Red Lobster offers a Senior Discount program for seniors seeking affordable seafood dining. However, there are no specific senior-focused discounts or special offers exclusively designed for older guests. However, Red Lobster does offer a discount of 10 off for all guests aged 55 and over, provided they present a valid ID as proof of age.
Red Lobster does not typically require members of a specific senior organization to avail of the senior citizen discount at Red Lobster. The My Red Lobster Rewards program allows customers to earn Rewards, Exclusive Offers, Coupons, and Flavorful Perks. For example, Red Lobster provides a 12 FREE Cheddar Bay Biscuit Reward To Go for crab-tastic experiences.
While Red Lobster does not offer senior discounts, there are still savings to be had at other restaurants like Chili’s and Red Lobster. McDonald’s also offers a 10 military discount to all US active-duty military personnel, reserves, veterans, retirees, and their families.
In Jefferson City, MO, there is no discount for AARP, AAA, or seniors. However, Red Lobster is a popular choice for seniors looking to show appreciation.
In summary, Red Lobster offers a Senior Discount program for seniors, but the specifics of the discount may vary depending on the location. It is advisable to check with your local Red Lobster for more information and discounts.
📹 We Finally Know Why Red Lobster Is So Cheap
Among seafood restaurants, the prices at Red Lobster are shockingly low. Sure, you can get cheaper fish at Long John Silver’s or …
What age are most senior discounts?
Seniors can enjoy promotions directed towards them, such as becoming an AARP member and qualifying for discounts. Some businesses start offering discounts to customers when they reach age 55, while others have different qualifying ages such as 62 or 65. Senior rates can be found at various retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, car rental agencies, and airlines.
Retirement accounts are designed to encourage long-term savings, and early withdrawals from 401(k) plans or IRAs typically include a 10 penalty. If money is taken out before age 59 1/2, a 10 penalty is typically required. However, after age 72, required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts must be taken, calculated using an IRS distribution method. By considering yourself a senior citizen, you can enjoy these benefits and take advantage of the discounts available to seniors.
What discounts can I get when I turn 55?
Senior discounts are available at various retail stores, including Goodwill, Hallmark, iParty, Kohl’s, and Kohl’s. These discounts are valid for older adults, veterans, and low-income individuals, and can vary by location. Some stores, like Kohl’s, offer discounts on specific days of the week. Some wireless providers also offer special discounts for seniors, such as $15 per month cell phone plans. It’s important to check with local stores to confirm discount availability. As of 2024, many businesses have stopped offering senior discounts, but they still provide discounts for older adults, veterans, and low-income individuals.
What do over 60s get free?
Maintaining good health requires lifestyle changes and access to healthcare services. For those over 60, the NHS offers concessions for affordable and accessible healthcare, such as free prescriptions, free eyesight tests, and the free NHS flu vaccine. The NHS Low Income Scheme provides additional support, covering dental treatment, travel costs, and glasses or contact lenses. Eligibility depends on specific circumstances, and even if not receiving these benefits, low-income individuals may still be eligible.
The NHS website provides a detailed guide on the application process, ensuring that individuals can access the necessary services and support. It is crucial to inform your optician if you haven’t had an appointment.
Which supermarket gives a discount to the over 60s?
Iceland offers a special discount for customers over 60, allowing them to save 10 on their shopping every Tuesday. This discount is not limited to any specific brand and applies to Iceland’s sister chain, The Food Warehouse. The discount is available in-store only and can be found at any Iceland foods store or Food Warehouse near you. To qualify, customers must sign up for the Iceland Bonus Card, which can be obtained for free.
They can choose to collect a physical bonus card in-store or a virtual bonus card for online shoppers. The discount is available for all over 60s, and they can save money with Iceland every day by signing up for the Iceland Bonus Card.
Does Olive Garden have a veteran discount?
On November 11, veterans and current service members can enjoy a free meal at Olive Garden. Subscribe to the Deals and Discounts Newsletter for weekly military discounts on food, travel, lodging, moving, and entertainment.
What kind of discounts do you get when you turn 50?
