Red Lobster to close Times Square location, citing construction
Ongoing work on the building has hurt traffic, the company said, and it will close for good on June 14.
May 29, 2026
Red Lobster is leaving Times Square.
The seafood chain’s flagship location will close for good on June 14 after 23 years in the bustling tourist area.
Ongoing construction on the building at 5 Times Square has hurt visibility and foot traffic, the company said, making the restaurant “economically unsustainable.” The building is being converted from vacant office space to apartments, which Red Lobster said is not expected to help either.
"Times Square has been an important chapter in Red Lobster's history, and this was a difficult decision,” Red Lobster said in a statement.
The restaurant opened in 2003, giving Red Lobster a coveted spot in one of the city’s consumer hubs as well as a site for marketing stunts. In 2023, for instance, it gave away free lobster at the restaurant for one day.
It will join a list of more than 100 Red Lobster closures over the past several years leading up to and following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in May 2024. That month, the company included the Times Square location on a list of restaurants that it may have to close.
Since emerging from bankruptcy, the company has warned that it may have to close more underperforming locations to cut its losses. It finished 2025 with more than 500 U.S. restaurants and total sales of $1.56 billion, a 6.2% decline from the prior year, according to Technomic data.
On Friday, the Orlando-based company thanked the employees and customers of the Time Square store for making it a special restaurant over the years. Staff will be offered jobs at another Red Lobster of their choice and will get extra pay to help them through the transition.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated that the Times Square Red Lobster was the only Red Lobster in New York City. There is a Red Lobster in Brooklyn.
About the Author
Joe Guszkowski
Senior editor, Restaurant Business
Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains.
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