Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Red Lobster In Hot Water
MSN Money ^ | 20 December 2013 | Jim Probasco

Posted on 12/20/2013 5:17:15 PM PST by zeestephen

Owner Darden Restaurants says the seafood chain is underperforming and wants to sell it. Red Lobster has failed to attract the number of higher-income diners that both Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse have.

(Excerpt) Read more at money.msn.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: darden
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-122 next last
To: Jack Hydrazine
Like every other franchise/chain restaurant, it depends on the local owner and staff.
I like Olive Garden! Decent, mid level prices and ambiance. My town has two Olive Gardens. I think we also have a Red Lobster, but it's not on my side of town, and not in a safe place to park a car.
The best Olive Garden is on the borderline to the bad part of town.
Service is always great, food is always good, and it's always packed.It's smaller, but does a better job of cooking and serving Americanised Italian food.
They have been in business there for many years.
The new and larger Olive Garden is iffy on both service and food quality.
It's well worth the traffic and wait time to go to the older, smaller restaurant, IMHO.

As far as Red Lobster...I live in Florida.

I don't care for any restaurant seafood other than really good scallops and crab legs. I know where to get the best of those locally, and refuse to share that information online!

81 posted on 12/20/2013 6:59:32 PM PST by sarasmom (Extortion 17. A large number of Navy SEALs died on that mission. Ask why.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: zeestephen

I went to Olive garden and had an excellent salad and a plate of lasagna last week

It was the best lunch I have had in more than a year.


82 posted on 12/20/2013 7:00:14 PM PST by not2be4gotten.com
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: carriage_hill

Love the rolls at Texas Roadhouse, but the rolls at Spring Creek BBQ are better. Texas roadhouse is a good value for very good food.

Never eat steak when dining out. Steaks from Costco are awesome and inexpensive.


83 posted on 12/20/2013 7:01:48 PM PST by SeaHawkFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: eastforker

Never had Papa’s Seafood. Their BBQ restaurants aren’t very good and are high-priced. Spring Creek is much better BBQ for a chain restaurant.


84 posted on 12/20/2013 7:04:02 PM PST by SeaHawkFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: SeaHawkFan

I agree with you on the SC BBQ, I order to go from there often, try papa’s seafood in humble sometime, you will be surprised.


85 posted on 12/20/2013 7:06:16 PM PST by eastforker (Cruz for steam in 2016)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: Rebelbase

Macaroni Grille is much better than Olive Garden for about the same price; and their bread is great.


86 posted on 12/20/2013 7:06:33 PM PST by SeaHawkFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: SeaHawkFan
Spring Creek is much better BBQ for a chain restaurant.

I liked Luther's.

87 posted on 12/20/2013 7:06:45 PM PST by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves" Month.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: GGpaX4DumpedTea
Casual dining joints usually start out well but quickly go downhill in terms of quality of food and service.

It seems like initially they go out of their way to distinguish themselves with generous portions and flavorful dishes, but once they become established, they start cutting corners. The portion sizes shrink, the food becomes blander and the service starts to suck.

Applebees, Outback, Chilis, Olive Garden, Longhorns, and Buffalo Wild Wings are all examples of this. I remember when Outback was a fantastic place to go. Their racks of lamb used to be rather generous but nowadays, it's probably about half the size it was 10 years ago and not nearly as tasty. As for Applebees, their food is practically unedible, yet a few years back, their Bourbon Street steak was really something. Now it's a pale imitation of what once was and rather disgusting.

88 posted on 12/20/2013 7:10:00 PM PST by SamAdams76
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: Jack Hydrazine

Screaming children.
Caughing wait staff.


89 posted on 12/20/2013 7:13:35 PM PST by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: zeestephen
The Red Lobster near me would be one of the last places I would choose for dinner. Beautiful full color menus that look nothing like the crap you get on your plate.

Talk about false advertising.

