The Decline of Red Lobster...What Happened?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 พ.ค. 2024
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Episode Description: America's biggest casual dining seafood restaurant may be filing for bankruptcy. This video outlines Red Lobster's history while identifying the main reasons behind their struggles.
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I remember being a kid when Red Lobster was considered fancy, and now it's basically a punchline
Your the only punchline here.
@@Sigma_Male_Anti_Female *You're
What years were this because I only remember it being a casual restaurant
@@ericmoses8281 🤓
@@Sigma_Male_Anti_Female Why is the internet full of angry people that feel the need to insult strangers?
Biggest issue with Red Lobster is the quality of the food went down and they didn't think people would notice for some reason. People ALWAYS notice eventually. Same thing has happened with places like Applebee's, Chilli's, and lots of other chains.
All of these restaurants like Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Applebees, etc. have all been doing the same thing over the last 30 years. They are preparing more and more of the food in factories and shipping them out in bags to be microwaved to both take more advantage of economy of scale and to reduce the skill (and thus the pay) of kitchen staff. But that catches up with you sooner or later when the quality of your food is today dropping near fast food levels
Yup. Went to a Red Lobster in a pretty big city a year ago after not having been in a long time. Very disappointed with the quality and portions of the food. Everything was disappointing.
Agree, I decided to do endless shrimp to celebrate something recently after not going in 5+ years and every single piece of shrimp was either overcooked or tasted like shrimp I could just buy at walmart. Really disappointing.
@@auggie532what did you think would be different about their shrimp vs Walmart bought shrimp? Genuine question
What about Arby's? Are they still good?
Also Long John Silvers -- what do you folks think about them?
I remember as a kid in the early-to-mid 80s, my middle-class family considered Red Lobster to be a fancy place. I think it was because I remember Red Lobster's interior being more dimly-lit than other restaurants as opposed to the glaring fluorescent lights of more downmarket establishments such as fast food, and so in my mind even to this day, the darker a restaurant's interior is, the nicer I perceive it to be. Steak and Ale had similar lighting and so, to me, it was fancy!
I noticed that eating by candlelight of the Advent Wreath at home prompted our children to behave even better at the table. After Christmas I started putting two tapers of the table for them each to make a wish and blow out after dinner.
Steak & Ale _was_ a fancy joint. The waitresses wore skirts. I don't like dimly lit joints for food, I like to be able to actually see what I'm eating. Dim lighting is for bars, it's easier on drunk eyeballs.
Steak and Ale was still a fantastic place to eat when it closed near me!
Dark restaurants were huge in the 70s and early 80s. I wish they would bring them back. The music was also quiet enough you could actually hear people talk. I miss restaurants with smoking and non-smoking sections even though I never smoked. The smoke just added to the atmosphere. Just the way the dim can lights would shimmer off a big cloud of smoke some sexy lady blew your direction.
Red Lobster was bougie back then. I never got to go there in it's heyday...
Remember when Golden Coral wasn't gross garbage either?
I remember back to business school, and all the case studies we would do on business failures, like these videos (which I love) so much time and effort and analysis is put into everything EXCEPT the most simple, obvious, in-your-face explanation... THE FOOD JUST SUCKS! You don't need marketing studies, cash infusions, rebranding, changes in leadership, you just need to make the food not suck.
Exactly. Nobody wants your fried/microwaved BS anymore. We can tell.
Making the food not suck requires changing the menu, drastically upgrading the food sourcing and the kitchen equipment, and hiring better chefs, all of which are costly unless you raise prices that are already too high.
@@mairhart You're right, maybe it's best they stick with overpriced garbage, its working fine so far, right? (sarcasm)
@@mairhartwhy do you think the food sucked?
It didn't magically happen. No one flipped a switch from good to shit.
It sucked because they cut costs, corners and quality. The menu may have stayed the same but what they served definitely changed and not for the better.
@@WarriorofCathar Precisely. My point was that it's very difficult and costly to make food "not suck" once it reaches the suck point -- and I agree there is no chance that Red Lobster will turn anything around. They have never shown the desire or the massive financial commitment.
Those cheddar bay biscuits slap though
Absolutely!!!
That's the only good thing about Red Lobster in my opinion
Pst, there's a black market for them biscuits fresh. See Chicago.
Depending on your location, you can buy boxes of Red Lobster biscuit mix from Costco (maybe other places too). You just need to add water, fresh cheese, butter, and bake them. Super yummy!
But they started selling them in the store. That makes actual red lobster worthless now
It seems that many places I used to consider “fancy” (Olive Garden, Red Lobster, etc.) are proving to decline in quality for the sake of efficiency and profit margins
Lean inventory/manufacturing is the corporate religion these days…
Most restaurants, including those that are privately owned and operated, use ingredients of mediocre quality. I rarely eat out these days because I know that I can prepare high quality, tasty food at home for a lower price.
Big box restaurants are over saturated. They all open up around malls, shopping centers and freeway exits. There's just not enough people to keep them all profitable. Especially with the resurgence of local neighborhood bars and pubs. Bars and pubs are no longer places to get drunk with the only food option being bags of chips clipped to a rack or rotisserie hot dogs. Most now are more like restaurants with full kitchens.
@@ScottCleve33 I prefer BBQ places, myself.
@@bluegrassman3040 some of the best BBQ places are bars and pubs. I live in the north do we don't have a lot of good ones here.
I just think that the chain restaurants are dying a slow death. A few will probably survive but most will not.
It’s really interesting. When I was younger, it was one of the most fancy restaurants in our town. It was the best place to go on a fancy date. I actually had quite a few dates there. But I think that Fancy dining places that were more affordable started to get more casual. And people didn’t really see it as a fancy place anymore.
