It’s a day Mainers anticipate avidly: June 26 is cheap lobster roll day at all six Governor’s Restaurants.
The venerable Maine-based restaurant chain each year offers a one-day-only deal on lobster rolls that are first-come, first-serve and only available in person. This year, sales begin at all locations at 8 a.m. and continue until at least 3 p.m. or until they run out of lobster.
Last year, Governor’s estimated it sold more than 20,000 lobster rolls across its six restaurants in Old Town, Bangor, Ellsworth, Waterville, Lewiston and Presque Isle. That’s a lot of lobster.
Lobster rolls this year are priced at $9.65, with $1.65 extra for fries or coleslaw, in celebration of the chain’s 65th anniversary. Compare that to rolls priced anywhere from $25 to $40 at famous seafood shacks across the state. Hannaford Supermarkets are selling a $10 lobster roll this summer, yes, but they’re not made fresh to order.
Governor’s has put up a list of helpful tips on its website to make the experience as seamless and fun as possible, though it stresses the importance of one particular thing: don’t try to order ahead. Just come in, wait in line and get your rolls in person. Restaurant staff said it slows them down to take orders ahead of time, and the only call-ahead orders they will take are for 25 or more rolls. They even have set up cash-only walk-up kiosks at five out of six restaurants, to speed up the buying process even more.
Have you gotten a Governor’s lobster roll on cheap lobster roll day? You won’t find a better deal on Maine’s most iconic food, that’s for sure.