The Red Lobster by Cielo Vista Mall in east El Paso is serving its final baskets of Cheddar Bay biscuits this month, with workers confirming the restaurant will close for good on March 23. Until then, it is business as usual, giving regulars a two-week window for farewell dinners before the lights go out. The shutdown trims the chain’s local presence but still leaves at least one Red Lobster operating in the city, as the brand continues to regroup following last year’s bankruptcy and corporate takeover.
Location and timeline
According to the El Paso Times, the Cielo Vista Mall outpost, listed locally at 8401 Gateway Blvd W, will close on March 23. The chain’s website still shows El Paso locations on the Red Lobster website at 1860 Joe Battle Blvd and on the Red Lobster website at 800 Sunland Park Drive, and those sites remain open for now. An employee at the Cielo Vista restaurant confirmed the March 23 closure date to the paper. For many locals, the Cielo Vista dining room has long doubled as a go-to spot for family celebrations and weekend meals before or after a mall run.
Why the chain is shrinking
Red Lobster has been trimming locations and reshaping its footprint after filing for Chapter 11 in 2024 and later exiting bankruptcy under new ownership by RL Investor Holdings, which committed more than $60 million in fresh funding, according to PR Newswire. New CEO Damola Adamolekun has dialed back loss-making promotions and adjusted the menu as part of a plan to steady the business, a strategy detailed by Fortune. Since mid-2024, the company has also shuttered dozens of underperforming restaurants while concentrating investment on those that remain.
Foot traffic and local impact
Local analytics cited by the El Paso Times show visits to the brand slipping in December and January, mirroring broader casual dining slowdowns tracked by Placer.ai. The Cielo Vista closure will take away a long-standing mall dining option, and employees say the final weeks are being used to wind down operations and clear out inventory. Mall management has not yet shared a timeline for when the space might be re-leased or what could replace it.
For now, Red Lobster’s other El Paso locations are still listed with normal hours on the chain’s site. The Cielo Vista restaurant will keep serving through March 23, then close permanently, leaving customers and staff with a short runway for last visits and final arrangements.