Senior citizen discounts are available to those aged 50 or older, offering discounts on home healthcare services, CVS Pharmacy, discounted prescriptions, glasses. com, and Kroger Co. Pharmacy. These discounts can range from cheaper food to travel savings. Michaels and Rite Aid are among the notable deals that can last for a long time. These discounts start at age 50 and often offer around 10 off, making them a great way to save for seniors on a fixed income. For more ways to save, check out military, birthday freebies, and student discounts.
What is the veteran discount?
Military discounts can be a great way to save on products, with an average discount of 10 off. However, these discounts can vary greatly, from 5 off to as much as 60 off. Some retailers may offer consistent discounts regardless of the location, while others may offer different discounts depending on the location. For example, some theaters may offer discounted movie tickets to military members, while others may not. Additionally, some retailers may offer daily discounts or free meals for military members.
It’s important to double-check the military discount before checkout to ensure it’s what you expect. Additionally, military discounts can’t be combined with other coupons or discounts, so it’s essential to check if there are any better deals available.
Does Tesco do over 60 discounts?
Tesco offers a Clubcard scheme to help seniors save money on their Senior Railcard, with every £1. 50 earned in vouchers turning into £3. 00 towards the card. Sainsbury’s doesn’t have a specific discount for over 60s, but offers ‘Feed Your Family for a Fiver’ recipe ideas to help save money during the cost of living crisis. Morrisons and Lidl don’t have an over 60s discount but offer ‘Wonky Veg’ boxes of fruit and vegetables to help with rising food prices. Travel is another area where seniors can benefit from discounts, with free bus passes and discounts on rail fares.
Does Red Lobster give a VA discount?
Active-duty military personnel can enjoy a 10 discount at participating Red Lobster locations in the continental U. S., provided they present a valid I. D. 10 off check on Mondays, excluding alcohol, gift cards, taxes, and gratuity.
What can over 60s get free?
Over 60 years old can receive free prescriptions, an NHS eyesight test, and the free NHS flu vaccine. It’s important to inform your optician if you haven’t had an appointment and to schedule an appointment.
What happens when you turn 60 years old?
As people age, their minds may become less sharp, causing slower recall of information and problem-solving. However, vocabulary, knowledge, and long-term memory may remain stable. By age 65, one in three people are at risk of developing eye diseases like cataracts, dry eye, or glaucoma, with macular degeneration being the most significant threat. Regular eye checks are recommended, even if no symptoms are noticed. Aging and inactivity can cause creaky joints, weak muscles, and achy joints.
Calcium and vitamin D supplements can help strengthen bones, and bone scans for osteoporosis are recommended for women at 65. Men should consult their doctor to determine the appropriate screening for their specific needs.
📹 Red Lobster Is Hemorrhaging Millions Because of Endless Shrimp | WSJ What Went Wrong
Red Lobster is in trouble. The seafood chain recently known for its endless shrimp special reported $11 million in losses in the …
I think before Thai Union took majority ownership, the business was run into the ground by the previous private equity owner. WSJ failed to cover this aspect of Red Lobster decline. When you see a Private Equity firm take over business, break out real estate owned, sell it and provide lease backs to business, its a transaction to remove profits and cash. The business was probably purchased with lots of debt added by private equity firm. So high rents, high debt really sunk this company. The endless shrimp worked for years before without issues…….
Anyone who’s ever done the “endless shrimp” figured that scam out pretty quick…as they space the timing out longer and longer and longer in-between asking if you want more shrimp. Only bored idiots are going to sit in a Red Lobster for like 4-5 hours just for some dumb shrimp. Unfortunately for Red Lobster it turns out there’s TONS of bored idiots out there.
They used to be a great place to eat. Then things like microwaved bowls of soup came along and portion size shrunk to half and the endless shrimp was a 30 minute wait to get 3 more. They lost their edge and feel of a nice place to eat. Numerous times I personally sent polite letters asking why their service was so bad. 45 minute to an hour wait for your food once seated was way to long. Especially after waiting an hour for a table. I walked out several times without even getting an order placed. BAD MANAGEMENT means poor employees. Once a manager assured me to sit back down and he’d put his best waitstaff on me and my husband. 45 more minutes later we left without ordering. You get what you deserve.
Used to absolutely love Red Lobster. I loved their broiled fisherman’s platter—they got rid of it. Then loved crab fettuccine—-got rid of it. Lastly loved seafood stuffed mushrooms—-they took the seafood out of them almost entirely, just leaving stuffing. That was the last straw. Never went back. It’s a shame because I would go back if they brought back the stuff everyone loved.
