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Lobster delivery services are fishmongers, restaurants, and seafood shops that ship live whole lobsters, lobster tails, and lobster meat direct to consumers. These services often harvest the lobster themselves or work with local fishermen in coastal areas to supply lobster to their customers.
The best lobster delivery services provide a good value in terms of quality of meat for the price and ship in a way that is cost-effective for both their business and the buyer. The best services are also often local to the areas where they harvest and implement sustainable fishing practices.
Best Lobster Delivery Services of 2022
- Best Overall: Lobsters Online
- Best for Frequent Buyers: LobsterAnywhere
- Most Personal Experience: The Lobster Guy
- Most Sustainability Minded: Luke’s Lobster
- Best for Bulk Buyers: Get Maine Lobster
- Best Ordering Experience: Maine Lobster Now
- Best for Gift Givers: Lobster Gram
Best Overall : Lobsters Online
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Lobsters Online
- Price (+ Shipping): No minimum order plus $25 to $40 for shipping
- Est. Shipping Days: Overnight
- Availability: Nationwide
Lobsters from this longtime Cape Cod business are sure to be fresh with the constant supply the company turns out to stock grocery stores and restaurants.
Live Maine lobsters along with tails and meat available
Transparency about lobster harvest and processing
Affordable overnight shipping
Surcharge for Saturday delivery
Lobsters Online is the delivery service for The Lobster Trap on Cape Cod. Founded as a neighborhood fish market in 1972, it's still owned by the same family. The restaurant now supplies grocery chains like Stop & Shop, as well as restaurants—including its own. Not only does that say a lot about the quality of its seafood, that means the company is constantly turning over its product. Nothing here sticks around for more than two or three days, ensuring freshness for every lobster purchased.
The website goes into great detail about where and how they harvest and process their lobsters, so you can get the most information about where your food is coming from. The company also sells lobster tails, lobster meat, chowder, clams, mussels, oysters, calamari, caviar, and scallops.
Shipping is overnight via UPS and it costs about $25 if you're shipping to the East Coast, and $40 to the West Coast. The cost for two 1.5-pound lobsters is about $53.
Best for Frequent Buyers : LobsterAnywhere
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LobsterAnywhere
- Price (+ Shipping): Prices start at about $39 plus $36 shipping
- Est. Shipping Days: Overnight
- Availability: Nationwide
If ordering fresh lobster and seafood is something you plan to do regularly, you’ll benefit from LobsterAnywhere’s customer rewards program.
No minimum order
Earn reward points to use towards future purchases
Numerous five star customer reviews
Order by 12PM EST to receive next day
No flat rate shipping, varies by order cost
Tails arrive frozen
Based in Massachusetts and in business since 1999, LobsterAnywhere offers live lobsters, as well as tails and meat, full-on surf-and-turf lobster dinners, plus a host of other seafood such as shrimp and scallops.
As a nice touch, you can check out the shipping charges on a chart before you buy, whereas most companies make you add your contact information first. Typically, the shipping cost is between $36 to $79 depending on the size of the order, although some items are specially priced with free shipping, making for a pretty good deal. One of these deals, the Lobster Roll Kit, serves eight people for about $189 which is about $22 a roll to have them delivered to your door–around what you’d pay at a restaurant. For a pair of 1.5-pound lobsters, the price is around $88 plus $42 shipping.
If you’re a big seafood lover, you can take advantage of LobsterAnywhere’s rewards program. For every dollar you spend, you’ll get 100 “sand dollars,” which you can redeem at checkout for a discount.
Most Personal Experience : The Lobster Guy
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The LobsterGuy
- Price (+ Shipping): Prices start at $20 plus shipping
- Est. Shipping Days: Overnight
- Availability: Nationwide
Captain Tim Handrigan and his team catch live Maine lobsters themselves and sell directly to customers ensuring fresh lobster and affordable prices.
