The Fascinating Origin Story Behind Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits (2024)

To many fans, the best dish at Red Lobster isn't even seafood -- it's the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, the cooler, hotter older sister of Olive Garden breadsticks. The cheese biscuits with garlic-herb butter topping have inspired a cult following and some top-tier memes. Here are a few things about these salty golden beauties fans should know.

For starters, Cheddar Bay is not a real place. Red Lobster used the would-be geographical name "to reflect the seaside atmosphere of Red Lobster restaurants," per an official press release. In other words, Cheddar Bay is a place that only exists in your heart, but fans take beach holidays there so often they should consider buying a timeshare. As of 2017, Red Lobster sold nearly a million Cheddar Bay biscuits a day.In restaurants, a new batch is made every 15 minutes.

Cheddar Bay biscuits were created in 1992 by Kurt Hankins, then-head of Red Lobster's culinary development team. The chef was purportedly inspired by Texas Toast and French bread, and invented CBBs using a traditional biscuit recipe, but subbed the sugar for garlic and added cheese. The invention was bookended by arguably the other two largest developments in company history: The first Valentine's Day Lobsterfest happened in 1984, and Endless Shrimp launched in 2004.Per the Red Lobster restaurant lore, Cheddar Bay biscuits have always been a savior of sorts -- just not the personal kind that customers might have in mind (biscuit-loving Depeche Mode fans, rise up).

Read more: Restaurant Foods That Always Taste Better Than What You Make At Home

Fans Swimming In The Cheddar Bay For Over 30 Years

The Fascinating Origin Story Behind Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits (1)

Before Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Red Lobster was peddling hush puppies, and fans weren't super into it. The restaurant replaced the underperforming item with the garlicky, cheesy biscuits fans crave today.At first, the biscuits were served on trays in the waiting area as a tantalizing appetizer while guests waited for their tables.The marketing tactic was successful, but it was too successful. Before long, CBB demand became overwhelming, and servers in the lobby couldn't keep up. Red Lobster had created a monster and had to move the biscuit-dining experience to tables.If only '90s fans could have foreseen that Cheddar Bay biscuits would become unlimited for dine-in customers, and would go on to inspire frozen biscuits and dry mix to hit grocery retailers nationwide. These days, CBB fans can get their fix without even making a trip to Red Lobster.

When they first hit tables in the early 1990s, the amber jewels were called "freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread" (a mouthful, and not in a good way). It took a few years for Cheddar Bay biscuits to step into their proper name, but by 1996, the new era of Red Lobster-dom had arrived.In 2017, Cheddar Bay Biscuits celebrated their 25th birthday (they can vote, drive, and buy Lobsteritas). To celebrate the occasion, Red Lobster released a limited run of CBB-inspired merch including magnets, tee shirts, foam biscuits, and (coolest of all) Cheddar Bay Biscuit-flavored lip balm.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

The Fascinating Origin Story Behind Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits (2024)

FAQs

The Fascinating Origin Story Behind Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits? ›

The invention of Cheddar Bay Biscuits in 1992 is credited to Kurt Hankins, then-head of Red Lobster's culinary development team, writes food enthusiast site Tasting Table. Hankins, inspired by Texas Toast and French Bread, substituted sugar for garlic and added cheese.

What is the history of Cheddar Bay biscuits? ›

Cheddar Bay biscuits were created in 1992 by Kurt Hankins, then-head of Red Lobster's culinary development team. The chef was purportedly inspired by Texas Toast and French bread, and invented CBBs using a traditional biscuit recipe, but subbed the sugar for garlic and added cheese.

Why does Red Lobster give odd number of biscuits? ›

Servers always seem to bring just enough biscuits so that it's impossible for diners to distribute them evenly amongst their party. If this happens to you every time you visit Red Lobster, you're not unlucky—the extra biscuit rule is an official policy enforced by the chain, as Delish reports.

Did Red Lobster change their Cheddar Bay biscuits? ›

"There are no current changes to the Red Lobster At Home product line, which includes the Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix," Lori Cherry, director of communications and corporate public relations at Red Lobster, told USA TODAY in an emailed statement Tuesday.