Private Equity sold the land from red lobster to another business it owned and jacked up the rent. The bled it dry. Endless shrimp is a way to blame you for a 11 million dollar loss which is nothing in comparison. The company that bought it from Private equity used red lobster to unload its shrimp which it dold to red lobster for overmarket prices. You are not to blame, shame on the media blaming consumers
When I was a kid, my parents knew I loved lobster, so on my birthday we would go to red lobster and load up on lobster and other seafood items. I hadn’t been there in 25 years, and took a date out to Red Lobster back in 2020. It went from being maybe too fancy as we just started dating, to dealing with poor quality everything from there. It was comparable to buying frozen dinners, heating them up and serving it to people.
I worked at a red lobster in 1997. It was a busy restaurant but it doesn’t surprise me that they are bound to fail. People are sick of corporate culture. I rarely go to a sit down restaurant anymore. 20 -30 for a plate 10-15 for a couple beers 3-4 for a soft drink. Even without alcohol your still on average at 25-35 bucks for a meal and soda. Add the 6-8 dollar tip and buy the time you factor in transportation cost you might easily be at $50 bucks for one person just to get a ok meal. I’ll pass, corporate culture is out of touch with consumers, just like how we don’t want to pay 50-100k for a vehicle or 400k for a house. I welcome this economic implosion. The sooner it fails is the sooner we can take back are countries from the entities that are fleecing us into new age slavery.
The problem is their products are mainly coming from unregulated wild fishing operations where the populations are being decimated. I was on a small Caribbean island where lobster trapping for Red Lobster was like 50% of the islands employees ( This was in 2018ish). The island had been a major supplier since the early 1980s. The locals were telling me about how much further from the island they were having to go each year. The older people remembered the days when you could go a few hundred meters off shore.. now they are going 5 miles or more…. which makes it much more expensive and risky. The trash boats they use constantly sink in any type of bad weather, and it gets harder and hard to locate the traps that are dropped. One guy told me in the 80s you almost never lost a trap, now they are losing 10% or more each time they go out. While that is a bad expense for them, it also means that 10% of the traps end up being just death for the lobsters inside.
I go to Red Lobster by myself and abuse the endless shrimp. I usually buy 2 drinks and always tip at least 20 dollars or 50 percent of the bill, whatever is greater.. I try to make it as easy as possible for my server/bartender, but I know it’s still annoying (they don’t mind when they get the tip). However, by the time I leave, I’ve easily eaten 3 times as much food as I paid for. The amount of extra staff required to deal with the promotion can’t help either. No, I’m not terribly overweight (5’10” 200ish). I usually fast for a full day or two before I stuff my face at Red Lobster.
In the 1990’s we did a lot of traveling. across the country. We would stop at Red Lobster once and a while. My husband thought it would be ok since were on the road and trying to hurry, not to mention the dress standard was casual. No matter what time of day or night the wait was long even though there wasn’t always that many customers and tables were open. Half hour to be seated, ten minutes to get a menu, 15-20+ minutes to order, 10 minutes to get drinks, 45 minutes to an hour to be served. By that time, we’re all very hungry, the kids were tired, and the food was cold and rubbery. It didn’t matter which city, what time of day it was all the same, poor service and really bad food. After many attempts (not my idea, I gave up on Red Lobster after 5 tries) we gave up on them and have never been back.
I don’t believe the “Endless Shrimp” excuse! I went there for it last year, for $20. & when I went back, I was told that it’s now $27.00! I go to a Chinese Buffet every week & they serve “endless'” shrimp, both fresh & fried, unlimited on their buffet table! If they can do it, so could “Red Lobster”! p.s. The other members of my “Red Lobster” party had fried fish & it was not good or worth the price!
Seems like the top executives are NOT familiar with the American culture of excess in everything. When they promoted an all you can eat deal, they were not expecting that many people to eat so much. Cultural differences and lack of understanding of their customer base in this social media era killed them.
