Head of Red Lobster Replaced After All-You-Can-Eat Failure

Associated Press ^ | 9/24/03 | Richard Gibson

[jimbo123]

DES MOINES, Iowa (Dow Jones/AP) - Darden Restaurants Inc. Wednesday said it had replaced the head of Red Lobster, its biggest chain, after an all-you-can-eat crab promotion went awry.

Darden President and Chief Operating Officer Dick Rivera will succeed Edna Morris as president of Red Lobster.

Morris, who had been in that job just 18 months, left to pursue other interests, the company said.

Darden executives said Red Lobster management had badly miscalculated how many times customers would refill their plates after paying $20 for an "endless" crab entree. Meanwhile, crab prices were going up, sending the profit margin crashing.

"It wasn't the second helping on all-you-can-eat but the third," said company chairman Joe R. Lee on a conference call.

"And maybe the fourth," added Rivera.

[gathersnomoss]

I ate there once and will not return!

[metesky]

I think that's pretty much the consensus opinion of everybody who has ever had the misfortune of eating there.

[cyborg]

All I ask is that they better de-vein the shrimp. They don't do that in many of the chinese buffets. Also, one has to wonder about the quality of mass quantities of food.

[MattAMiller]

Talk about not knowing your customer base. Reb Lobster goers are not there because they prefer quality over quantity. They're there to stuff their gullets with rubbery "seafood."

[dagnabbit]

LOL!

The Simpsons - always the best.

[Sir_Ed]

"Sounds more like a way-station for indentured immigrant workers than a legitimate restaurant."

We've wondered that. They speak NO English, no even a rudimentary amount. I asked one waitress if an item was new...she just stared at me, I simplified it "Is this new?" she still just stared at me and shook her head.

We crack jokes that the Triads must be moving in a new batch of illegals on another container vessel, but it may be actually what's going on!

Ed

[Stultis]

The Chinese buffets seem to make it work.

Not for some people they don't.

http://www.johnpinette.com/clips/chinesebuffet.wma

[PJ-Comix]

Dunno. The Chinese buffets seem to make it work. Some have snow crab legs and you can eat as many as you want.

Super King Buffet and Emerald Coast restaurants. YUMMIE!!!

[PJ-Comix]

Ocean City, Maryland! That's where we lived when I was born. My dad used to dig up clams at the beach and mix them into my milk and baby food. Probably not a smart thing to do from a health perspective but I believe it did give me a lifelong hungering for seafood---especially clams and oysters.

[PJ-Comix]

Crab is too difficult to eat (you have to work for it) and most people are not willing to spend their asking price.

You need special scissors to open up the crab shells, especially their legs. Some restaurants provide such scissors and with others you just have to bring your own.

[PJ-Comix]

On the other hand, one of my favorite places to go out in the Amish country is an 'all you can eat' smorgasbord where lunch is under 8 dollars, and dinner about 12.

That sounds like an "Amish" smorg I know in Shipshewana, IN. I put "Amish" in quotes since even though it is billed as an Amish restaurant, why was my "Amish" waitress wearing a cellphone?

[FourtySeven]

Cool, thanks.

[PJ-Comix]

That Ocean City, MD buffet menu is impressive UNTIL you see the Emerald Coast Buffet menu that we have right here in Broward County. Take a look:

The following is only a guideline of what is normally served. Management reserves the right to change any of the items offered without notice.