What makes Cheddar Bay biscuits so good? ›

Brush the biscuits with melted, herby butter. Ooooh yeah. If there's a “secret” to why cheddar bay biscuits are so good, it's this—they're dripping with butter, both in the dough and on top.

What seafood chain is known for its Cheddar Bay biscuits? ›

In a Buzzfeed showdown of the best free restaurant bread, the Cheddar Bay biscuits were the overwhelming winners. While most restaurants serve plain or lightly flavored risen bread, Red Lobster's offering stands out for being a simple type of drop biscuit flavored with cheddar cheese and garlic butter.

Can I use milk instead of water in Red Lobster biscuit mix? ›

If you want more richness in your Red Lobster Cheddar biscuits, substitute milk or buttermilk for the water and top with more butter. Add 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning for an extra flavor touch.

How many cheddar biscuits does Red Lobster make a day? ›

That's a lot of Red Lobsters making a lot of cheddar biscuits. In 2017, here's what those numbers looked like: Food staff baked more than 8,000 pounds of cheddar cheese to create roughly one million biscuits a day.

Does Red Lobster use frozen lobster? ›

According to monkeymoomoo10, most of the fish at Red Lobster starts out frozen. Don't let it scare you, though; it's mostly a product of shipping realities, and the fact that most Red Lobsters aren't coastal.

Who owns Red Lobster? ›

In 2014, Darden sold off Red Lobster to Golden Gate Capital, a private equity firm, for $2.1 billion. Since 2020, seafood distributor Thai Union Group, based in Thailand, has been the largest Red Lobster shareholder. Thai Union owns 49% of the company.

Is there honey in Red Lobster biscuits? ›

INGREDIENTS: Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Palm and Soybean Oil, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Sugar, Salt, Dextrose, Honey Powder, Buttermilk, Ascorbic Acid, Enzymes.

Are red lobster biscuits good the next day? ›

How to Store Red Lobster Biscuits. Store Red Lobster biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for three days or in the fridge for five days.

What did Red Lobster have before Cheddar Bay Biscuits? ›

The restaurant initially sold hush puppies, and it wasn't a hit with patrons, leading to the creation of the tasty biscuits, originally called "freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread."

Why are they called Cheddar Bay Biscuits? ›

The name was inspired by a fictional geographical name "to reflect the seaside atmosphere of Red Lobster restaurants," the company shared in a release. Biscuits were first served on trays to hungry customers waiting in the restaurant lobby for seating.

Is Red Lobster seasoning like Old Bay? ›

But from my sleuthing around the ol' interwebs, many red lobster employees have reported that red lobster does not, in fact, use old bay seasoning in its cheddar bay biscuits. Accordingly, this copycat recipe relies only on garlic and parsley and a pinch of salt. Now grab yourself some clam chowder and tuck in!

What is the oldest biscuits? ›

Aberffraw biscuits are said to be Britain's oldest biscuit! The Welsh shortbread is pressed with the shape of a scallop shell and are made with high quality ingredients to create a rich, buttery shortbread. The Great Taste Award winning biscuits are made with a 12 months shelf life.

What were the biscuits in the First World War? ›

4 standard biscuit, measuring roughly 4 inches square, was made out of whole-wheat flour and was often issued as an emergency ration. It was very hard but highly nutritious and when soaked in water made a sustaining meal.

What is the history of dunking biscuits? ›

Dunking biscuits has its origins in 16th century English naval history, where crews were supplied with 'hard tack' biscuits that were designed to last long voyages, but were impossible to eat without soaking in water, soup or any liquid available.

What is the history of ship's biscuit? ›

In the 1500s, the Knights of Malta brought ship-biscuits from Naples and Sicily to Malta. In 1665, Samuel Pepys first regularized naval victualing in the Royal Navy with varied and nutritious rations, to include "one pound daily of good, clean, sweet, sound, well-baked and well-conditioned wheaten biscuit".

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