Red Lobster is one of those places where when you leave, you say, "That's the last time go to that place".
It's been terrible for the past 20 years. A friend told me that the food is basically all pre-made (like hospital dinners) and then microwaved when ordered.
I love Red Lobster, I just get crab legs. They always bring me little cups of vinegar if I ask, I love it. We don’t get to go much though, unfortunately.
@@Ninnjette- There aren't many things easier to make than crab legs. You can even make their rolls at home. And it's just as good if not better for less than half.
@thomcarr7021 I know how to make them lol You just boil them, not everyone can get them. I live in the country near the appalachian mountains, we have a grocery store here that has them frozen but they are not good and they are $33 for a cluster.. Yeah a cluster. I can go to Red Lobster, and get 3 clusters for $22 and someone does it for me. We just don't get to go there much, because it's 50 minutes away.
@@Ninnjette- If you drive 50m to Red Lobster, that shows there's something wrong with you.
That’s exactly what I said last summer
When you increase prices, decrease quality of food and service, decrease portion size, and shift towards a more casual dining room appearance, you are destroying yourself. After our expectedly disappointing meal on Sunday, my girlfriend and I wondered how this company hasn’t declared bankruptcy yet; how timely this video is!
Well they have sea cockroach in the name, also their cooked color!
Comon kids, lets go get some sea buggs!
Lets all go to the, lobby. Lets all go the, lobby. Lets all go the the lobby! And get ourselves a bug...
@@brandonhoffman4712 Huh, you're right arthropods are bugs. Been living in denial so I can eat crabs and lobster while looking down on people eating locusts. Oof, what's next fish are bugs too? fck this shit.
@@brandonhoffman4712funny thing is a hundred years ago lobster was considered trash unfit even for prison food. It's all about marketing.
@@charlottemcbrearty1849 actually it was prison food. At least the way i heard it!
I trust any marketing department about as much as a psycho with a 🔪. Its one of the reasons i dont have an iphone or any other apple products.
Colin, you nailed it!
I’m surprised you didn’t mention the quality of the food. All of these chains that offer lobster, shrimp pastas, etc are charging top dollar and putting out overcooked laughable portions. They typically charge 25+ for a 7 dollar tail and roughly 6 shrimp with a pound of pasta. It isn’t worth the price. When I was younger I remember Red Lobster being packed and enjoying what I ate. The last few times I gave them a chance it was a long wait in an half empty restaurant for overpriced mediocre food.
Last time i gave red lobster a chance, they served me red clam chowder without informing me when i ordered clam chowder.
It gave me a complex, for years i had to make sure i was getting new england clam chowder. Eventually, after being told yes everywhere for years, i no longer felt the need to ask. Talk about messing with kids... Its a seafood joint and they destroyed one of the few things a kid might like. Back then there were no cheddar biscuits i keep hearing about. No biscuit is worth me going there. If i want cheap seafood, california fish grill has my back with a nice ahi plate.
Red lobster and a lot of Italian places love doing that. They’ll give you a toddlers palm worth of salad shrimp over a mountain of pasta and charge you $20-30 for it
@@brandonhoffman4712 You can buy the biscuit mix at most grocery stores now and just make em at home. It's pretty easy to do, no folding or anything required. Just mix in some cold butter chunks, throw it in the oven, and enjoy affordably!
The $7 tail is so real. I worked selling seafood for a while and was actually surprised how affordable it was. Just gotta make it yourself, but so worth it for the price. Made my boyfriend and I 2 lobster and scallop pasta dishes for a whopping $23 total (including lemons, herbs, and fixings)
You have just described ALL chains and many family owned restaurants
I know exactly what happened. I used to take my family to Red Lobster. I loved the biscuits. Service went to crap. 30 minute wait times to get order taken. No refreshing of drinks. Once you order, it took an hour to get cold food.
Same thing happened to us at Texas Road House. Took for ever to get our food and then my wifes meal was cold as was my mash potatoes. We fussed at the manager and he took my wifes meal off the check ( she didn't eat it) and he apologized, but it was terrible and we have not been back.
Wait times are so high now bc management doesn't staff for business. We get 1 employee to run the whole kitchen, from prep to plate 1 employee, no raises bc they lost all that money. Garbage corporation.
I can remember as a teenager back in the '70s Red Lobster would run coupons in the newspaper once in a while. My mom would cut out the coupon and our family of six would go out to eat somewhere nice. My mom wanted my sibs and I to try good seafood. My sister, though, the picky eater, wouldn't try any fish or seafood - she always ordered chicken something-or-other. We were always encouraged to order the Plentiful Platter where there was an assortment of seafood for us to try.
WOW those were days! The 70's and 80's were such a fun, vibrant time for FAMILIES! Today? What's a family? Mom glued to her cell phone while the kiddos stare at iPads. I'll pass.
@@KentKaliber yes it’s all crap nowadays everything’s gone to shit
Feel like Red Lobster is just the latest walking the path of death of these casual chains (Fridays, OG, Unos, Chilis etc etc) where their basic frozen food and overpriced mid drinks used to be the standard but there's been a reawakening of actual restaurants that offer a higher quality that these chains just can't touch
The entire concept of casual family restaurants is dying. Internet fluency and online reviews now help a quickly growing segment of the population find better, local restaurants for the same or even less money. They are going to have to do something radical to still exist in 20 years.
Well...let's find the irony here. McDonald's was the death of regular sit-down food, so now that garbage like Slappy Mac's is walking the death drain spiral, that means someone like Lobster can make a comeback if they split the difference of slightly higher prices, slightly smaller portions, far better food quality, actual humans working at the location that know what a lobster is and how to cook it, along with a focus on quality (location, etc.) and ease of access (as well as Long John's, being unique to themselves as a brand that has recognition).
So basically, I am saying anything common sense won't ever occur with Lobster, because once the infestment scammers get ahold of these companies, they always destroy them and make a run for it.
People are wisely rolling around to being customers that want better quality, with speed being something they can fidget around and live with, along with not having to work as an employee at a McDonald's to be overcharged for doing the work of a cashier. Walmart is learning the same thing, as people wisely go somewhere else, cheaper, and just skip working for them as an employee/cashier as a customer...just use Amazon or Ebay. Save yourself the time and trip, since it's always in stock, you always know where it is, and you can shop anytime.
@@TheCaptainSlappyMcDonald's is still as successful as ever while places like Red Lobster are collapsing. Whatever argument you are trying to make here is just wrong.
I disagree with chilis. They still offer good food, good atmosphere at a good price
@@TheCaptainSlappyMcDonald’s market cap in the 2000s were $20B.
Their market cap is $200B in 2024.
You’re in a “McDonald bad” echo chamber. The reality does not reflect your bias.
What happened is they sell those cheddar biscuits at stores that you can freshly bake yourself, so there's no reason to go.
I came here to say this, legit don't think I've been back there since I found out you could buy them at the store, I even found some "cheddar bay coated shrimp" that slaps hard so why bother ever going back lol
I didn't know this But no joke, that could cause a significant drop in traffic.
Yeah but the frozen ones aren't nearly as good!
@@SYIBOI At Walmart, I've seen the mixture packets in the bakery aisle, so you just add whatever else is needed (milk or water, butter, etc) and then the packet and there's your batter.
Yeah :(
Those were the whole reason I liked Red Lobster
Growing up in rural South Dakota in the 80s and 90s, a trip to town for Red Lobster was a huge deal. It's sad to see what's happening.
A few years ago, I was at a small town in northern Ohio on a small trip and a friend of mine suggested that we go to their local Red Lobster. Not long after I ate there, I started to feel really lethargic and then I started vomiting and was sick for the next several days. If there’s anything certain in my life, it’s that I will NEVER go to Red Lobster again.
I was waiting for this comment. I have known SO MANY PEOPLE that have gotten food poisoning there. One time a friend told me she and her husband were going to go to Red Lobster that evening for dinner. I said, “you mean Diarrhea Lobster?” And…. you guessed it - they both ended up with food poisoning. 😂
@@SueP-D The one in Marion near the Warren G. Harding museum?
@@CentralKentuckyElevators It wasn’t even in Ohio! I believe it’s ALL Red Lobsters 😅 This was one in North Carolina back in the 90s. A long time ago, yes, but enough of my friends got sick there that I wasn’t going to chance it! We have one near me (I’m in California now) and every time I drive by it I chuckle and say “no way!” 😂.
The best part of every Wednesday: Watching a Company Man video
It's the halftime show of the workweek. 20 hours down, 20 to go.
As a former manager of our local Red Lobster, the split from Darden was initially viewed as a huge boone. Darden had always leveraged Chef Mike (thats a microwave) as much as possible, and after the change in leadership we were able to put in boiler stations, saute stations, and really made the food fesh and higher quality. However putting all these upgrades in all the stores, re-training entire kitchen staff and management, and the errors that happened after the change caused a huge hit to the company.
Darden was boycotted, but it wasn't a loud, obnoxious protest. Darden is a corporate sponsor of Planned Parenthood, and many people decided to go somewhere else with the after-church lunch bunch.
I was happy when Darden sold Red Lobster, but it turned out we still don't want to go there.
I wonder why company man didn't hit on this point. Maybe it's not public knowledge? I went to Red Lobster maybe 17-18 years ago when I was still a kid with my parents. Aside from the biscuits (which are overrated imho), the food was really bland and looked 100% microwaved. For what it was, it was expensive even back then. I looooove seafood but NEVER saw Red Lobster as an option. The RL I went to the first and last time was shut down and is now a Korean BBQ restaurant and cocktail lounge. 😂
@@freethebirds3578Yes, I know what you mean about boycotting. I boycott Cracker Barrel for their ra--cm
In the 80's I loved Red Lobster, particularly the Admiral's Feast and the Neptune platter. The last two times I've eaten there in Columbus OH, the food was awful. I have no desire to go back.
@@freethebirds3578 Highly doubt it was anything direct. Probably a Chik Fil-A thing where it was a donor of a donor of a donor. Following that logic, we're all guilty of war crimes.
Former Olive Garden employee here. Everything you said is true. We were also owned by Darden for the longest time, during my years of service. I miss those times!
My wife and I ate at RL about 2 weeks ago. The portions were smaller and the service was fair. I was recovering from two surgeries and that was my daily wish.
May not go back anytime soon. Very disappointed.
My most recent trip to Red Lobster was in August of last year. The short version of my story: they hadn't had any crab crackers since March so my mom couldn't eat her meal. The margarita I got was salty, like, they put salt in the drink. There was a fight in the kitchen that got physical, and the one cook walked out. There were no regular waiters. The only employees there were a bartender and the manager, who both had to wait tables and make the food.
Wow, that is really bad
Uh, they usually put salt on the rim of a Margarita glass…".
Mostly sounds like a standard retail food operation 😂 they were prolly all coked outta their minds. But I am genuinely curious why the crab crackers are so vital 🤔 what is a crab cracker?
@@SharpAssKnittingNeedles A metal device that.....wait...youre kidding, right?
@@Kevin-yh9yt I thought she meant crab-flavored crackers 😂 thank you for reminding me of the tool to open the bugs' carapaces. Good lerd English is a terrible language 🤣
My dad refuses to go to Red Lobster. Not because of anything they did; my grandma racked up a $100 bill once 20 years ago and he refuses to go back out of spite
😂😂😂
That sounds like something my father would’ve done. They must’ve been of the same generation, lol. 🙌🏻😂
Sounds like something my dad would do 😂
someone explain???