Went to a Red Lobster in Ohio about 30 years ago. The plates were dirty, the silver ware was filthy. I picked myself up and walked out, never went back again. They deserved to be shut down, they did it to themselves. I do not feel sorry for them. The world dose not need Red Lobster, rather Red Lobster needs the world. Think about it, and then put them on the same garbage landfill that other bankrupt corporations occupy.
The last time I went to Red Lobster we were seated across from a dirty table that was not cleared the entire meal. An upside down booster seat was leaning against the booth with a spray bottle on the table. The carpet was dirty and the restaurant was understaffed. In addition, the food was oversalted. I also didn’t like being addressed by the server as “you guys” with her nose ring and tattoos. The other diners were either on their laptops or talking loudly on the their iPhones to let the other person know they were dining at Red Lobster. I will never go there again. I don’t know what people see in this restaurant.
Endless shrimp is a joke anyway, for most people you’re better off to buy the any three platter unless you intend to be there for 2-3 hours. The last time we went it was probably a 15 minute wait per refill and each refill has 4-6 shrimp. Aside from that they’re hemorrhaging money because it’s far overpriced for the quality of the food. There are far better options that are both better in quality and lower in price.
The last time I ever went to a Red Lobster was after my mother’s funeral. It’s very symbolic that both my parents died soon after Red Lobster went under, I will miss this restaurant. I fondly remember going there with my parents, relatives, family friends, etc. The last time I went there the food quality for the restaurant had very much decreased. I recall during the pandemic, we ordered take out from Red Lobsters, only to have a very small option to choose take out food. It really sucks.
I never knew that was the first ever Red Lobster in Lakeland, FL. That was my grandfather’s favorite restaurant and thus became our family’s main out to eat spot. Yesterday the location here in Gainesville left a note on the door for employees coming in to work saying they were officially closed and to contact the corporate office. It’s really sad that they didn’t tell them ahead of time.
Many commenters here miss the point by saying what killed Red Lobster was poor food, poor service, bad facilities, etc. Those things are true but they are largely the end result of what the private equity firm Golden Gate did when it purchased Red Lobster a decade ago. The private equity firm engaged in the common equity firm tactic of asset stripping to help finance the purchase agreement from the original owners. The equity firm purchaser of RL, Golden Gate Capital, took all the properties of the RL restaurants and sold them to another private equity firm which began charging lease to Red Lobster franchises and locking them into multi-year lease agreements which RL had to pay even if the restaurants were not profitable and losing money. So Golden Gate Capital made its killing by selling off a valuable asset at the start, and it never cared a bit about having RL well run and increasing customers. That was never the point. It knew the asset stripping and leasing by the other private equity firm would help run up costs for RL and lower food and service quality, but they didn’t care. They made their money already. Golden Gate then sold off a majority stake to a Thai seafood corporation which badly mismanaged RL. This was the final domino to fall and now RL is bankrupt and in reorganization, but the writing is on the wall. In a few years RL will be no more. Even if new management improves food and service, RL cannot get around its higher and higher multi-year lease agreements which make profitability impossible.
A family started a meat retail business….in 1911. and owned the entire BLOCK along what is now a multi-million dollar location for EACH store. In the sixties the three brothers had wives milking the business for @kash and sold their land. Been renters ever since, and have never grown…..in over 100 years. that half block in Vancouver is now worth 200 million, and there was no reason to sell. Short term thinking.
I was talking to somoene a couple months ago that got their endless shrimp and they told me that Long John Silvers grilled shrimp is better tasting than the garbage they served him. He wasn’t even full and just paid his bill and walked out half way through his second plate; the shrimp was THAT bad. Quality has gone DOWN THE DRAIN at Red Lobster in recent years.
I was just there on Sunday, and it looked like Heaven’s Waiting Room, no one under 70 years old. And they tip like it’s 1950! My gf got 3 mixed drinks, $74,00!!!!! Are you kidding me?? The elderly couple next to us got the endless shrimp. She ate 3 and said she was full, then ate 2 baskets of the crab biscuits. Her husband ate 5 shrimp and did the same. I don’t think the shrimp is killing them, or the people eating them. Who buys land in Time Square for a sit down restaurant? That place must bleed cash! lol! We spent $230.00 + $100 for our waitress, for so so overworked service, and mid level food.
