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Red Lobster is abruptly closing dozens of restaurants
CNN ^ | May 14, 2024 | Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN

Posted on 05/14/2024 5:21:20 AM PDT by Red Badger

Struggling Red Lobster is abruptly closing at least 48 of its restaurants around the country, according to a leading restaurant liquidator.

TAGeX Brands is conducting an online auction of Red Lobster restaurant inventory, including kitchen equipment, furniture, tables and chairs. The auction begins Monday and continues through Thursday, according to company founder Neal Sherman.

Red Lobster locations in Buffalo, Orlando, Jacksonville and other cities were listed as “temporarily closed” on Red Lobster’s website, according to local news reports.

Red Lobster did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment. The company has around 650 locations.

Red Lobster is reportedly considering filing for bankruptcy protection. The chain has tapped a restructuring expert as its chief executive, a possible indicator of an impending bankruptcy.

The mass closures are another sign of problems at Red Lobster and one of the only times in its more than 50-year history the chain has closed dozens of stores at once.

Red Lobster was a casual dining pioneer, bringing affordable seafood to middle-class consumers for the first time.

But the chain has declined in recent years due to a range of factors, including corporate mismanagement, say former leaders and restaurant analysts.

In 2020, Thai Union, a longtime supplier to Red Lobster, took an undisclosed financial stake in the chain, becoming a key shareholder.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: closing; closures; food; redlobster; restaurants
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To: Chgogal

Not this time.

Red Lobster did this to themselves................


81 posted on 05/14/2024 8:15:10 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

A couple months back, my brother and I went to the local Red Lobster. We were told there would be a 45 minute wait. We saw empty tables. We left.


82 posted on 05/14/2024 8:16:33 AM PDT by 7thson (I've got a seat at the big conference table! I'm gonna paint my logo on it!)
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To: Gen.Blather

Panda Express is just as expensive as the little mom and pop Chinese places and talk about bland tasting food - the sauces aren’t even cooked in with the meals - they give you a packet (like a ketchup packet) to put the sauce on yourself, and it is nasty. I don’t understand the success of that chain.

As for the mom and pop Chinese places I’ve been to, when I order I can hear the sound of food cooking and their utensils clanking around mixing / stirring so I don’t think it is a frozen meal they are just heating up. Can’t say that for buffets, though, which always have less taste.


83 posted on 05/14/2024 8:16:37 AM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: Red Badger

I’m sure inflation ate up the little margin they had.


84 posted on 05/14/2024 8:17:21 AM PDT by Chgogal (To paraphrase Biden: You vote Democrat? You ain't smart.)
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To: Gen.Blather

The new thing in precooked meals is “sous vide” which is basically the boil-in-bag meals that Banquet sold in the 70s-before microwaves.


85 posted on 05/14/2024 8:23:02 AM PDT by kaktuskid
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To: Red Badger

But the chain has declined in recent years due to a range of factors, including corporate mismanagement, say former leaders and restaurant analysts.


and filthy restaurants. Trash under tables etc.


86 posted on 05/14/2024 8:30:02 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: Red Badger
Not this time.

Red Lobster did this to themselves................

Back many decades ago all the food used to be in-house cooked live or never frozen foods. I can instantly tell just by the smell if fish or shellfish is fresh or previously frozen. The flavor and texture is even worse and I won't do it.

I have no problem paying extra for quality.

87 posted on 05/14/2024 8:39:47 AM PDT by USCG SimTech
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To: SamAdams76
Once you master cooking a quality steak at home in cast iron

There are several ways to cook a steak at home that will taste far better than even at a good restaurant. I have mastered three of them, but struggle with the skillet method.

88 posted on 05/14/2024 8:50:13 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: Sacajaweau
I think it’s all about the butter

It's always about the butter.

89 posted on 05/14/2024 8:53:14 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: Red Badger

Is this political?

Rename to Blue Lobster?


90 posted on 05/14/2024 9:13:17 AM PDT by Scrambler Bob (Running Rampant, and not endorsing nonsense; My pronoun is EXIT.)
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To: Justa
the flavor should come from the meat

Marinade for 3x days with Worcestershire sauce and Dales with seasoning added

How can you reconcile those two statements?

91 posted on 05/14/2024 9:14:58 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: Scrambler Bob

There are actually Blue Lobsters..............


92 posted on 05/14/2024 9:18:14 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Justa

I do not own an air fryer. So I haven’t tried that. However, if you are carbonizing your food, you are not cooking it correctly.

What cooks aim for is a Maillard reaction:

https://www.seriouseats.com/what-is-maillard-reaction-cooking-science

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction


93 posted on 05/14/2024 9:20:29 AM PDT by ALPAPilot
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To: T.B. Yoits

When you’ve been on the road a while, Applebee’s is the only place available, and you are burgered out and want just a simple meal that hasn’t been flash frozen, then you hope someone can just cook a plain steak. It just isn’t that hard to do.


94 posted on 05/14/2024 9:23:41 AM PDT by ALPAPilot
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To: null and void

When the 3-D girl can start cranking out steaks for us on demand, those will be the glory days indeed.


95 posted on 05/14/2024 9:32:38 AM PDT by SamAdams76 (6,575,474 Truth | 87,429,044 Twitter)
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To: rdl6989

Here’s an article raising it to 99 or more.

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/red-lobster-closing-50-locations-what-cities-why-rcna152159


96 posted on 05/14/2024 10:08:28 AM PDT by rdl6989 ( )
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To: Bull Snipe

Yes


97 posted on 05/14/2024 12:34:04 PM PDT by Texas Fossil (Texas is not about where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind and Attitude.)
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To: Ezekiel

Thank you.


98 posted on 05/14/2024 12:35:17 PM PDT by Texas Fossil (Texas is not about where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind and Attitude.)
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To: ALPAPilot

I was going to post the same thing on a Applebee’s thread.
Ate there twice, first time pulled a foot long hair out of my mouth.
Second time with gf’s parents I ordered the steak.
BIG MISTAKE
I was served a pile of gray mush...I couldn’t believe they actually had the gall to serve it to me.
Never Again


99 posted on 05/14/2024 1:02:30 PM PDT by mowowie
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To: Justa
I don’t prefer seared steak. I believe the flavor should come from the meat and the way it is cooked not from a layer of carbon.
Best ••• -Marinade for 3x days with Worcestershire sauce and Dales with seasoning added.

You think you are tasting the meat after you soak steak in an MSG rich, acidic brine, for three days?

100 posted on 05/14/2024 1:08:54 PM PDT by Pilsner
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