No minimum order
Some meals and dinners ship free
Easy to check shipping charges before checkout
Website difficult to read and navigate due to placement of reviews throughout
High shipping rates compared to others reviewed
Extra delivery charge for weekends
Captain Tim, the eponymous LobsterGuy, owns a fleet of boats and his team of skippers and deckhands work hard to bring fresh, succulent Maine lobster to you. The LobsterGuy may even be familiar to you since Captain Tim has been featured on Discovery Channel’s Lobstermen.
The company doesn't use a middleman to source or buy lobsters from, so the prices are great and you can check the shipping charges before entering your contact information. Shipping is always overnight via FedEx and is determined by the weight of the package and the zip code of its destination.
The price for lobster ends up being around $20 per pound, although you can buy it in a wide range of weights from tiny to jumbo, and you can purchase them already steamed. The store also offers a selection of seafood from other fishermen in Captain Tim’s network, including scallops, clams, and shrimp. There are also kits for lobster rolls or clam bakes, and ready-made chowders and bisques.
Most Sustainability Minded : Luke’s Lobster
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Luke’s Lobster
- Price (+ Shipping): Prices start at $105 (for a two-pack) with free shipping
- Est. Shipping Days: Overnight
- Availability: Nationwide
Traceability is a top priority for this restaurant chain and online seafood market which is also certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.
Free shipping
Sustainability-minded company with multiple certifications
Live, meat, tails, claws and rolls available
Lobster sold by pack and number versus pound
Higher cost than some other options, even with free shipping
When other items ordered with live lobster, $10 flat-rate shipping added
Luke’s Lobster started as a restaurant in New York’s East Village in 2009. Since then it’s grown into a chain of over 20 restaurants located around the U.S. The chain now operates an online seafood market and prepares frozen lobster products sold in supermarkets such as Whole Foods.
But even though it’s now a bigger brand, Luke’s Lobster hasn’t lost its indie spirit. It’s a Certified B Corporation committed to giving back to its community and the environment through contributions and partnership with The Ocean Foundation. The company says it can trace every pound of seafood back to which harbor it came from.
You’d think with this much name recognition, Luke’s Lobster would charge astronomical prices. Instead, they offer reasonable prices. Lobsters average out to $50 each for 1.25- to 1.5-pounders, and shipping is free via UPS next-day.
Best for Bulk Buyers : Get Maine Lobster
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Get Maine Lobster
- Price (+ Shipping): Starts at $130 plus shipping about $20 to $35
- Est. Shipping Days: Overnight
- Availability: Nationwide
This online shop is full of bulk deals and special discounts to save you money when you need a lot of lobster delivered to your door.
Affordable shipping
Bulk discounts
Commitment to sustainable practices and sourcing
Extra charge for weekend deliveries
Orders must be placed by 8:59 AM EST for next day delivery
Tails arrive frozen
Throwing a party? Get Maine Lobster has you covered with its “Buy One Get One” bulk deals. Though most of the company's offers are for orders of six or more lobster tails, the company offers great prices on larger orders of live lobsters, too. If you order five culls—lobsters that have lost an appendage—you can get five free for $269 and free shipping. That’s just $27 a lobster. Or, you can order four pristine live lobsters up to 1.2 pounds each in size and get two free, plus free shipping, and those lobsters will cost around $40 each.
There’s not a big selection in terms of the size of the lobsters, as all are around 1.1 to 1.6 pounds. But insiders will tell you that smaller lobsters are younger and sweeter anyway. The company also offers lobster roll kits, beef wellingtons, and crab claws.
In business since 2010, the company sources all of its lobster from Maine and has a long roster of local Portland, Maine, charities it supports, including the National Breast Cancer Foundation and an assistance program for veterans.
Shipping is via UPS overnight, second day, or ground and is calculated when you check out. Expect to spend between $20 and $35, depending on its destination.
Best Ordering Experience : Maine Lobster Now
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Maine Lobster Now
- Price (+ Shipping): Starts at $27 free shipping on orders over $100
- Est. Shipping Days: Overnight
- Availability: Nationwide
This clean to read, simple to navigate website makes lobster ordering quick and easy.