So it’s not because of endless shrimp, as your title erroneously says, but because of a combination of factors going back years. If it was just because of endless shrimp, they could have easily modified the deal, preventing social media influencers, and the like, from ordering 100 shrimp just to make another dumb article. Set a reasonable limit, like 25 or so. If they don’t want to remove an endless offer, just change it. Make the offer “endless cat food.” Then I can watch someone on YouTube eating a ton of cat food. That’s more entertaining than perusal someone eating a bunch of shrimp.
Rest in peace to my job. 6 wonderful years with the company. I’ll keep those memories with me forever. My favorite job I have ever had in my 30 years on this planet. Red lobster you will forever be loved ❤ and missed by many. So many of our customers are heartbroken to never have us again. The closest location still open is about 3 hours away. Sad to know about 100 people that lost their jobs between different locations. Over 50 just at mine.
This article and the article on the WSJ have shown how low WSJ has gone in drawing attention. Endless shrimp clearly is not the main reason the company is filing for bankruptcy. As many other people have commented here, the main culprit is the private equity loading up huge debt, so the company has to service the interest payment as well as paying down debt. It would be pretty easy to find out if the author had looked at the balance sheet and income statement, large debt and interest payment will bring a company down most of the time. But the author chose to sensationalize the story……..shameful!
I worked for several Darden group restaurants a while back as a prep chef during my summers off from college. They had a very serious focus on hitting numbers from the moment they unload the service truck to the chopping of the veggies and portion sizes and seating the customers/turning the tables over. I can only imagine this was some kind of behind the scenes shenanigans with the new investors, which seems to be the status quo for business all over America now that has private equity behind it.
The quality of their food items has gotten terrible. All the sides taste frozen and microwaved, the service is usually poor and the restaurants are mostly empty. I think if they served genuinely well prepared delicious food things could turn around. But it’s already in a death spiral, the word is out, people know it’s overpriced poor quality food.
If you looked at their nutrition the last few decades, it was either horrible re things like sodium, or the few healthy options like baked fish were ridiculously expensive. I can cook healthy fish at home easy from the grocery, CHEAP and EASY, and prepare it how I like re spices, etc. And shrimp is INSANELY unhealthy UNLESS you buy shrimp that is ONLY shrimp (no added salt, sodium triphosphates, etc). If you buy JUST shrimp (which you can get conveniently frozen at Kroger, Whole Foods, etc), it costs a little more, but it has like 90 mg of sodium for a 100 g portion, and eaten in moderation, is good, healthy food. And a portion only costs about $3, so that’s no unreasonable. Eating all the highly processed shrimp you can cram in your pie-hole is just crazy.
I was just there with my mom and we had the endless shrimp deal. We both ate the first round of shrimp and took the 2nd round to go. I ordered a side of broccoli, coleslaw and a soda and the deal came with a potato and biscuits. I was surprised that each one if those was $4.95. Five bux for a scoop of coleslaw, 5 bux for a serving of broccoli, 5 bux for a soda. I was thinking that’s where they’re making up for it. I guess not.
It’s not rocket surgery. They raised their prices (for whatever reasons) enough to shift their field of competition from casual dining chains to artisan restaurants. The quality was no longer worth the price when, for a similar price across the street, you could eat at the locally owned artisanal restaurant with much higher quality dishes. Incidentally, this is the same problem McDonald’s and other fast-food chains are facing. They’ve raised their prices to shift their field of competition from fast food to casual dining chains.
Endless shrimp is a calling card for gluttons. Their food isn’t that good. Make the food better and serve normal portions. Personally, I’d rather go to a locally owned seafood restaurant. The food is better than a chain restaurant. A lot of tacky people go to Red Lobster thinking it’s something special. It’s not.
Just STOP calling it “all you can eat shrimp” already. I went for said option a year ago. Waited 45min for my first set of shrimp which was limited to 2 portions. Then had to wait 20min for the 2nd set, and by that time I wasn’t even really hungry anymore cause of eating bread biscuits while waiting. THAT is their tactic. Make you wait so long that they take your money without really honoring an “all you can eat” anything but biscuits! Never again!!!
Red Lobster is way over priced. Back in 1991 i could walk in spend $20.00 and walk out stuffed. Now you walk in and appetisers are $15.00 . They shut themselves down. Good riddance. Sea food prices going up ? Good excuse. Enless shrimp put them out of bussines. My guess is put an expiration date on it and stop the deal. Even Forrest Gump would know that.
