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.

[jimbo123]

4 plates of Red Lobster crabs? Yuck!

[dennisw]

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. ....................


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

[Old Professer]

Back in the car-pool days we had two guys who were Canteen officers for the V.A.; they would would regale us with their tales of who had been kicked out of the most "All-you-can-eat" buffet places from coast to coast.

[Bogey78O]

Dude, Freep this poll!

http://freerepublic.com/perl/poll?poll=30

LOL! Had to be silly for a moment.

[Semper911]

The headline of this story really threw me. I thought someone bit the head off of something during an all you can eat special.

You know ...and then it was replaced. Never mind.

[scab4faa]

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

I'm not sure excatly how far you want to annalyze that..

[Melas]

Golden Coral tried this a few years back, and it was a short experiment. A buddy of mine and I managed to eat 9 plates a piece one night. I think it was only $14 then. No way did they even come close to making up their cost.

[StriperSniper]

The Chinese buffets seem to make it work.

In the NYC area the Asian fish markets are notorious for buying from poachers. I'm sure that helps the margins.

[willieroe]

July 9, 2003 press release from Red Lobster and now former president Edna Morris

'Share The Love'(TM) -- Red Lobster Launches New Branding

ORLANDO, Fla., July 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Lobster this week launched a new branding identity for its 673 restaurants across North America that emphasizes the unique position Red Lobster holds of making the flavors and the feelings of the seaside available to everyone....

The new branding comes after an extensive study of consumer trends. That research -- by psychologists and also uncovered through broad-based consumer research -- found new insights into the connection seafood offers to consumers:

- "Breaking through the shell" of seafood is a metaphor for human connection as people seek to break through their tough outer shells.
- Seafood such as lobster, crab and shrimp is hand-held, making it casual and shareable. While eating other foods is a singular activity often involving a knife and fork, seafood is more tactile and easier to share.
- Both these traits make seafood a unique catalyst for connection, allowing people to connect over a plate of shrimp, lobster or crab more than they do over any other food.

"Red Lobster has always been about discovery and inclusion," said Red Lobster President Edna Morris. "For many people, their first introduction to delicacies like Maine lobster and Alaskan king crab legs was at Red Lobster. And in these stressful times, as people come to casual dining restaurants to re-connect, the Share the Love(TM) message is more important than ever."

"Consumers connect over seafood in very profound, unique ways. When you put a plate of shrimp or crab legs in front of a table of people, they connect and share more than the food. They share themselves," Morris said. "We are excited about Share the Love(TM) because it reflects our 35-year history of bringing the flavors and the feelings of the seaside to everyone."

[dennisw]

---

---

All You Can Eat!

Our Bountiful Array of Seafood
Awaits Your Attention
-
Visit our BUFFET and select as much or as little as you like from Soup, Salad, Hot Entrees and Desserts

---

2 SOUPS
Maryland Crab Soup
Seafood Bisque

25 SALAD BAR ITEMS
Create your own masterpiece from our bountiful fresh vegetables, tasty garnishes, fruits, rolls, muffins, and other treats to delight the palate.

40 HOT ENTREES
Help yourself to the land and sea's choicest treasures. Featuring Snow Crab Legs and Steamed Shrimp to your heart's content.
You'll also find Seafood Fettuccini, Crab Au Gratin, Clam Strips, Imperial Dish, Barbecue Ribs, Roast Beef, Roast Turkey, Fried Shrimp, Broiled Fish, Cheese Ravioli, Check Fingers, Meatballs, Beef and Broccoli, Macaroni and Cheese, Mixed Vegetables, Rice, Mashed Potatoes, Fried Scallops, and much more!

15 Desserts
To complement this fine dining experience, we invite you to make a selection from out popular desserts.

NOTE:  The management asks that those who have not purchased the soup, hot entrees, or desserts with their meal, neither take items from these areas, nor share with others.  Those who choose to eat from these areas, or share with others will be charged accordingly.  Your cooperation is appreciated.  

Items on buffet or subject to change due to availability seasonally.

 

Hall's Restaurant All-You-Can-Eat Seafood Buffet

Print and clip our "cyber-coupon" below!

 

Save ink!  Click HERE for a coupon page!
Print, clip, and present for savings and a great meal.
 

LINKS
Breakfast Buffet Information
Restaurant Information
Print & Clip Coupons
Hall's Main Page

5909 Coastal Hwy.
Ocean City MD  21842
410-524-5008
 

[CindyDawg]

Got to be the low carb eaters skipping those cheese biscuits :')

[dennisw]

In the NYC area the Asian fish markets are notorious for buying from poachers. I'm sure that helps the margins.......

Do you mean from US waters or international fishing? And is is true some catch Central Park pigeons and sell them as roast squab?

[Robert A Cook PE]

But technically speaking, the all-you-can-eat promotion was a success.

(For the customers.)

[dagnabbit]

"Tis a monster that eats that much!"

[hemogoblin]

[okie01]

"Red Lobster has always been about discovery and inclusion," said Red Lobster President Edna Morris. "...And in these stressful times, as people come to casual dining restaurants to re-connect, the Share the Love(TM) message is more important than ever."

That paragraph explains everything.

Edna Morris was a sap.

She didn't write it, of course; it's PR Department boilerplate. But she approved it...

And, for all we know, she might've actually believed this silly horse hockey.

[Huck]

What idiocy. Marketing fools. Inclusion? Who the hell cares???

[Robert A Cook PE]

"Share the Love" promotion is going to fail BIG TIME.

I "love" my family, my wife, my faith.

I don't "love" the fish on the plate in front of me that I'm going to chop up and eat in a few minutes.

In fact - the most common complaint about seafood is the smell (which NO ONE "loves" - meely tolerates!) and the fact that "seafood" looks like something alive.

Beef, (or chicken and pork) don't "look" like cow parts - much less a whole cow.

Fish? Crabs? Shellfish? Lobster?

They "look" exactly like the animal that used to live in the carcass - and many people don't like that already.

[Mike Darancette]

The problem probably was that it takes a long time to crack and eat multiple plates of crab so tables in the restraunt were not turning over very fast.