@yeetyboigottem it's really not that hard to rack up a massive bill there depending on what you order but it's not like the prices aren't right there on the menu. Fresh fish might just say "market price" as it's subject to seasonal availability but you can just ask.
Honestly, Red Lobster has been kind of like the best "comfort food" type of business to go to. It's dependable, reliable, the food has almost always been good and cooked to order. Every time I've been there the staff has always been great. It would make me very sad to see this place close. I know that typically a business has to change to stay relevant and keep people coming back, but for me knowing what to expect when I go there is one of the main reasons I go.
Honestly my perspective is as a Mainer. There's no Red Lobster here, for the same reason that McDonalds' terrible idea of "McLobster Rolls" was never sold here. In this state specifically anything you want from a Red Lobster you can get from a local seafood shack for half the price sitting on a gorgeous view by the coast. We'd probably find it offensive to be serves frozen african lobster tails when 20 minutes down the coast you could get the whole bug caught same day
I remember the McLobster Roll. I had one, but laughed my ass off that this would only happen in Maine. Lol
I hear ya, but imagine you live in a land-locked state….. like idaho or north dakota…. Red lobster would be different for you then…..
Ayuh, there's just no apples to apples comparison between the frozen "meh" that Red Lobster sells and fresh-off-the-boat catch of the day.
I live in Orlando.gov which has Darden Restaurants, Red Lobster HQ 🦞 . Red Lobster the chain isn't "bad" but the business, chain did a "re fresh" remodel in the 2010s. 2014 2015 era. Was it good? 🤷🏻♂️ I think RL uses way too much butter 🧈.
@@bjkarana I tend to balk at any method of cooking lobster more complex than "Boil it and throw it at me."
in an age where companies are expected to have infinite growth and just staying at one, respectable size is considered "failing", the idea of the company staying itself to serve its existing customer base is unfortunately very unlikely, even if it's most likely the best outcome and the one least likely to put them out of business
infinite growth is not that possible anymore, it is bound to ressources.
There's so many companies that could probably do just that and remain in business for decades, if not centuries.
If you require infinite growth, then that's just a Ponzi/pyramid scheme.
@@devonwilliams5738 not if they're beholden to external shareholders and have a fiduciary duty to spend profits on growth/ dividends/ buybacks. if its a private company with the goal of living forever they could simply hoard cash to get through tough times.
There's an over saturation of these chain restaurants around every mall, shopping center and freeway exit. There's not enough people to keep them profitable.
Meanwhile bars and pubs are no longer places to get drunk. Most are now closer to home, have a full kitchen and have just as good a food at a better price.
Raise prices, reduce costs (reduce quality) and increase/change marketing campaign. These are only things Darden knows how to do.
30 years ago, when I was a patrolman with the Florida Marine Patrol, I was stunned with Red Lobsters menu, but served, in some cases, the food you get is not the item you believe you ordered.
When I ordered scallops, its was not scallops. But scallops was not the only mystery food.
Follow up, I requested the manager and advised him that what I ordered is not scallops. He told me this is what they send him when he orders. I asked if he is seriously sticking to that story. He didn't charge me for my meal proving his guilt.
I used to love going to Red Lobster when I was a kid in the 70s/80s. But, now it's been over 30 years since the last time I was there. I think it's mostly because it's rather expensive for what you get. And I make the Cheddar Bay Biscuits myself at home.
They sell the mix for it in grocery stores too.
Overgrown sea bugs... Meh. The sea can keep those foul beasts.
I used to consider them a delicacy, until i saw them for what they really are.
I vastly prefer evolved dinosaur, in fact ima go brine my chicken right now!
Ill still eat crab though. Since life keeps evolving into crabs, its like tasting the final form!
"So long, and thanks for all the fish" - the dolphins in hitchikers guide to the galaxy
CEO of 10 years “retires “
New CEO starts and almost immediately quits to work for Denny’s.
Takes a YEAR to find another new CEO.
Ya. This has been building for a while.
When you quit ANYTHING to go work for Denny's, you know something's up. 🤣
When 3 am parking lot gang violence is better than a seafood joint, something got messed up
I quit a Dennys once, they wouldnt bring the bill, so we left 1 by 1 over about 5 minutes.
That was back when a grand slam was still $1.99!
Dennys tries to be too fancy for me now. They need to stop refurbishing themselves and lower prices. When i go to dennys i want to feel like i stepped into a used car lot and know im gonna get a steal of a deal!
@@brandonhoffman4712 "1.99 are you outta your mind!"
Still love that ad...
it's crazy to consider how rapid the decline in quality was for my local Red Lobster. We used to go constantly (every other week) up until around 6 years ago. Since my last dining experience, I wouldn't step foot in there. Dirty dishes, long waits, bad customer service and poor food quality leaving a literal bad taste in my mouth.
Red Lobster was definitely a premium, fancy dining experience from my perspective growing up. Went again in 2018 for the first time in a solid decade and was terribly disappointed 🤮
Prices went up and food went drastically down. Feels stupid going in for biscuits and nothing else 🤣
Red Lobster used to be a fun place to go. The local restaurant in my area, though, is very "tired." The physical building is worn and has lost any luster. The parking lot and grounds are not well maintained. They renovated inside several years ago, but the look and atmosphere seem stuck in the early 2000s, there's no energy from workers or customers. Quite honestly, it seems like many people are there for the cheddar bay biscuits, and after that, they plod through the process of ordering and eating a ho-hum dinner. Really quite sad. I'm not a regular customer anymore.
I agree; it is the same here in Owensboro Kentucky.