Gourmet Center	Mon - Fri Lunch	Weekend Brunch	Mon - Thurs Dinner	Fri - Sun Dinner
Sushi Bar	California Roll Florida Roll Cucumber Roll Vegetable Roll Grilled Salmon Roll	California Roll Florida Roll Cucumber Roll Vegetable Roll Grilled Salmon Roll	California Roll Florida Roll Vegetable Roll Seasonal Seafood Rolls:      Tuna, Eel, Grilled       Salmon, JB, Dynamite	California Roll Florida Roll Vegetable Roll Rice Pockets Seasonal Seafood Rolls:      Tuna, Eel, Grilled       Salmon, Spider, JB, etc Sashimi: Salmon, Tuna,       Snapper, Octopus
Grill	Chicken Teriyaki Smoked Sausage Garlic Bread	Chicken Teriyaki Salmon Steaks Smoked Sausage	Chicken Teriyaki Salmon Steaks Smoked Sausage	Steak Teriyaki Chicken Teriyaki Salmon Steaks Grilled Mahi Mahi
Carving Station	CLOSED	CLOSED	Hand Carved Prime Rib	Hand Carved Prime Rib
Hot Entrees	Orange Chicken Shrimp & Lobster Sauce Barbecue Ribs Almond Chicken w/ Veg. Black Pepper Steak Shrimp Tempura Imitation Scallop Tempura Szechuan Chicken BBQ Pork & Broccoli Tofu w/ Mixed Vegetables Sesame Chicken Meatballs w/ Black Bean      Sauce Szechuan Tofu Kung Pao Chicken Szechuan Eggplant Egg Rolls Ja-Doo Chicken Wings Sauteed Mushrooms Shanghai Noodles Salt & Pepper Snapper	Orange Chicken Shrimp & Lobster Sauce Barbecue Ribs Ja-Doo Chicken Wings Bacon Honey Garlic Spare Ribs Sesame Chicken Black Pepper Steak Sauteed Mushrooms Mussels w/ Black Bean      Sauce Szechuan Chicken Meatball w/ Green Pepper Imitation Scallop Tempura Kung Pao Chicken Shanghai Noodles Tofu w/ Mixed Vegetables BBQ Pork & Broccoli Egg Rolls Almond Chicken w/ Veg. Salt & Pepper Snapper	Snow Crab Legs in Garlic      Butter Shrimp & Lobster Sauce Barbecue Ribs Ja-Doo Chicken Wings Szechuan Chicken Honey Garlic Spare Ribs Sesame Chicken Egg Roll Spring Roll Black Pepper Steak Szechuan Eggplant Messels w/ Black Bean      Sauce Pot Stickers Meatball w/ Green Pepper Shanghai Noodles Duck Breast w/ Sweet      Potato Tofu w/ Mixed Vegetables Imitation Scallop Tempura Orange Chicken Peking Pork Chops	Snow Crab Legs in Garlic      Butter Shrimp & Lobster Sauce Breaded Jumbo Shrimp Barbecue Ribs BBQ Pork & Broccoli Seafood Delight Sesame Chicken Peking Pork Chops Honey Garlic Spare Ribs Szechuan Eggplant Orange Chicken Black Pepper Steak Duck Breast w/ Sweet      Potato Mussels w/ Black Bean      Sauce Pot Stickers Stuffed Crab Claws Egg Rolls Ja-Doo Chicken Wings Spring Rolls Shanghai Noodles Salt & Pepper Snapper
Soups	Hot & Sour Soup Won Ton Soup Egg Drop Soup	Hot & Sour Soup Won Ton Soup Egg Drop Soup	Seafood Chowder Japanese Miso Soup Sweet Corn and Chicken      Soup Hot & Sour Soup Won Ton Soup Egg Drop Soup	Seafood Chowder Japanese Miso Soup Sweet Corn and Chicken      Soup Hot & Sour Soup Won Ton Soup Egg Drop Soup
Desserts	Black Forest Cake Home Made Almond       Cookies Napolean Cheese Cake Honey Twist Fresh Cut Fruit Fresh Cut Fruit Salad Jello Flan Chocolate Cake Almond Jello & Mandarin      Orange Coconut Cake	Chocolate Strawberries or      Bananas Black Forest Cake Home Made Almond       Cookies Coconut Tarts Cheese Cake Honey Twist Key Lime Pie Fresh Cut Fruit Fresh Cut Fruit Salad Jello Strawberry Short Cake Flan Coconut Cake	Chocolate Strawberries or      Bananas Fresh Fruit Tarts Napolean Black Forest Cake Home Made Almond       Cookies Coconut Tarts Cheese Cake Honey Twist Key Lime Pie Strawberry Short Cake Fresh Cut Fruit Salad Flan Fresh Cut Fruits	Chocolate Strawberries or      Bananas Fresh Fruit Tarts Mochachino Cake Marble Cheesecake Home Made Almond       Cookies Coconut Tarts Cheese Cake Honey Twist Tiramisu Cake Strawberry Short Cake Fresh Cut Fruit Salad Flan Fresh Cut Fruit
Ice Cream Make your own Sundae	Vanilla Amaretto Almond (Sugar      Free) Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Orange Sherbert Pistachio Pralines Strawberry Cheesecake Rum & Raisin	Vanilla Amaretto Almond (Sugar      Free) Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Orange Sherbert Pistachio Pralines Strawberry Cheesecake Rum & Raisin	Vanilla Amaretto Almond (Sugar      Free) Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Orange Sherbert Pistachio Pralines Strawberry Cheesecake Rum & Raisin	Vanilla Amaretto Almond (Sugar      Free) Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Orange Sherbert Pistachio Pralines Strawberry Cheesecake Rum & Raisin
Salads	Crab Meat Salad Italian Tortellini Salad Rotini Salad Macaroni Salad Make you own Caesar      Salad Assorted Salad Builders	Peel n' Eat Shrimp Kiwi Musells Crab Meat Salad Shrimp salad Seafood Salad Italian Tortellini Salad Hawaiian Delight Salad Make your own Caesar      Salad Assorted Salad Builders	Stone Crab Kiwi Musell Peel n' Eat Shrimp Raw Oyster on Half Shell Crab Meat Salad Shrimp Salad Italian Tortellini Salad Make your own Caesar      Salad Assorted Salad Builders	Snow Crab Legs Stone Crab Kiwi Musells Peel n' Eat Shrimp Crab Meat Salad Shrimp Salad Italian Tortellini Salad Make your own Caesar      Salad Assorted Salad Builders

[PJ-Comix]

I love snow crab AND king, but my favorite has to be Dungeness. I had some at Friendly's Family Restaurant (not the chain) in southern Florida and it was the BEST crab I'd ever had.

I guess you never had Golden Crab. It is a recent discovery since they are found off the coast of Florida several thousand feet below the surface. I had some Golden Crab at the Marathon Seafood Festival and literally swooned from the incredible taste. You can get it here in Ft. Lauderdale at Captain Mikes. Golden Crab---The BEST crab ever!!!

[PJ-Comix]

I ate 10 lobster tails at a buffet once.

Super King Buffet here in Broward County serves up baby lobster tails and I can eat 20 of them without breaking a sweat.

[PJ-Comix]

Yeah, but they have 99 other kinds of food for you to fill up on also. Not many customers will fill up on nothing but crab.

No. I also gorge on oysters, clams, sushi, lobster tails, etc....Thanx to Emerald Coast Buffet.

[carlo3b]

This story is total BS. I smell something more than FISHY in this story. My guess is that they dumped this Affirmitive Action glass cealing breaking, bimbo, because she was a flop in more than her Crab-fest.
""Higher-than-expected crab expense, along with other issues at Red Lobster,..""
Their are dozens of layers between the top dog COO, and a marketing promotion, and my guess is that she surrounded herself with a bunch of assorted asskissing freaks..none of which were worth their seasoned salt. Look for a "mass resignation fest" in the top tier of this once proud chain.
"People want to see the food and maybe we spent too much time talking about the love," he said.....DUH fest.. *<]:\

[KC_for_Freedom]

This story is total BS

Agreed. My wife and I long ago stopped going to Red Lobster because the seafood was poor in quality. All you can eat programs have to be researched to set the correct price. If they did not do that, then there is a better reason to replace management. But I agree there are lots of unspoken reasons too.

BTW, I have seen "bottomless" beer pitchers, or plates of shrimp reach the point where we were asked to leave. (The establishment can trump up a reason.) Especially at lunches where the assumption is that patrons will go back to work before eating the establishment out of house and home. Usually they simply limit the service until you leave in disgust.

[PigRigger]

after an all-you-can-eat crab promotion went awry....

I'm sorry

[twigs]

We have a Chinese buffet near our house that has all-you-can-eat every night, including snow crab legs. When they first opened, they kept it constantly refilled. Now, they re-fill the crab legs only so often. They have also added other types of cuisine, like Italian and Mexican. This offers more variety and is more filling. These folks have been in business now for a long time.