So I’m watching an ad for the Longhorn Steakhouse surf and turf special. Lobster Tail and a Sirloin or something. Whatever. What did surprise me was that the fine print during the commercial stated that lobster was not available to ME, RI and NH.
Just wondering if anyone can shed some light on this. State laws or something?
I imagine its something to do with state laws. You don’t want to fuck with the local lobster lobby.
Thats what I was thinking.
WAG: Longhorn uses spiny lobster tails, and the lobster lobby in states where Maine lobster harvesting is a big industry have gotten laws passed that disallow labeling spiny lobsters as “lobster” without the spiny qualification. Longhorn decided calling it “spiny lobster” would be a turnoff to customers, so they just don’t offer the dish in those States.
But on the other hand, real lobster is really cheap in Maine. Couldn’t they just change the menu to use real lobster in those states?
My un-researched suspicions are that you can only call it lobster if it’s, you know, real lobster. 
If you want lobster, there’s no shortage of great local seafood restaurants, why would you go to a chain restaurant for lobster in New England anyway?
New England states have a lot of restrictive laws concerning lobsters, and frozen lobster tails are a particular aspect of that. Massachusetts recently loosened restrictions on the sale of frozen lobster tails, I don’t have the latest details on Rhode Island. It could be the type of lobster involved, or just the frozen tail restrictions which I believe were intended to favor live lobster production, or anything else in the muddled set of regulations which often seem to clearly be designed to limit competition.
Longhorn Steakhouse is owned by Darden Restaurants Inc, which also owns the Red Lobster (and other) chain. Red Lobster rather famously ships all their seafood frozen to all their restaurants, and presumably Longhorn Steakhouse is just using the same supply chain. Their cooks probably wouldn’t know what to with an actual live lobster.
I really have no idea how Red Lobster restaurants survive in New England, but they do.
ETA: Actually, they don’t. I know they used to be around here, but the closest one I can find now is in New York. So that’s a relief.
Maybe they could call them Patagonian Spinefish.
Yep, my parents live in Massachusetts and complain when they visit us here that they have no Red Lobster restaurants near them. For Pete’s sake, they could get real, fresh lobster in about 20 places within 15 minutes of their house for 2/3 the price of a frozen lobster at RL. It must be the cheese biscuits.
Agreed. Yet nationwide Olive Gardens within walking distance of great Italian eateries are packing full of customers as I type.
It’s DEFINITELY the cheese biscuits.
That said, on the rare occasion when we visit a Red Lobster here in the OC, they have a tank full of live lobsters right there in the waiting area. If RL ships ALL their seafood frozen, is that just for atmosphere?
I believe the lobster tails may be frozen but you can also order a fresh market-price lobster from the tank. Not 100% on that though.
If the Surf ‘N’ Turf doesn’t contain lobster, then what do they put there instead? Otherwise, it’s just “Turf.”
Hartford CT, on Rt 99. Ate there about a month ago.
How was the lobster? 
lol
Lobster isn’t less expensive in those states, according to my experience and everything I’ve read on the subject. Lobster is in demand nationwide, easy to ship, and in very high demand in New England. I have never seen any statistics on the subject, so I’m willing to admit I could be wrong.
So suburban New York.