Free shipping on orders over $100
No minimum order in price or number of lobsters
Live, tails, meat, rolls, and mac n’ cheese available
First price shown on shopping page is for bulk lobster purchase
Need to enter coupon code for free shipping over $100
Extra fee for weekend delivery
Launched in 2012 by the tech-savvy son of a longtime lobster wholesaler, Maine Lobster now has perhaps the most well-designed website in the lobster shipping business. Being able to easily and clearly navigate around the site makes shopping a pleasure.
The selection includes live lobsters in a wide range of sizes, which are purchased directly from the lobstermen and kept in saltwater tanks until they're packaged for delivery. There are also lobster tails, lobster meat, and other seafood like crab and scallops. You can round out your order with everyday items such as chicken breasts and ground beef, or gourmet goods such as lobster pot pie, mac and cheese, bisques, chowders, and blueberry pie for dessert.
One of the best parts is not having to wonder about shipping charges because the company offers free shipping on orders of $100 or more—which is not a difficult mark to hit when you’re buying lobster. Lobsters here will run you around $42 for a 1.5-pounder. Even if you don’t order $100 worth, shipping can be calculated before checking out. There is also free shipping included in all orders that covers delivery delays.
Best for Gift Givers : Lobster Gram
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Lobster Gram
- Price (+ Shipping): Starts at $80, plus $44 shipping
- Est. Shipping Days: Overnight
- Availability: Nationwide
You can send the gift of live lobster along with all the tools needed to prepare it and extras for a full meal with the Original Lobster Gram and gift sets available.
Full meal kits are ideal for gift giving
Easy to estimate shipping on product page
Customizable to serve 2 to 6 people
Only live lobsters are sourced from Maine
Shipping not included at any price point
Monday delivery not available
Chicago-based Lobster Gram has been around since 1987 and sources its live lobsters direct from Maine, where it has an 18,000-square-foot distribution center. It also gets lobster tails from other cold-water fisheries in New Zealand, South Africa, Tristan da Cunha, and North Australia.
There’s no sense surprising a loved one with a delivery of live lobsters if they don’t have the tools and know-how to cook them. Luckily, Lobster Gram covers all the bases by offering kits that include shell crackers, seafood forks, and even butter and lemon. The website is loaded with instructional videos for cooking and serving lobster.
The company offers a wide range of other foods, including steaks and desserts, so you can order a multi-course lobster dinner for just one person. The meal includes it all: a one-pound lobster, one crab cake, chowder, dessert, butter and lemon, crab cracker and fork, bib, and a moist towelette.
If you want to order just a few lobsters, two of them cost $80.
Shipping live lobsters requires overnight delivery, and there’s a handy chart so you can determine your costs before giving up your contact information during checkout. For frozen products, you can opt for slightly more economical two-day shipping, although shipping on an average order will be about $45.
Final Verdict
A lot of companies will ship fresh, live lobster and lobster products to your door. Some companies focus on their sourcing and commitment to sustainability while others pass savings onto customers through deals on shipping and bulk orders. Overall, the best lobster delivery service is Lobsters Online.
Lobsters Online is a longtime family-owned company who is transparent about their lobster harvesting and processing in an effort to ensure customers that they are receiving lobster obtained using sustainable methods. They are also committed to freshness and offer affordable overnight shipping.
