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Red Lobster salaries
Red Lobster salary estimate
$11.98hourly
Understanding Red Lobster Salaries
Red Lobster offers a wide range of salaries based on job roles, departments, and locations. The average salary across all positions is $24,916, but this figure masks significant variability. For example, a service manager can expect to earn approximately $46,087 annually, while a culinary manager averages around $35,570. In contrast, entry-level positions like busser and hostess typically earn about $23,602.
Impact of Location on Salaries
Salaries also differ by location; for instance, employees in New York tend to earn more due to higher living expenses. The customer service department generally offers the highest salaries, averaging $32,431, followed closely by the education department at $32,345.
Comparative Salaries
When compared to competitors, Red Lobster's salaries are competitive. CKE Restaurants Holdings leads with an average salary of $55,377, while McGrath's Fish House and Logan's Roadhouse average $35,686 and $33,589, respectively. Understanding these comparisons can assist potential employees in evaluating their options.
Highest paying jobs at Red Lobster
The highest paying jobs at Red Lobster are service manager, culinary manager, certified trainer, and service assistant. Service manager jobs at Red Lobster earn an average yearly salary of $46,087, Red Lobster culinary manager jobs average $35,570, and Red Lobster certified trainer jobs average $31,368.
The lowest paying Red Lobster roles include busser and hostess. Red Lobster busser average salary is $23,602 per year. So while the average Red Lobster salary is $24,916 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.
Highest paying jobs at Red Lobster
| Rank | Job title | Average Red Lobster salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service Manager | $46,087 | $22.16 |
| 2 | Culinary Manager | $35,570 | $17.10 |
| 3 | Certified Trainer | $31,368 | $15.08 |
| 4 | Service Assistant | $27,065 | $13.01 |
| 5 | Line Cook | $25,838 | $12.42 |
| 6 | Dish Washer | $24,953 | $12.00 |
| 7 | Prep Cook | $24,636 | $11.84 |
| 8 | Cashier | $24,007 | $11.54 |
| 9 | Baker | $23,921 | $11.50 |
| 10 | Bartender | $23,920 | $11.50 |
| 11 | Crew Member | $23,896 | $11.49 |
| 12 | Waitress | $23,826 | $11.45 |
| 13 | Server | $23,800 | $11.44 |
| 14 | Food Prep | $23,764 | $11.43 |
| 15 | Hostess | $23,659 | $11.37 |
| 16 | Busser | $23,602 | $11.35 |
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Average Red Lobster salary by state
Red Lobster pays the highest salaries in New York due to higher costs of living and competition in the state.
How much does Red Lobster pay by location?
Highest paying Red Lobster locations
| Rank | Location | Average Red Lobster salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix, AZ | $26,686 | $12.83 |
| 2 | Boone, CO | $26,472 | $12.73 |
| 3 | Joliet, IL | $24,401 | $11.73 |
| 4 | Orlando, FL | $23,432 | $11.27 |
| 5 | Overland Park, KS | $23,164 | $11.14 |
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Red Lobster salaries by department
Salaries at Red Lobster vary depending on the department you work in. Red Lobster salaries in the customer service department are the highest with an average salary of $32,431. Employees in the education department at Red Lobster receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $32,345 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Red Lobster include the hospitality/service and the plant/manufacturing organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $24,239 and $26,803, respectively.
Average Red Lobster salary by department
| Rank | Department | Average Red Lobster salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Customer Service | $32,431 | $15.59 |
| 2 | Education | $32,345 | $15.55 |
| 3 | Retail | $29,142 | $14.01 |
| 4 | Plant/Manufacturing | $26,803 | $12.89 |
| 5 | Hospitality/Service | $24,239 | $11.65 |
How much does Red Lobster pay by department?
Best paying Red Lobster hospitality/service salaries
| Rank | Position | Average Red Lobster salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurant Manager | $42,002 | $20.19 |
| 2 | Chef | $40,743 | $19.59 |
| 3 | Culinary Manager | $35,570 | $17.10 |
| 4 | Dish Washer | $24,953 | $12.00 |
| 5 | Customer Service And Serving | $24,680 | $11.87 |
| 6 | Food Runner | $24,089 | $11.58 |
| 7 | Cook | $24,016 | $11.55 |
| 8 | Bartender | $23,920 | $11.50 |
| 9 | Waitress | $23,826 | $11.45 |
| 10 | Server | $23,800 | $11.44 |
| 11 | Food Prep | $23,764 | $11.43 |
| 12 | Hostess | $23,659 | $11.37 |
| 13 | Busser | $23,602 | $11.35 |
Best paying Red Lobster plant/manufacturing salaries
| Rank | Position | Average Red Lobster salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Manager | $48,648 | $23.39 |
| 2 | Culinary Assistant | $28,103 | $13.51 |
| 3 | Shift Manager | $27,139 | $13.05 |
| 4 | Assembler | $26,759 | $12.86 |
| 5 | Line Cook | $25,838 | $12.42 |
| 6 | Prep Cook/Dishwasher | $25,562 | $12.29 |
| 7 | Kitchen Worker | $25,516 | $12.27 |
| 8 | Food Prep/Dishwasher | $25,425 | $12.22 |
| 9 | Kitchen Helper | $24,483 | $11.77 |
| 10 | Line Chef | $24,005 | $11.54 |
Best paying Red Lobster customer service salaries
| Rank | Position | Average Red Lobster salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service Manager | $46,087 | $22.16 |
| 2 | Hospitality Specialist | $27,392 | $13.17 |
| 3 | Service Assistant | $27,065 | $13.01 |
| 4 | Contact Person | $26,378 | $12.68 |
| 5 | Customer Assistant | $26,020 | $12.51 |
Red Lobster competitors’ average salaries
Average salaries at Red Lobster competitors, like CKE Restaurants Holdings, McGrath's Fish House, and Logan's Roadhouse, vary. CKE Restaurants Holdings employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $55,377. The average salary at McGrath's Fish House is $35,686 per year, and the average salary at Logan's Roadhouse is $33,589 per year.