My mother had a bad experience at Red Lobster over a decade ago...the family hasn't been back since. Don't upset the mom or your business will fail. My mom even learned how to make the biscuits so us boys would stop asking to eat there. Moms are great ❤
It always was and always will be my favorite restaurant ever!!! Thank you for covering this brother!!!
I absolutely love this channel. It has it all. It's informative, entertaining, and I love the wholesome, real narration you provide. I hate the stupid A.I. narration that plagues TH-cam these days.
Also, your videos are always just the right length. Not too long, not too brief, just informative at a breezy pace. Keep up the fantastic work, Company Man.
I ate at a ton of suburban chain sit-down restaurants in the 90s. Back then, if you were in your early 20s, you could even take a date there without it being the lamest thing imaginable.
Fast forward to 2014, when my then-girlfriend and I ended up at Olive Garden on a Sunday afternoon and she joked "Is this what our relationship has come to?" I said "Yup. Two people in their 30s at Olive Garden. We've officially become boring."
I think Red Lobster suffers that same problem of perception among younger people.
@@MBKindell I learned in 2009 that I make a terrible husband. I learned this from my ex-wife's divorce lawyer. Once was one time too many.
I think it is less about younger people, but they are more prone to trend chasing. The restaurant business is all about the newest and trendiest place to go: overhyped places on Instagram usually. Your ex's comment pretty much validates that. If you are an older millennial, you sometimes just want a change of pace or try something new. For Gen Z, Red Lobster might as well be new to them.
The last Red Lobster left remotely near me only serves the unlimited shrimp only on mondays now and instead of being $19.95, like it was five months ago, now it is $27.95. That is a huge price increase.
Only 5 months ago, it went up that much? That sucks.
Yeah, just imagine the huge quantity increase that dumps and into peoples bellies😂🎉😅
Last time I went it was 14.99. In 2021. It wasn’t worth that price then. Shrimp isn’t that expensive
That's government spending ruining your money, vote better or stfu
it was endless everyday for a YEAR it was originally only on mondays. the price increase is from fat fucks who stayed for hours. - red lobster employee
One of the many major restaurants I've never once been to. I personally LOVE dine-in restaurants man. They're my favorites by far, and I can't quite describe or put my finger on what it is about the experience that is so satisfying and wonderful to enjoy. But I truly do love it.
I know our local Red Lobster (central IL) has staffing issues because my mom and I went for lunch once, and we were told that we would have to wait to be seated until the other waitress got there and clocked in. We waited for 10-15 mins and then decided to go elsewhere.
I quit going when it wasn't a good value anymore. Use to get the Ultimate Feast for about $25-$29 and it was 3 very large plates of food just pack to the edges. Last time I went their was the late 2000's and I order this as I always do. It was over $30 and only one plate, smaller, that wasn't very packed at all.... I could see the bottom of the plate in several places. When I left, I went across the street to a Taco Bell to get a 5 Layer Burrito to get filled up.
it's $40 now 😭 and you can't get CYO anymore
It's 46 near me
Shrink-flation
"Boy pull up your pants this isn't Red Lobster"
I read that in Grandpa Brandon Roger's voice lol
excuse my ignorance can you explain that joke?
@@AngelCakez lmao glad somebody got that reference
@@TheOldFartGamer it's a joke from a funny youtuber who makes skits, and that joke just means how red lobster is a place full of dirty people ya know
I don't know the material, but that's hilarious.
I think Red Lobster should play into the idea that people think this is a fancy restaurant and make it have more opulence but keep the appeal of why everyone loves it. Red Lobster is one of the few chains that I thoroughly enjoy because the food has quality to it.
This really follows the iconic Company Man successful video formula:
minutes 1-6: small business grows into beloved national staple
minute 7: leveraged buyout
minutes 8+: endless death spiral
Or constantly shifting ownership.
Red Lobster restaurants are very dependent upon who’s running each particular location. There are some really good ones out there.
I'd say that is based on a number of factors: community, mgmt, education-personality of staff, vendors-sources.
Meh. Havent been there in so long my bad experience is basically a long lost memory.
Ill go ahead and keep it that way.
I went to the Red Lobster in Japan, excellent food and service. But the ones in U.S. are horrible and expensive.
Unfortunately mine has a big GRADE C sanitary inspection sign + a risk of fire notice.
@@petershen6924 going to a red lobster in japan is kinda pointless though like there's literally every other option for seafood
I went to Red Lobster about a month ago. For the quality of the food it was way overpriced. I even think I heard one of the waitress talking about the place shutting down
I didn't know this was a nationwide issue. Last few times I went, food quality was very poor. I assumed it was just lazy cooks slacking. I didn't know that was the new norm
I'm nearly 70 and have been a small eater all my life. The last time I ate at Red Lobster I grabbed a snack on my way home. Servings were so small I didn't get enough to feel my hunger was far from satisfied.
You make such great, informative videos! I am craving some Red Lobster now!
You have a point about consistency, I have never had a bad experience at a Red Lobster.
I think Red Lobster needs to more advertising on platforms like youtube. Honestly, your videos have done more for their company than their marketing team.
Not enough Cheddar Biscuits for this conversation.
And they wonder why there's a decline....
I’m so glad Company Man made an episode about Red Lobster. I haven’t been there since having a completely TERRIBLE service maybe 10 years ago, so this entire franchise six feet under to me.
Not going to a chain restaurant over bad service is like not going to the gas station because the prices were too high
@@nicholaslogan6840how?
Holding a grudge for over a decade because you had a bad waitress at a single location 😂
@@klax001 I know, right? Sometimes, it happens. While you don't get a second chance at making a first impression, it's not like the first impression is the only impression that ever was.
