Colorado Red Lobster Restaurant Discovers Rare Orange Lobster

It almost ended up on someone's plate.

For many Red Lobster customers, looking in the tank for the crustacean that will become your dinner is an exciting part of the experience. Diners at a Colorado Red Lobster location, however, found something quite eye-catching recently. 

Workers at the Red Lobster in Pueblo, Colorado were recently notified about a different-looking lobster in the tank at the restaurant. It turns out it had a rare, one-in-30 million genetic mutation that gave it a unique orange color. 

"They’re very dark brown with maybe a few small spots or discoloration points, so having one that was bright orange that none of us had ever seen was definitely a bit of a shock," general manager Kendra Kastendieck told KDVR. 

It wasn't even one of the employees that noticed the off-colored crustacean, but the customers. "We actually had several guests see him in the tank in our lobby and asked why do we have a cooked lobster in our lobster tank," Kastendieck said.

The Downtown Aquarium in Denver said the lobster was "accidentally delivered" to a Red Lobster in Pueblo. The restaurant's quick thinking saved the lobster's life. 

"The lobster’s coloration is from a genetic mutation which affects and prevents encoded proteins," the aquarium explained to KDVR. "The lack of one or several proteins can manifest as different colors, including blue, yellow, and orange."

It's not the first time an orange lobster has been seen. Back in 2018, a Massachusetts grocery store worker found an orange lobster while working at a supermarket. 

As for this lobster, it's since been re-homed at the aquarium and been named "Crush" after the Denver Broncos' famous defense in the 1970s and '80s.