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New York — Red Lobster says it's feeling the "Beyoncé Bounce."
The seafood chain known for its cheddar biscuits says sales surged 33 percent on Sunday from a year ago. The increase came after the release of Formation, in which Beyoncé says she took a man to Red Lobster after sex. Red Lobster says it's sure the mention is responsible for at least part of its sales jump.
A representative for the chain did not immediately say whether the sales comparison was from the Sunday of the same weekend a year ago, or with 7 February 2015 which fell on a Saturday last year. Sales on Saturdays and Sunday on average may vary.
The pop culture spotlight is no doubt a welcome change for Red Lobster, which was sold by Darden Restaurants in July of 2014 after it suffered ongoing declines in sales. The chain, which is now privately held by investment firm Golden Gate Capital, says it has posted sales gains every quarter since the separation.
And after the mention by Beyoncé, it says it was also a trending topic on Twitter for the first time.
"It's clear that Beyoncé has helped create some Red Lobster fans, and we are very grateful to her for that," Red Lobster CEO Kim Lopdrup said in a statement.
Erica Ettori, a Red Lobster representative, said she could not "confirm or deny" whether the chain has reached out to superstar, but noted that things were "moving fast."
Regardless, the chain is already trying to make the most of its moment. It tweeted: "'Cheddar Bey Biscuits' has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
The chain is also noting that lobster is considered a romantic food.
Red Lobster, based in Orlando, Florida, has more than 700 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