I'm 53 & would eat at Orlando.gov area RLs maybe 2x a year. Orlando FL has the main corp HQ. 🦞 is decent but for the $, I'd prefer to eat in a local place, local owned that a big chain.
The covid killed RL in my town. It used to be packed every night, and now you struggle to know if it's even open because there are no cars in the parking lot.
I haven't eaten at RL in probably a decade. Feels like every "sit down" corporate chain restaurant has gone downhill for the sake of profits rather than happy employees who make happy customers.
I remember seeing so many commercials as a kid. It didn't last in my province aka British Columbia, Canada. My mom knew one existed and it closed down and it was too far away for us to even try it out. Never been and still haven't
I think your predictable experience is a good summary. I got to Red Lobster once or twice per year. But it's like $175 for my family to go. It's unreal how expensive it is. Couple that with the menu is like always the same shy of a dish or two and it's just sort of "yeah that was good but I don't want to go back". Seems like everything is deep fried or soaked in butter too. Like others have said, I'd rather just make the biscuits at home from the official mix which is surprisingly faithful to the restaurant version
I havent been there in so long i dont remember biscuits, not sure they had them in the 90's...
@@brandonhoffman4712they're not that great. I don't know why people love that slop.
@@emghee2510 ahh okay. It does give me ideas on making my own cheesy garlig bread. 95% sure it would taste better too.
I recently mastered home made mac and cheese. Its so easy! I do 50/50 extra sharp white cheddar and gruyere (pronounced gru-yeree or gru-yeray) making the roux is the trickiest part and is still ez/pz. Melt the butter, toss in the flour 1:1 ratio. Stir for a minute until it smells good, if it smells bad you went too far, but i never have. Stir in milk, stir continually until it feels thick like a sauce. Remove from heat, add cheese, salt, and pepper. I add fresh nutmeg and any one of my crazy chili powders like hebanero, scotch bonnet, or moruga scorpion powder (from sonoran spice company). My one recommendation would be to not try and brown the butter, it will make things weird, i put in the flower as soon as the butter is melted.
If you prep your ingredients, you can start the sauce when you drop the noodles in the water, it will all finish around the same time. If you need time after straining noodles, add a little olive oil to them.
Ingredients for 1 serving (sized for a side dish)
1oz cheddar
1oz gruyere
1tbsp butter
1tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup macaroni
To taste:
Salt
Fresh cracked pepper (i stand by a 4 pepper meddley) fresh pepper is a game changer in the kitchen.
Nutmeg
Chili powder (from 0-crazy hot, you choose) paprika can add a sweetness if desired, test as you like.
I do 2 servings if its all im eating.
Wanna go nuts? Try making bacon too! Make it crispy and form into bacon bits, then use 1Tbsp bacon grease instead of butter! You could call it the baconator of mac and cheese!
Ohh and costco is the only place i would buy the gruyere on the norm. $10/lb @ costco, $20/lb or so outside costco. Its insane cheese though! It has become my favorite cracker cheese.
Its the kind of cheese that has those tiny hard crystalized tasty bits, which ive found out are protiens. Its similar to cheddar in hardness, maybe a tiny bit harder, and has a noticeable funk to it. The ima give you bad breath, but your gonna like it kind of thing. It adds a dynamic in the mac and cheese that really elevates it. Though my family still likes a full cheddar mac and cheese too.
Doesn't surprise me. The quality and portion size has decreased dramatically, the prices have nearly doubled. Turns out customers are smarter than you think.
Great work; you're my hero! A true inspiration for our scanflation awareness campaign.
Since I’m an at-home chef most of the time, let me throw my two cents on Red Lobster and fast casual dining.
I used to eat at Red Lobster a long time ago, but honestly it’s easier to cook my favorite seafood dishes at home and comes out much better than anything Red Lobster could ever make.
I’d rather spend the money buying fresh seafood than paying for it at Red Lobster, and that’s really why I don’t even eat out anymore, I’d rather spend the money I’d waste on eating out at the grocery store and just make it myself.
With all that’s going on in the restaurant business, high prices, smaller portions, wait staff demanding higher tips that cost as much as the meal you order now(seriously?), going out is just simply not a pleasurable, fun experience anymore. It’s costly and aggravating, and I want nothing to do with it.
Trust me when I say learning to cook at home and on a higher level than restaurants, you won’t look back to places like Red Lobster, they’ll just be in the rear view mirror and get further and further away, you might remember it from time to time, but in the end I think Red Lobster will just be a distant memory.
I haven’t eaten at a Red Lobster in almost 30 years. No desire to break that streak.
You're not missing much! 🦞 . The chain had a re-fresh, upgrade in mid 2015 or so. Staff went to all black ⚫️, new menu designs, new features. I myself rarely ate at RL. Maybe during AYCE 🍤 deals.
I dont know how long its been for me. At least 20-25 though.
Red chowder... GFY.
About 25 or so years for me. I thought it was terrible and so I haven’t been back.
Red Lobster Cal Ripken.
I don't blame Company Man for fixating on those Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
It's honestly the best thing they've got going for them. Their "seafood" is about as authentic as the "Italian" food is at Olive Garden.
Pfp thief! Jk. I think you're like the 6th or so person I see sharing this.
We went to a Red Lobster in Florida not too long ago and wow... the carpet was worn, the furniture was beat, clearly not enough staff, and we had to keep changing our order because items we were requesting weren't in stock that day.
Great video as always. I'm 46 and when I was a kid, red lobster was considered high class dining. My son enjoyed eating there but whenever I was in their restaurant I always felt like it was the same. Like they never modernized the restaurant or the menu. But you're right on those cheddar bay biscuits, delicious!!!
