Red Lobster is going bankrupt and might very well be closing. My first date with my husband was when I was 21 and he was

[debm55]

Last edited Sat May 4, 2024, 03:46 PM - Edit history (1)

23. Both of us enjoyed it as we were poor and right out of college. I still remember that I had shrimp, baked potato, cole slaw and the cheese biscuits. It was very crowded on that Friday evening. We went there every so often. and less as we got older. It used to be our place 48 places. However, it got to the point the only thing I liked was the biscuits. And since the stores were selling the mix, there was no reason to go. As you know my husband is from Boston and has a passion for real fried clams. So, do you have anythind you like or dislike about Red Lobster?

[Lunabell]

1. The restaurant's founder was Bill Darden, a white man who seated black patrons in the Jim Crow south.

He was a good person and this is his legacy of inclusion.

https://www.liveabout.com/bill-darden-biography-1350946

[debm55]

3. Thank you, Lunabell,

[AllaN01Bear]

21. thank you.

interisting and touching history .u learn a lot on du.

[Ocelot II]

2. I loved the biscuits.

[debm55]

4. Ty Ocelot II So did I.

[niyad]

7. Fortunately, there are recipes that replicate them. And box mixes

in the baking aisles.

[RandySF]

5. It really went downhill over the last decade.

[debm55]

8. Thank you RandySF, Has it really gone that far downhill? When we went it was okay. But service, food , wait for a

table were long. I haven't been there in about 10 years and it sad to say that the only thing I enjoyed were the biscuits.

[BComplex]

14. The food at the ones I've eaten at in the last few years was really bad.

There are two Red Lobsters in towns adjacent to me, and both of them have just been horrible. The seafood tastes dry and hard, like it was frozen, thawed out when I placed my order, and then overcooked. Not fresh. Not tasty. Not juicy.

[debm55]

15. TY BComplex. The last time we ate there, I had scallops they were undercooked. I sent them back.I think I got the same

ones---still undercooked. Doesn't say too much about the place, it the only good think is their biscuits.

[jimfields33]

18. I wasn't impressed. I went in 1998 and never went back.

There are fantastic seafood restaurants that are much better than this place. Good riddance.

[RandySF]

36. The food.

And the menu’s hardly changed since I was a kid.

[debm55]

37. TY RandySF and it got worse as I got older.

[appleannie1]

6. I still take my one son there.

I always get the crab legs. I let Michael have whatever he wants. Big mistake. He got the altimate feast. I just drank water with lemon but he had a virgin marguerita. I was broke when we left. The one in Monroeville served me crab legs so old the meat was brown. I sent them back and only ate my salad while everyone else ate their dinners. That was a couple years ago. The shame is that is the only place I can get crab legs without driving over 70 miles. I guess I will just have to cook my own.

[debm55]

10. Thank you appleannie1, I live near the old Century III Mall. I have gone to the one in Monvoeville. I thought it was

just the one in West Mifflin that was bad. Glad you didn't eat---you could have gotten sick.

[Silent Type]

9. Ate there often decades ago, especially when working full-time. Probably haven't been in 4 years.

Just looked at my local Red Lobster menu. My old favorite -- Admiral's Feast -- is $25.99 without a drink, etc.

The Lobster Lovers Dream is $52.99. I did see a Flounder sandwich at $13.99.

[debm55]

12. Wow, we were young, and right out of college we would not have been able to afford that. TY SilentType.

[unblock]

17. And yet they can't turn a profit at those prices

Mrs unblock and I used up our gift card just in case. They finally got rid of the unlimited shrimp. That was the thing that seems to get the most blame for their woes. They now charge $5 per extra plate

[debm55]

26. TY unblock. I think they had unlimited crab legs too,

[Blue Owl]

11. They failed to heed the Simpson's warning

[debm55]

13. Yes, that is so very true. TY Blue Owl.

[Elessar Zappa]

16. It's the only place in my area to get seafood.

I live in southwest NM and other choices are non-existent. But I do like it.

[debm55]

24. Thank you Elessar Zappa. I quess you are lucky.

[anciano]

19. My youngest son worked for them

years ago and one of his duties was making the biscuits. He still makes them for our holiday family get-togethers. Love 'em! 👍

[debm55]

22. Thank you, We like them too.

[AllaN01Bear]

20. havnt heard of these in many moons . so sad.

