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ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Beginning December 8, Red Lobster is giving youngsters the opportunity to discover the wonders of seafood through a creative new kid's menu.

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For parents, it will provide kid-pleasing, fresh selections designed to bring healthy eating to life for their children.

"Young people today have increasingly sophisticated palates," said Red Lobster Executive Chef Keith Keogh. "They are adventurous and very much into flavor. These new dishes will give kids the chance to not only dine on succulent selections similar to those their parents are eating, but also give them the opportunity to try something new that they may not have enjoyed before."

The new selections showcase seafood such as Grilled Mahi-Mahi and Snow Crab Legs, accompanied by healthy fresh vegetables.

"These combinations are sure to please a child's palate and a parent's desire to promote healthy lifestyle habits," said Keogh.

New items on Red Lobster's kid's menu, available at its more than 640 restaurants throughout the United States, include:

* Snow Crab Legs & Steamed Veggies -- Kids will keep themselves busy as they enjoy their own plateful of snow crab legs, a delicacy that Red Lobster is credited with introducing to North America when the company first opened in 1968. * Grilled Mahi-Mahi & Steamed Veggies -- This popular mild-tasting fish is known for its ability to enhance the flavors around it. * Grilled Chicken & Steamed Veggies -- A traditional family favorite that can be enjoyed at Red Lobster. * Popcorn Shrimp & Fries -- In 1974, Red Lobster first introduced this signature item to its menu as a finger food for kids. Of course, parents loved the dish so much it became a staple of the overall Red Lobster menu.

Additionally, kids can enjoy favorites such as Macaroni & Cheese with Steamed Veggies and Chicken Fingers & Fries.

All kid's meals come with a choice of applesauce or fresh carrots and cucumbers with a ranch dipping sauce and a drink.

As parents seek new ways to help their children develop healthy lifestyles that include regular physical activity and healthy eating patterns, Red Lobster offers kids expanded dining options featuring grilled and steamed seafood favorites. Evidence abounds that seafood, prepared with a minimum of added fat, has positive health benefits. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends that people eat fish twice a week as part of a low-fat, heart-healthy diet.

Studies have also shown that 91% of children aged 6 to 11 years are not consuming the recommended minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables. That's why Red Lobster has focused on offering several kid-pleasing options, including both fresh and steamed vegetables and applesauce.

Red Lobster's new kid's program is a positive response to The American Dietetic Association's challenge to restaurants to "Step Up to the Plate" by offering several delicious menu choices that champion a healthier lifestyle.

Also, Red Lobster's Web site (http://www.redlobster.com/) features a "Fun Zone" for kids, with sea-related games, fun facts, information on the kid's menu and periodic coupon offers. Beginning December 8, young diners will receive a newly designed menu/activity booklet at Red Lobster that will include family activities, information about the sea and fun facts.

About Red Lobster

Red Lobster is the world's largest seafood casual dining operation with over 670 restaurants in the United States and Canada and more than 65,000 employees. The company served more than 144 million guests in fiscal 2003 (ending May 25, 2003) and enjoyed total sales of $2.4 billion, a 4.1 percent increase over the previous year.

In March, diners recognized it as the nation's best seafood restaurant for the 15th year in a row in a nationwide poll by Restaurants & Institutions magazine. It is also the winner of a 2002 Special Brand Reinvention Award from Chain Store Age magazine for its Coastal Home design, the 2002 Menu Masters Award from Nation's Restaurant News and the 2001 Menu Strategist of the Year Award from Restaurant Business magazine. In 2002 the Wall Street Journal identified Red Lobster's wine list as one of the three best in casual dining.

The company is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants Inc. . Darden also owns and operates Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze, Smokey Bones Barbeque and Grill and Seasons 52 restaurants. For the Red Lobster nearest you, call 1-800-LOBSTER or visit http://www.redlobster.com/. Photo: NewsCom:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030109/FLTH002LOGO-aAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Red Lobster

CONTACT: Wendy Spirduso, wspirduso@redlobster.com, or Denise Wilson,dwilson@redlobster.com, both of Red Lobster, +1-407-245-4372; or MichaelGannet, ext. 233, or mgannet@piersongrant.com, or Rachel Stein, ext. 228, orrstein@piersongrant.com, both of Pierson Grant, +1-954-776-1999, for RedLobster

Web site: http://www.redlobster.com/http://www.darden.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/105228.html