My husband and I go to our local Red Lobster a few times a year, and although we like the food, we can't help noticing the gradual decrease of customers over the last several years and the climbing prices. We visited two Saturdays ago and there were hardly any customers there; they used to have crowds of people waiting for tables! Our location has been around for decades; I would hate to see it close.
Been working at red lobster for years, and being the only 1 in town, we always have good business
Thank you for this interesting episode. I went there about 6 months ago after not being there in about 5 years. I thought it was still good.
I was having this conversation with friends from another state two days ago. The Red Lobster in our area has been very slow, and it's always due to "staff shortage" but there's new restaurants opening up in the town everywhere and seem to be fully staffed. Quality of food has went down a bit, but cheddar biscuits and coconut shrimp are still awesome, which are my two favorites. They seem to be closing down everywhere else, it's like they are giving up.
"Staff shortage" is the code phrase of Republican accountants who won't pay fair wages and who secretly long for undocumented immigrants and child labor to do the work.
I'll say this much. Red Lobster is the first restaurant I pass when leaving Huntsman in SLC every few weeks. I'm not usually hungry after treatment but that Wednesday steak and lobster dinner is my high point when traveling to Utah. It's a lot of protein and easy to eat in the hotel. Cancer sucks but Red Lobster helps me through it 😂
Cancer does suck
red lobster in the 90s...top tier Red lobster now....Captain D's
Captain D's slaps tho.
I went there a lot in the 90s!
Captain D's isn't captain D's anymore...fish nuggets. Smdh
@@lpwienert7358 Captain D's is now just like Gortons fish sticks
Best narration out there , CM should do voice over work . Love these vids.
Podcasters and stand-up comedians describe certain places they are taken to to demonstrate to the audience how someone really was dismissive of them and how they were a very low priority. Red lobster has earned its way into the list of their go-to places to name drop.
My wife and I went to RL for dinner once almost 30 years ago. We thought the price was high, the food disappointing, and the service underwhelming. That was our first and last time at that restaurant.
Red Lobster was always a treat as a kid, it's where we'd ask to go for birthdays. I still enjoy it now and then, there aren't any good seafood places around here. Plus yes, the biscuits.
Your first sequel video, I enjoyed the update, perhaps you could start a series; the business I talked about then, vs today.
I think an additional problem (at least in costal communities) is that there’s usually a better local place at both the higher end and the lower. I can name 3 different places in my town that I’d go to before I’d go to Red Lobster (and I don’t even really like seafood!)
I used to eat at Red Lobster in my youth in the 80's/90's... loved that place and I miss it sometimes.
Sizzlers slapped in the 80s and 90s
It was an entirely different experience, back then.
I'm 53. RL as a casual dining chain 1980s 1990s was MUCH different. Food was made by staff, chef 👨🏼🍳 not dumped out of a frozen bag & into a kitchen microwave. Portions were decent size. Waiters, staff were friendly, well trained.
Just an anecdote, but the last time I was there, we waited 30 minutes for our wait person to even hand us a menu. The place was basically empty; she wasn't busy. She would walk right by us without even glancing in our direction. That was about 6 years ago, and I've never been back.
I had the same experience at the Tallahassee Red Lobster, except I didn’t get as far as being seated. Waited at the front desk for several minutes in a mostly empty restaurant while being seen but ignored by staff. I walked away.
I would've gotten up and walked the hell out after the second time she ignored me.
The first Red Lobster was on Memorial Blvd in my hometown of Lakeland, FL. It's not still open but the building still stands and it's a bait and tackle shop on Lake Parker
Last year Red Lobster had a pretty decent ad campaign and the thought they might have last ever Lobster deals is sad. Speaking of Bankruptcy the 99 cents only store actually showed a closing soon sale ad recently.
Have been going to red lobster off and on for many years, usually always for shrimpfest. Everything is true, it's the same experience each time, and I love it each time.
There is a RL near me and I have never been. It never crosses my mind as a place to go when thinking about restaurants. I may try it now, as I am curious after watching this video.
Since shrimp is my favorite food, I love RL! It's my go-to place for my birthday, Father's Day and other special days when I get to decide where to eat.
I hope they stick around. I always saw their ads on TV when I was a kid, but never got to go. Now that I'm an adult, I've only been there a couple times and still have more of their menu to explore!
When I was a kid and our family was pretty low income, we would go to Red Lobster once in a great while. In my late teens, my father and I got violently ill after we ate there and we've never been back. It's been well over 30 years.
I love all of Company Man's videos!
I really miss the Red Lobster near me. 😕 My mom and I would always go on Wednesdays for their steak and lobster special and we loved it! There was no news of our location closing until I went to place a pickup order on the website and it tried redirecting me to the next closest location in San Diego. 😭 The building is still empty today and it really hurts every time I drive past it. 💔
Perfect timing, I just got on my lunch break. Now I have something to watch while I eat.
Hope you had a good lunch! Enjoy the rest of your work day :)
@@TopFix
Thx, I did and it's a chill day. I work in a butcher shop.
Just ate at red lobster recently for someone’s birthday. I remember having to wait for a table, not for one to be open as they all were vacant. They apparently had to wait for their evening shifts to arrive as I guess they had a bunch call in sick that late afternoon. I love the biscuits and enjoyed their surf and turf plate. I also noticed it wasn’t that well lit like the they had to converse energy or something. It did get busy as we were about to leave. I definitely enjoy it but I don’t see it as a regular thing just special occasions.
I've also had to wait to be seated there even when the restaurant looks mostly empty. They took my number and said they would text when they were ready but never did text and acted surprised when I went back 20 minutes later and asked if we were still waiting.
I do DoorDash and picked up an order from Red Lobster a few days ago. I looked at the menu and was shocked at how expensive they are now. Everything was $25 and higher. Plus, the menu looks much smaller than it used to be.