The problem wasn’t the “low” price for endless shrimp full time.. whether it was for 20 or 25….their problem was their lack of attention to detail… a lot of their shrimp is breaded too much and I had gotten under cooked shrimp a couple times….after that I was done with red lobster… it’s a shame for the company because before the undercooking issue I was there once a week for the endless shrimp….and bringing the fam with me….
It’s ridiculous to blame endless shrimp. It’s the whole chain itself. The prices are high, food quality is down through the floor. You order something like shrimp scampi, and it’s just a puddle of oil with some tiny overbaked shrimp in it. The other dishes come with way too much filler like pasta. Portions are smaller, have more breading, and generally are cooked terribly. You’re better off just going to the seafood market and eating at home.
I never dined in RL, but everytime I passed one I was always wondering how they could make profit by serving lobsters in this economy. They either had to sacrifice their profit or their food quality/service. Well now that it filed for bankruptcy, it answered for my long question. They sacrificed both profit, food quality and service.
Red lobster almost killed me this past January. Tried their Salmon for the first time and the food poisoning I had was so bad I almost lost consciousness bc i couldnt breathe inbetween the violent vomiting. The cramping was comparable to mild severe labor pains. I should have said no i dont want to eat here when i saw how outdated the restaurant was.
They lost me due to endless shrimp, but in a different way. At my local Lobster, the additional orders of shrimp, were taken one at a time, each time taking 15 minutes or so to be served with a refill. I suspect that was by design, but it meant that every time, I got so tired of waiting that it just wasn’t worth the wait. That means I left most every time feeling they had shortchanged me because of the slow refills. I have rarely been back since for a shrimp deal or even a regular meal because this experience (excuse the pun) left a bad taste in my mouth.
I gave up on Red Lobster when I went there with some friends for the “endless shrimp” and we were served a plate with about 10 smallish shrimp. It was 45 minutes before we saw the server again, seeming surprised that we actually wanted more shrimp with the “endless shrimp” deal. Ten minutes later, we were given plates with five smallish shrimp. We were fed up and went somewhere else. Stupidly, years later, I went to my local Red Lobster for the endless crab deal. I was brought 3 crab legs which had been boiled so long (instead of the proper steaming to cook) that I worked for ten minutes to get any of the shell off and anything to eat. Disgusted, I left the restaurant and dined somewhere else, vowing never to return. That is where Red Lobster is today. Good riddance.
An insightful dissection by WSJ into the complex dynamics behind Red Lobster’s financial challenges amidst the allure of ‘Endless Shrimp.’ This analysis not only sheds light on the perils of unsustainable business models but also serves as a cautionary tale in an era where consumer preferences and economic realities intersect:face-fuchsia-tongue-out:
I went on my birthday 20 years ago. They literally was bringing out 5-7 tiny a$$ shrimp at a time. I had already ate all my shrimp before my family had been served and my drink wasnt even on the table yet. took another 20 minutes to even order again and out comes 5-7 shrimp again. we left I was livid. I havent stepped foot in one of their restaurants since
Lets be clear, while they want you to believe that their generousity caused the problems (all you can eat shrimp) it was actually their high prices and low standards that hurt them. For a main dish and a coffee it costs $60 per person in Canada and for the last year or so they no longer include a salad, which is now offered for an additional $6. That means after one person spends $60 plus on a meal they can still leave hungry. So why would I ever go back to Red Lobster when I can have two good meals somewhere else for the same price? They priced themselves out of the market.
Just like any other Company that loses money, it starts with the people in charge! CEO’s are a detriment to any Company! Why? They have what you call a stop and rob clause in their contract! Some of you may ask what is a stop and rob clause! It’s when the CEO gets in between $45,000,000 to $250,000,000 dollar parachute payment! While the bottom feeders get the doors closed on them, and they get nothing! If this is not ROBBERY, I don’t know what is! ANY BIG Business that goes under, look at the people who is in charge of it first before you make any assumptions of how that Company failed when they were too large to fail! Y’all do know The Olive Garden is owned by the same Company! Both Red Lobster and The Olive Garden use to be owned by General Mills! Look what happened to Steak & Ale and Bennigan’s. They too were owned by large Corporations that were successful until the Corporation’s no longer wanted them. As soon as Pillsbury sold Steak & Ale and Bennigan’s to an independent owner, they went broke! Why? GREED mostly, and they didn’t have the knowledge to keep it successful! When you put dummies in charge, you get dummy results! When you put successful people in charge, you reap rewards beyond your imagination! The moral to this post is. If you’re gonna start or buy a business and you want to be successful first you have to put God first! Second, you have to hire the right people and take care of them. Don’t worry once you’re successful and you have an employee thinks the Company will not survive if he’s not there.