[debm55]

23. TY AllaN01Bear. It's sad that when you talked about Red Lobster, people would just bring up the cheese biscuits.

[AllaN01Bear]

25. i live in a small area market , lucky to have taco bell, jack in the box and others

sounds like those were large market chains .

[doc03]

27. I guess they underestimated the glutiney of the American public when they said

they had endless shrimp for $20. I wonder what it cost Wendy's to sell 1/2 pound hambergs for $2 for over
a month.

[debm55]

38. TY I agree. How many did they sell and have people eat that put them over the edge?

[Shermann]

28. I vaguely recall having it once

A long time ago, in a zip code far, far away.

[debm55]

39. TY Missing anything, What can you say about a place that only known for it's biscuits?

[Freddie]

29. Went there recently with husband

Each got choice-of-2 kinds of shrimp and crab legs. Everything was fresh and hot (which isn’t always the case). Was a Saturday evening and they weren’t especially busy. Not a good omen.

[debm55]

40. TY Freddie, you and Mr, Freddie may have visited one of the few good remaining ones.

[gay texan]

30. I wonder

If they got bought out by somebody and were ran into the ground

They were really good in the 80's and 90's. I ate at one in lubbock in 2018 and it was just vile....

[debm55]

31. Agree with your statement. They were still good in the 80's to early 90.s after that , Yuk,

[GP6971]

34. They were bought out in 2014

by Golden Gate Capital.

[gay texan]

35. oh no

I just found this. Private equity strikes again

https://www.businessinsider.com/red-lobster-endless-shrimp-bankruptcy-private-equity-debt-real-estate-2024-5

[debm55]

41. Thank you, GP6971

[debm55]

42. They are no where near the seafood place they used to be. They are worse. They are just like the Olive Garden--another

Darden eatery. High prices and food that stinks.

[GP6971]

45. I've never been to Red Lobster.

I've lived on both coasts so there were plenty of seafood restaurants around.

[debm55]

50. ty, You can get really good seafood there near the coasts

[Fla Dem]

32. The one in my city closed late last year.

[debm55]

43. TY FLa Dem , There will probably be more. I don't mind paying money for food and service. I will not for the crap at RL.

[Grins]

33. I wonder if they were attacked by "vulture capitalists"...

….like Bain & Co. and they plundered it for all they had forcing bankruptcy. Wouldn’t be the first time!

[debm55]

44. Agree. Have you notice that not many posters said they still like them???

[Silent Type]

51. That maybe their only hope for at least a few more years, unless RLob is willing to make it profitable.

Hope someone decent picks them up or infuses funds. They’ll likely have to downsize, in any event. Honestly at price of restaurant food today, I expect a lot more deep cutbacks. But hope not.

[Emile]

46. They have the best fish sandwich around.

[debm55]

47. TY Emile.

[mpcamb]

48. "The restaurant's founder was Bill Darden, a white man who seated black patrons in the Jim Crow South."

May THAT be their Obit if it goes that way....

Sounds life someone who's life, who's work is to be prized...

[debm55]

49. Thank you

[True Dough]

52. Just to clarify

If Red Lobster goes bankrupt, that will put an end to the "endless" shrimp, right?

[Mr.Bill]

53. I've never lived close to one,

So I've only been there once. It was very nice. Good food, good service and reasonable prices. I would go again if near one.

[woodsprite]

54. Their stuffed mushrooms and crab linguine Alfredo.

Love the crab Alfredo because you used to be able to order it in half portions. That was always my daughter’s and I lunch along with iced tea where we’d plan our shopping excursions.

[Easterncedar]

55. I was a prep cook, then a line cook at a Red Lobster near Cleveland in early 80s

To give them credit, they tried to keep things fresh and clean and good in the back. High-pressure production, though, and, although the fish was real, the butter sauces were “butter flavored.” It was challenging. We once served a table a minute for two hours straight on some holiday or other while I was soloing on the line. I learned a lot. It was a decent job during the period entering the recession that saw 14% unemployment in Cleveland. I had to lie on my application, as my liberal arts master’s degree made me basically unemployable then.