Red Lobster is testing out a new store concept, but it’s trying not to stray too far from what diners already know. “Our design decisions were guided by the idea of ‘newstalgia,’ preserving the elements guests know and love while expressing them in a fresh, contemporary way,” says Ashley Popich, managing director of the commercial interior design and architecture firm Zebra, which worked with Red Lobster on the new dining rooms. The redesign is part of a broader comeback effort for the seafood chain following a recent bankruptcy, and it’s an attempt to become more appealing to young diners while retaining its loyal customer base. Red Lobster once had fish-shaped tables, but it replaced them in the mid-2000s with interiors that looked like a standard, neutral, suburban sit-down restaurant with nautical artwork and decor. Its dining rooms and interiors were designed to evoke a sophisticated ambience inspired by the Maine coast, with wood and neutral colors for a more upscale experience. [Photo: Red Lobster] The idea of “newstalgia” is about honoring the most recognizable and meaningful elements of the brand and carrying it forward in a way that feels fresh, relevant, and intentional, Popich tells Fast Company. For Red Lobster, that’s not necessarily a singular iconic aesthetic, but a generic, if elevated, sit-down style. The refreshed restaurant design rolled out first at three locations, in Kissimmee, Florida; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Clarksville, Tennessee, with more to come. The redesign has elements like a lobster tank, portholes, and rope dividers, while it brings in a lighter color palette, refined materials, and cleaner lines. There are wood floors and chairs, and white wood-paneled walls. The style is called contemporary coastal modern, and it looks like a contemporary beach house: smart, not kitschy. The goal is to provide a nautical feel without seeming themed. [Photo: Red Lobster] “Rather than layering in more nautical decor, we abstracted and re

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