Compare The Best Lobster Delivery Services
Company | Price (+Shipping) | Estimated Shipping Time | Availability | Add-Ons |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lobsters Online Best Overall | No minimum order $25 to $40 shipping | Overnight | Nationwide | Seafood, chowders, accessories |
LobsterAnywhere Best for Frequent Buyers | Starts at $39 plus $36 shipping | Overnight | Nationwide | Lobster rolls, seafood, meal kits |
The LobsterGuy Most Personal Experience | Starts at $20 plus shipping which varies by location | Overnight | Nationwide | Seafood, meals, dinners, clambakes, desserts, accessories |
Luke’s Lobster Most Sustainability Minded | Starts at $105 with free shipping | Overnight | Nationwide | Seafood, shell crackers, seasonings, rolls and meal kits |
Get Maine Lobster Best for Bulk Buyers | Starts at $130 plus $20 to $35 shipping | Overnight | Nationwide | Seafood, rolls, beef |
Maine Lobster Now Best Ordering Experience | Starts at $27 with free shipping over $100 | Overnight | Nationwide | Seafood, rolls, beef, desserts, dinners, mac n cheese chowders |
Lobster Gram Best for Gift Givers | Starts at $80 plus $44 shipping | Overnight | Nationwide | Gift packs, meal kits, seafood, beef, desserts |
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Lobster Delivery Services Ship Live Lobsters?
Since the lobsters are live, companies generally use insulated shipping coolers with gel packs inside to keep the container cool. Shipping live lobsters requires overnight delivery. If a company ships frozen lobsters there’s often a less expensive shipping rate for two-day delivery.
What Are the Best Ways to Cook a Lobster?
The two most popular methods are steaming or boiling the lobster. Steaming is often the preferred method as it leaves the lobster meat more tender and less watery than if boiled.
To steam: Add two inches of water to a pot large enough to hold the lobster. Add a rack, if desired. Bring the water to a boil. Add the lobster to the pot head first, cover tightly, then steam for 7 minutes for the first pound and 3 minutes for each additional pound. Boiling is the preferred method for cooking four or more lobsters.
To boil: Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the lobsters by 3 inches once submerged. Add 2 tablespoons of salt for each quart of water. Bring to a boil. Add lobsters head first to boiling water. Cover tightly and boil for the required amount of time. Cooking time is based on the size of the lobsters and not the total weight of the lobsters. For example, if the pot contains 1-pound lobsters, boil for 5 to 7 minutes. For 1 1/4-pound lobsters, boil for 7 to 9 minutes.
How Soon Should I Cook the Lobster From a Lobster Delivery Service?
Most companies recommend cooking the lobster within 24 hours of delivery. Maine Lobster Now suggests cooking the lobster the same day it is received but you may store it overnight in the refrigerator along with the seaweed it is packed in to keep it moist. The company notes that fresh water will kill the live lobsters so don’t use fresh water to keep the lobsters moist during storage.
How Much Do Lobster Delivery Services Cost?
Prices vary according to weight, number of lobsters, and other factors. For example, LobsterAnywhere charges $36 for shipping a single 1.25 pound lobster that costs $39 each. Maine Lobster Now charges $30 shipping for a 1.25 pounder that costs $33, but has free shipping for orders over $100. Luke’s Lobster offers free shipping on all orders, with one lobster averaging about $50 each.
How We Chose the Best Lobster Delivery Services
Buying fresh, live Maine lobsters online is an investment, so we prioritized companies that protect this by shipping lobsters properly and offering refunds for any that arrive unusable. Keep in mind, every company has the same strict rules about refunds should anything happen, and you’d be wise to get familiar with them before ordering.
We also looked for companies that are transparent about their sourcing, so you know exactly where the lobster was harvested, not just where it was shipped from.
High marks went to websites that offered a clear, easy ordering process and responsive customer service. We also took into account customer reviews, selection, and pricing, with bonus points going to companies that don’t hide the high cost of shipping to hook their customers.
Customers should note that prices fluctuate depending on the season. The best prices are usually found in spring and fall, from April to early June, and September to November. The prices listed in this article are effective as of early May.
Methodology
When researching the best lobster delivery services we evaluated harvesting, packing, and shipping methods as well as refund policies given the investment in a product like live lobsters. Transparent sourcing was also important.
Some people want access to small quantities of lobster to try while others want it in bulk for larger events. Either way the ordering process should be easy and clear, providing all the important information needed on shipping, expected arrival, and special care instructions. Keeping all of these things in mind we found the best lobster delivery services to meet a variety of customer needs and preferences.