As Red Lobster struggles to claw its way out of bankruptcy, many note that part of what got it in hot water was its Ultimate Endless Shrimp promotion. The shellfish chowfest had been an annual limited-time special, but Red Lobster made it permanent in June 2023, and during an earnings call, its parent company’s CFO said doing so was “one of the key reasons” for the chain’s losses.

Diners who prefer shovels to cutlery may worry Red Lobster’s woes gave other restaurants indigestion concerning all-you-can-eat specials, but one, Buffalo Wild Wings, is doubling down on them.

In a May 13 Instagram post about its unlimited boneless wings and fries special, offered Mondays and Wednesdays for a limited time for $19.99, the company quipped, “pls don’t bankrupt us .”

Asked by Today.com to confirm it was mocking Red Lobster, Buffalo Wild Wings issued a statement that declined to do so, then coyly made another reference: “Our fans can rest assured that Buffalo Wild Wings will not be going bankrupt anytime soon.”

Keep reading here.—AAN

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A new study from the Bank of America Institute found that Gen Z and millennial shoppers are increasing their share of grocery spending at value-tier stores, as inflation and “necessity spending” related to life changes spur them to seek savings.

Joseph Wadford, economist at the institute, told Retail Brew that these younger generations are now paying more for other expenses such as housing, automobiles, and children, which is pushing their value-tier grocery spending above the standard and premium tiers. This shift took place for millennials in 2022 and for Gen Z in 2023.

“They’re just aging into trading down to value-tier groceries,” he said.

• The trend is playing out against a backdrop of lingering inflation, especially in food. The institute found that grocery prices were still up nearly 30% in April 2024 compared to January 2020.

Overall, though, the shift toward trading down may be overstated, Wadford added.

Keep reading here.—AV

Expect the Croisette to be littered with shopping carts.

Retailers and their ad networks, some of which have recently overhauled their offerings, will have an outsize presence at this year’s Cannes Lions, which kicked off June 17. Executives from Target and Walmart are returning to the festival this year, while Kroger is sending executives to the festival for the first time. Each retailer will host meetings and pitch their ad offerings at the annual industry ballyhoo.

“We can’t be on the sidelines,” Cara Pratt, SVP, Kroger Precision Marketing, told Marketing Brew via email. “Retail sales is the ultimate proof of advertising effectiveness, so we have a responsibility to be at Cannes.”

Keep reading here on Marketing Brew.—RB

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