the digital arena when Beyoncé referenced Red Lobster in her 2016 single, “Formation.” After releasing the song and performing it during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show, Red Lobster reported a 33 percent sales uptick versus the previous year’s Super Bowl Sunday.