This makes no sense whatsoever. Endless shrimp was started in 2004 and is still available even today. They can discontinue it at any time. If it were really to blame, then corporate leadership is grossly incompetent for maintaining a business practice for 20 years that is bankrupting them. In reality, endless shrimp is just a scapegoat for general mismanagement, higher food and operating costs, and decline of brand value.
Forget all of the biz hubbub, their approach to a really nice customer experience the last several years was horrendous. The food and menu was lousy and the people trying to make it work were the bottom of the barrel. Olive Garden in right behind RL. Its a shame these chains aren’t held to better standards.
Growing up, i lived in Virginia, in Tidewater. Red Lobster set up camp all over the area. It was really not much different than Long John Silver’s. You live right on the water and eat at Red Lobster, where all the food is frozen and shipped in??? I can remember bars in the area offering $5 all you can eat shrimp for lunch. It made me wonder why the crab meat tasted like dyed shark bait and the “jumbo” shrimp looked like the were caught in a storm drain. They habe always been imitation sea food and always will be.
A couple years back I embarrassingly visited a Red Lobster, as my GF at the time said her grandma wanted to go there for her birthday. We were in total shock and found it pathetic Red Lobster would not serve my gf’s grandma A FREAKING LOBSTER. They did not have a menu item or order setup to just be a lobster tail, or a lobster tail and two sides. They absolutely refused to accommodate her unless she ordered a steak and lobster plate, ultimate feast, or other such combo. The audacity of asking a nearly 90 year old woman to order an “ultimate feast”. Red Lobster’s time has come and gone they should be no more than a figment of the past.
I have no idea how this restaurant chain is still in business. Going back to when I was a kit to present day I hardly ever see any cars at a Red Lobster and I haven’t never heard a friend or anyone in passing say that they went to or are going to Red Lobster. As for myself the last time I went to a Red Lobster was back in 1988, I took a girl there on a date. I thought it would impress her.
I was a cook in restaurants and know when food is prepared correctly. My 3 visits to red lobster in Saskatoon Canada were awful. The all you can eat shrimp was always tasting burnt but not overcooked. This tells me the oil was not changed and new shrimp added. I informed the head office 3 times and got a free dinner coupon for 2 of the 3 visits. I will never eat there again and haven’t as they continued to NOT do anything about changing deep fryer oil more often. This was well before covid they were screwing up pushing customers away. sad nice restaurant horrible food.
Red Lobster might have lost money on “Endless Shrimp,” but it was meant to be a loss leader in order to bring customers back in and have them pay for other stuff, like expensive drinks and side dishes. And yeah, charging $20 for an all-you-can-eat anything sounds crazy, especially in an age of inflation.
What went wrong? Same thing that’s happened at businesses from Toys ‘R Us to hospitals like Steward Health: Private equity comes in, often conducts a leveraged buyout saddling the company it just bought with debt, then they sell off the property the company owns to a third party, often owned by a company the private equity firm has an interest in, who then makes the company pay exorbitant rent, tying up significant dollars every quarter in debt and rent payments, until the company goes bankrupt. Well if private equity has squeezed every drop of blood from and left only a stone. So really what killed it was Wall Street greed. Please feel free to disprove this using math, but be prepared for some very ugly (in the way it will condemn Wall Street and private equity in general) math in return.
First of all, the idea of endless anything is gross. And shrimp is VERY high in cholesterol. Add to that salty fatty dipping sauces (face it, plain shrimp has no flavor), and you are just eating junk food under the pretense that shrimp is somehow luxury. Many cultures disdain shrimp as insects that live in the ocean or a farm. Yep, that’s what they are.