90 posted on 12/20/2013 7:15:51 PM PST by Gabrial (The nightmare will continue as long as the nightmare is in the Whitehouse.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cicero

That is what I did last time I was in Maine.
12 lobsters and 10 lbs of steamers was like $60.


91 posted on 12/20/2013 7:16:33 PM PST by mylife (Ted Cruz understands the law, and he does not fear the unlawful.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: eastforker

I think the best BBQ buffet in Texas might be Sam’s Restaurant in Fairfield. Brisket is melt in your mouth good. Great links and ribs, too.


92 posted on 12/20/2013 7:23:06 PM PST by SeaHawkFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: SamAdams76

Cheddars is my favorite casual dinning choice.


93 posted on 12/20/2013 7:24:30 PM PST by SeaHawkFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 88 | View Replies]

To: RitaOK
RL used to have delicious food, or else I just had an unsophisticated palette. But, not in recent times. I don’t know what happened.

There is one Red Lobster restaurant here and I remember when there were 3. The remaining store is always busy. You can't make reservations which I always thought was a bad business model for any restaurant. I don't eat there often, and realize now it has been about a year since I last was there. What is amazing to me is that there is so little competition around here for seafood. Tomorrow I'm going to the new Gilbert and Blake's. They promote their seafood, but their web reviews have been a bit mixed

94 posted on 12/20/2013 7:24:44 PM PST by be-baw (still seeking)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: zeestephen

If they add hamburgers and fries they could have a going concern.


95 posted on 12/20/2013 7:37:04 PM PST by minnesota_bound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: minnesota_bound

Some of us live in suburbia where you can’t find a nearby seafood or steak place, nor can we afford to eat at places like that very often. These are our best restaurants unless we drive miles and miles. Red Lobster’s lunch menu has reasonable prices and they serves their lunch menu at Sunday lunch. It’s our favorite place to eat after Sunday worship. Longhorn is a reasonably priced steakhouse with decent food. Also love Olive Garden because they don’t flinch over handling a large lunch groups. It’s a great place to have work-related lunches and celebrations.


96 posted on 12/20/2013 7:50:19 PM PST by OrangeDaisy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

To: zeestephen

I hope this is not too off topic. My Daughter sent me $163.00 worth of Omaha Steaks which arrived yesterday. I prepared two of their baked potatoes, an apple tartlet, and a chicken fried steak.

I was really disappointed in the steak. I could not eat a lot of it as it was composed of chopped steak which was held together by a lot some type of gristle or sinew or whatever it was. The baked potato I would rate as good and the tartlet as very good.

I know there are better steaks in the package which I have not tried yet and a lot of hamburger too. I sure hope they are better than that chicken fried one.

I added it up and she paid over $12.00 per pound and a lot of it was hamburger, chicken breast, and pork. I don’t mind that there are fewer steaks than just about anything else as I actually like those other foods.

It does seem that the meat is no better and possibly worse than I get at the local supermarket. I usually get choice and this may be a lower grade than that. They do have a return policy but I don’t want to hurt my Daughter’s feelings by asking for a refund which would be sent to her so she would know.

Basically a lot of good food but most of it is very cheap food and the one steak I have tried was awful and there were that many of them. I do have some filet Mignon steaks and they should be better.

I would be interesting in other people’s experience.


97 posted on 12/20/2013 7:55:45 PM PST by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: zeestephen

My parents stopped going to Red Lobster when they got rid of the Beer-Batter Cod. Now they spend their time going to P.F. Chang.


98 posted on 12/20/2013 8:13:30 PM PST by Slyfox (We want our PRE-EXISTING HEALTH INSURANCE back!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: zeestephen

“higher-income diners that both Olive Garden”

LOL HAHAHHAHAHAHAAHHA


99 posted on 12/20/2013 8:23:54 PM PST by Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh (I cling to guns and religion.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

you can buy the mix at Sams Club


100 posted on 12/20/2013 8:45:25 PM PST by Shadowstrike (Be polite, Be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-122 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson