# Do you know what a lobster looks like? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 27, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813 "2012-08-27T13:21:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/41 "2012-08-27T19:31:26Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That’s because it’s a crayfish. Is it? I can’t really tell the difference, but the link says lobster. I can’t find a better image. I’d like to know who makes it, but as it was a gift, she couldn’t tell me. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/42 "2012-08-27T19:59:43Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Is it? I can’t really tell the difference, but the link says lobster. > > I can’t find a better image. I’d like to know who makes it, but as it was a gift, she couldn’t tell me. I don’t think there’s any way to know unless you ask the original artist, who might say it’s cockroach. It’s just a representation, I could understand any particular person identifying it as a scorpion, or a lobster, or a crayfish. You might even see the same novelty figures sold as any of those under different venues. In Nawlins they’ll sell it as a crayfish, in Maine as a lobster, in the desert it’ll be a scorpion. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/43 "2012-08-27T20:12:44Z")
> [@Mister\_Owl](#): > > In as much as it was not directed towards anyone in particular I opted to respond. Is that a problem? Not a problem, it just didn’t make any sense in connection to what you said. I was aware of what a spiny lobster looked like. I was pointing out that a large national chain which uses a Maine Lobster as its logo has multiple locations in California. Which just shows that someone not recognizing what a lobster looks like is a bit odd. Which agrees with what you said in other posts. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/44 "2012-08-27T20:22:18Z")
I’m curious, how much does a Maine lobster cost in other parts of the US? Here, in a supermarket it’s about $10/pound. A restaurant will typically charge $15-30, which is for a 1.25-1.5 pounder plus sides. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/45 "2012-08-27T20:23:32Z")
> [@Mister\_Owl](#): > > Chicken. Forgive me, I couldn’t resist. Stop that. You’re just going to get Jessica Simpson all confused again. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/46 "2012-08-27T20:26:28Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’m curious, how much does a Maine lobster cost in other parts of the US? Here, in a supermarket it’s about $10/pound. A restaurant will typically charge $15-30, which is for a 1.25-1.5 pounder plus sides. I had heard that lobster prices were plunging. But here is an article about why you don’t see the change in restaurants. > **[The Mystery of Lobster's Market Price](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/even-with-lobster-prices_n_1828147)** > > The Mystery of Lobster's Market Price ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/47 "2012-08-27T20:33:07Z")
Thanks **Loach**. Interesting! I’ve actually found the prices in restaurants to be highly variable. One place wanted to charge me over $40 for one, but I’ve been eating some cheap ones too. Average has been about $25. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/48 "2012-08-27T20:39:37Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’m curious, how much does a Maine lobster cost in other parts of the US? Here, in a supermarket it’s about $10/pound. A restaurant will typically charge $15-30, which is for a 1.25-1.5 pounder plus sides. Where have you been shopping? I’m 15 miles north of Boston, and the supermarkets up here are only charging $4-6/pound. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/49 "2012-08-27T20:41:29Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’m curious, how much does a Maine lobster cost in other parts of the US? Here, in a supermarket it’s about $10/pound. A restaurant will typically charge $15-30, which is for a 1.25-1.5 pounder plus sides. I’ve noticed about 50% to 100% increase in prices of fresh lobster outside New England. It doesn’t seem to change how far away the location is in the US. A lot of restaurants sell lobster dishes near cost in New England, I think that’s common, lobsters are an attraction for many restaurants but not always the best seller because of the cost, so the prices have to be attractive also. They need refrigerated shipping for long distance, but not necessarily overnight. If you get a 100 lb. crate of lobsters shipped across country, looking at air delivery rates it could easily double the cost of shipping. So I’d think there are distributors in different parts of the country that get lobsters brought in and distributed by refrigerated truck, keeping the wholesale price less than 50% above cost. They’re probably prepared to cook and sell the meat of any lobsters that don’t get sold. Restaurants have to do the same thing since you can lose a lot of lobsters all at once. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/50 "2012-08-27T20:50:13Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Where have you been shopping? I’m 15 miles north of Boston, and the supermarkets up here are only charging $4-6/pound. Not so much where, but when. I don’t think I’ve bought a live one in a couple of years. And just yesterday I had a chance to see how much they were straight off of a boat. I overheard someone say they were $10, that was probably cooked. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/51 "2012-08-27T21:09:27Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Where have you been shopping? I’m 15 miles north of Boston, and the supermarkets up here are only charging $4-6/pound. I’ve heard the prices are very good North of Boston. They started much higher this year down here, but they dropped to about $8 retail here a couple of months ago and have been holding. Somebody told me $4 a pound in Seabrook NH recently. Because of the high price, lobster sales have been down and the lobstermen have variously jacked up and lowered their prices trying to make more money. I’ve heard stories that the competition has gotten pretty tough, stuff about guys shooting in disputed areas. Just stories, no confirmation so far. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/52 "2012-08-27T22:56:28Z")
Unlike lobsters, scorpions are always depicted with their relatively narrow tails curved up, aren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/53 "2012-08-28T00:04:49Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’m curious, how much does a Maine lobster cost in other parts of the US? Here, in a supermarket it’s about $10/pound. A restaurant will typically charge $15-30, which is for a 1.25-1.5 pounder plus sides. Right now, $3.99/pound. Bear in mind I can get to three cities in southern Maine within 20-30 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/54 "2012-08-28T02:36:12Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’m looking for an image, and [this](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51zg2aSuNdL._SY395_.jpg) is the closest I could find. Hers was a lot more silvery. Looks to me like a robo-peacock. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/55 "2012-08-28T02:59:49Z")
There are quite a few things being sold as lobster brooches or pins that would give me pause. I do know what a lobster looks like. But this? This is some sort of [loborpion](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002BWECH2/ref=asc_df_B002BWECH22034062?tag=thefind0157850-20&creative=395261&creativeASIN=B002BWECH2&linkCode=asn). Oh, look…[a vintage loborpion.](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z8Qh2JHIwgQ/ShWjP3XjaFI/AAAAAAAACHg/wWJuC7jC5zE/s1600-h/picture-house-gallery-brooc.jpg) A “[lobster shrimp tentacle](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001SZZZIS/ref=asc_df_B001SZZZIS2152521?tag=thefind0265243-20&creative=395261&creativeASIN=B001SZZZIS&linkCode=asn)”? Really? [Lobsters on acid](http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/810/965810_090731130729_augbro004.jpg). [Ambiguous lobster is ambiguous](http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/pict/2709650660814040_1.jpg). [Da fuq?](http://www.antiques.com/classified/36203/ANTIQUE-VICTORIAN-NOVELTY-LOBSTER-BROOCH-W-GEMS-GOLD#) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/56 "2012-08-28T03:21:58Z")
I don’t think many people know what a lobster actually looks like. Most, for instance, think they’re red. (Only when cooked; a live lobster is usually blue-green, though they occasionally are odd colors like yellow or blue.) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/57 "2012-08-28T07:22:16Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I have a large seashell collection which I keep scattered on the beaches all over the world. Maybe you’ve seen it. I hate to tell you this, but I saw a girl collecting them and setting up a retail stall _right there_. What the hell she thinks she’s doing, it’s hard to say. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/58 "2012-08-28T09:41:36Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I’m curious, how much does a Maine lobster cost in other parts of the US? Here, in a supermarket it’s about $10/pound. A restaurant will typically charge $15-30, which is for a 1.25-1.5 pounder plus sides. Here in York Maine, I can get lobsters fresh off the boat for anywhere from $3.50 to $5.50 for a 1 1/4 lb lobster, depending on where I buy it ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/59 "2012-08-28T12:24:44Z")
> [@Dublin11](#): > > Possibly a fabulously wealthy person who happens to share your unusual view that animal brooches ought to be lifesize. Reminds me of the [Lobster Telephone](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobster_Telephone)! (A quick look at eBay revealed that jewelry makers tend to produce anatomically weird crustaceans that might be Maine Lobsters, Other Lobsters or Crawfish.) Lobster prices have been down, locally. The Houston Press just finished a series on [10 Lobster Dishes to Try in Houston](http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2012/08/10_lobster_dishes_to_try_in_ho_9.php)… ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813/60 "2012-08-28T13:10:47Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > There are quite a few things being sold as lobster brooches or pins that would give me pause. I do know what a lobster looks like. > > But this? This is some sort of [loborpion](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002BWECH2/ref=asc_df_B002BWECH22034062?tag=thefind0157850-20&creative=395261&creativeASIN=B002BWECH2&linkCode=asn). > > Oh, look…[a vintage loborpion.](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z8Qh2JHIwgQ/ShWjP3XjaFI/AAAAAAAACHg/wWJuC7jC5zE/s1600-h/picture-house-gallery-brooc.jpg) > > A “[lobster shrimp tentacle](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001SZZZIS/ref=asc_df_B001SZZZIS2152521?tag=thefind0265243-20&creative=395261&creativeASIN=B001SZZZIS&linkCode=asn)”? Really? > > [Lobsters on acid](http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/810/965810_090731130729_augbro004.jpg). > > [Ambiguous lobster is ambiguous](http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/pict/2709650660814040_1.jpg). > > [Da fuq?](http://www.antiques.com/classified/36203/ANTIQUE-VICTORIAN-NOVELTY-LOBSTER-BROOCH-W-GEMS-GOLD#) Seriously? Wow. What the hell are those? What I saw was far less ambiguous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-what-a-lobster-looks-like/632813.md?page=2)