That's my experience from the other end: I look on DoorDash, see RL's prices, and immediately look elsewhere.
For $30 I expect the trendiest gourmet food grilled right at my table, not basic dishes that were cold before they left the restaurant.
Yeah, and my local Red Lobster lists itself as closed most of the time you want to get it delivered.
I think the last time I went to Red Lobster was during the pandemic, and it was for a to-go order. Time before that was in 2016, which I remember was my daughter's freshman year in high school. I remembered it because some kid at her school made a threat on social media that blew up, and both my daughter and I were getting texts about the whole thing. Before that, used to be a "couple times of year when we felt like doing something fancier than Denny's/IHOP/Village Inn".
I do have to admit that I've gone to Olive Gardin far more than Red Lobster, but even that's declined in the last four years. Things are just way too expensive.
Both of your videos about the red lobster restaurant are great!
Glad you like them!
A few years ago, Red Lobster tried a failed international expansion. They opened locations here in Mexico, but they all closed a short time after. The quality was on par with its US counterpart, it was pretty upsetting to see it leave. I would attribute it to the very competitive and well established seafood restaurants in Mexico, and RL's failure to adapt to a new market.
Don’t know if they are still there, but Red Lobster has had locations in the UAE and Kuwait for years. I think Mexico is sort of a hard market to crack in a lot of ways when it comes to restaurants.
I worked at RL during the later Darden years and I’ve gotta say they were a great company to work for. From the time I walked in to the time I walked out I really enjoyed my 2.5 years there. And we were a test restaurant so I’d frequently get to enjoy new menu options. Not a bad gig for a 25 year old looking for a change. Lol
I love Red Lobster. One of my favorite dine in restaurants. When I heard they were filing for bankruptcy, it broke my heart. I never had a bad experience there and ALWAYS enjoyed my meal with their cheddar biscuits.
Please do an episode on my former company TransCare Ambulance which was owned by Lynn Tilton. A lot of shifty stuff with her and her companies going bankrupt.
I have fond memories of going to darden in Orlando to deliver to them. I work for FedEx freight and would go to them frequently to deliver pallets. I always look forward to the free soda 😊
TH-cam gave me an ad for Red Lobster on a video on why Red Lobster sucks. Hilarious
But you HAVE heard of them!
@@kurtw6922 they used AI music in the video apparently. Let’s not celebrate this as even a small win.
This is the universe trying to tell you to stay dafuq away. 😂
Red Lobster doesn’t suck.
@@donkeysaurusrex7881 they microwave half their meals. Lobster is boiled, mashed potatoes are microwaved
The decline of Red Lobsters caught me off guard, didn’t go there much myself but my parents like it, I guess others didn’t go there much either.
It’s too expensive
I love the chain but it's pretty much always been like a once or twice a year special occasion kind of place for me. It was popular and packed when I was a kid but now it's usually understaffed and half empty. I don't think the food is very different though many people here disagree. Regardless of quality it is rather expensive. But I think the bigger ticket items like the Admiral's Feast are indeed $50 worth of food and more than I can eat.
@@charlottemcbrearty1849 The video just described them losing millions on an a shrimp deal. I highly doubt you'll find a place with comparable prices unless they want to go bankrupt too.
Greetings… your content is always so interesting and informative. It’s also interesting that you mentioned Golden Gate Capitol. I’m not sure when, but this same company bought
Romano’s Macaroni Grill.
If you’re looking for another “Rise and Fall” restaurant, I suggest Macaroni Grill. Thank you for your hard work.
The "McDonald's of seafood". I haven't been to a Red Lobster in the past 15+ years. Back then, they were "ok". Of course their Cheddar Bay biscuits are awesome!
No plans to go back to a Red Lobster anytime soon.
I got sick as a kid from Red Lobster and didn't go for a long time. Gave it a try 15 years later and had the ABSOLUTE WORST SERVICE I have ever had and vowed never to go back in my life.
Their service is horrible.
@@ryanthompsonthompson820 service is horrible everywhere since the "plandemic".
@@granadahills1017 The irony of this statement isn’t lost on me.
That is most large restaurant chains.
And tipping culture is also at fault
Never been to Red Lobster. Our local North Jersey newspaper panned the Paramus,NJ RL back in the 80’s and there are plenty of good seafood restaurants in my neck of the woods.
Another banger, Mike! I think I had Red Lobster once when I was younger before I developed a really bad allergy to shrimp. Seems like an enticing place, but no real memory of it for me.
I still love their biscuits; fun fact, you can get Red Lobster biscuit mix at the grocery store. Their to-go at my location has been better lately than what I remember when I tried it once many years before curonah.
I’m from Maine, the one place in the US Red Lobster has always feared to tread. Oh they’ve tried, lord knows they’ve tried, but after a couple disastrous attempts during expansions in the ‘90s and ‘00s they just gave up. Which is ironic, because about 15 years ago they introduced a new look based on coastal New England architecture they called “Bar Harbor styling.” For those who don’t know, Bar Harbor is an iconic resort town on Maine’s Mount Desert Island adjacent to Acadia National Park. My first and still only Red Lobster experience was in Houston, TX, I was with local friends and they were legitimately shocked I didn’t like any of the food beyond the biscuits. I explained it to them like this: Taking a Mainer to Red Lobster is like taking a Texan to Longhorn Steakhouse. One’s a company out of Florida pretending to be experts in New England seafood, the other’s a company out of Georgia pretending to be experts in Texas beef.
I feel like longhorn steakhouse does pretty well in Texas though.
@@uglypinkeraser it does! I live in Tx and I go there weekly lol
@@jeromec7595 I honestly don’t blame people who live along the Gulf for eating at Red Lobster, I lived down there not long after the big BP oil spill and most people didn’t trust anything that came out of the local waters.