Highest paying Red Lobster competitors
| Rank | Company name | Zippia score | Average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CKE Restaurants Holdings | 4.7 | $55,377 |
| 2 | McGrath's Fish House | 3.4 | $35,686 |
| 3 | Logan's Roadhouse | 4.1 | $33,589 |
| 4 | Joe's Crab Shack | 3.4 | $33,197 |
| 5 | Chipotle Mexican Grill | 4.4 | $32,507 |
| 6 | The Fish Market Restaurants | 4.2 | $32,351 |
| 7 | Texas Roadhouse | 4.4 | $31,839 |
| 8 | Outback Steakhouse | 4.3 | $30,508 |
| 9 | Chili's Grill & Bar | 4.0 | $30,072 |
| 10 | Bonefish Grill | 4.5 | $29,496 |
| 11 | Buffalo Wild Wings | 4.3 | $27,704 |
| 12 | Red Robin | 4.0 | $27,506 |
| 13 | Ruby Tuesday | 3.7 | $27,459 |
| 14 | TGI Fridays | 3.9 | $27,440 |
| 15 | Applebee's Canada | 4.2 | $27,331 |
| 16 | Denny's | 4.3 | $27,081 |
| 17 | Sonic Drive-In | 4.3 | $27,013 |
| 18 | Hooters | 4.5 | $26,406 |
| 19 | Wendy's | 4.3 | $26,046 |
| 20 | Subway | 4.2 | $25,489 |
Recently added Red Lobster salaries
| Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Manager | Sandusky, OH | 06/28/2025 | $48,000 |
| Restaurant Manager | Knoxville, TN | 06/27/2025 | $52,000 |
| Restaurant Manager | Austin, TX | 06/27/2025 | $56,000 |
| Restaurant Manager | Indianapolis, IN | 06/26/2025 | $52,000 |
| Restaurant Manager | Southaven, MS | 06/26/2025 | $52,000 |
What employees say about salary at Red Lobster
The fact that they annually bring in 2 billion$ but can afford to pay the veterans raises.Ive been there 16 years an make 15.40.They start people out at 15$.restaraunt store 6315 shameful place to work.Management looks out for there selves.
Being used when your the hardest worker they haveNo room for growth Favoritism
Anniversary pay only advantage that an 401 k
What I like about working there is the job in general, it’s a like able assignment you have to do and I really enjoy it.
What I don’t like about working there is the other employees.
My favorite benefit of working in this restaurant are the employee discounts.
The atmosphere, the friends I made while working there, and flexible schedule.
I was a server so some of the customers could be rude or impatient sometimes but honestly there wasn’t one thing that I didn’t like.
Being able to bring home the money I made that same night.
The managers, my coworkers and the customers
Low pay and little hours
Tip share received every day
Flexible hours, discount on food
Corporate culture, worked really hard for the money you made, management is not organized
Cash tips
Great Communication with tasks and structured my belief in standards of food service, cleanliness,& professionalism
Many options and optional opportunity in perks
My coworkers and managers are like family
The inconsistency of my paychecks/hours
Tips
It is almost always fast paced, so the time goes by quickly. Weekly paychecks are a nice touch. I have worked at three different locations, and it has always been very easy to get along with coworkers. Management can be okay, sometimes. Better than not having a job.
Constant heat, sweat, grill smoke, stinking like fish every day. Being shouted at by servers. Being insulted and degraded by management. Being called a racial slur by my district manager behind my back. Crappy pay.
None. They don't even give us a free lunch.
Frequently asked questions about Red Lobster salaries
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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Red Lobster, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Red Lobster. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Red Lobster. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Red Lobster. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Red Lobster and its employees or that of Zippia.
Red Lobster may also be known as or be related to Red Lobster, Red Lobster Hospitality LLC, Red Lobster Hospitality Llc and Red Lobster Management LLC.