# Red Lobster after COVID **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [July 1, 2021, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402 "2021-07-01T05:37:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dummygladhands71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/1 "2021-07-01T05:37:44Z")
A.K.A., as we’ve always called it - “Dead Lobster.” But my 95 year old Mom loves it. Loves it!! Virgin Bahama Mama frozen drink, those rolls, and usually, the Admiral’s Platter. Ugh. We take her because we love her. But now they have a new menu. And it’s a single double-sided sheet of oversized paper instead of that horrible book, so it’s easier to handle and OMIGOD, some of the food is actually good!! Has anyone tried the new post-COVID Dead Lobster? ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/2 "2021-07-01T05:48:19Z")
Yes. I don’t eat seafood but my dad does, so I get the pretty good chicken tenders while my dad gets seafood. He likes what he gets. I just wish they had better sides and a non-Caeser salad option. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/3 "2021-07-01T11:34:12Z")
The prices are not cheap. I just checked the menu. The bargain-basement prices of yesteryear are gone like the World’s Fair. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/4 "2021-07-01T11:42:55Z")
Just start bringing me baskets of Cheddar Bay biscuits. I’ll tell you when to stop. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/5 "2021-07-01T12:05:28Z")
I haven’t been there in ages, but it looked like the same menu to me. Perhaps between the last time I was there and now (at least 10 years), the menu expanded then was pared back? ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/6 "2021-07-01T12:48:56Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Just start bringing me baskets of Cheddar Bay biscuits. > > I’ll tell you when to stop. My father doesn’t eat much anymore - he’s 92 - but he can down 3 or 4 biscuits like that. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/7 "2021-07-01T12:59:27Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Just start bringing me baskets of Cheddar Bay biscuits. Yeah, those biscuits are killer. Years ago, I was watching TV and somebody (CEO?) from Red Lobster was actually talking about how to make them. I couldn’t believe they’d give away the recipe on TV. They use Bisquick. A quick google reveals many copycat recipes if you want to try your hand. [https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+make+cheddar+bay+biscuits&rlz=1C1CHBF\_enUS798US798&oq=how+to+make+cheddar+bay+biscuits&aqs=chrome.0.0l5j0i22i30l4j0i390.7781j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8](https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+make+cheddar+bay+biscuits&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS798US798&oq=how+to+make+cheddar+bay+biscuits&aqs=chrome.0.0l5j0i22i30l4j0i390.7781j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/8 "2021-07-01T13:07:26Z")
I always heard the secret was they dipped them in the shrimp scampi sauce, but I can’t back that up. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/9 "2021-07-01T14:32:33Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I always heard the secret was they dipped them in the shrimp scampi sauce… Makes sense. [Their scampi sauce is garlic butter with a side of lemon](https://www.redlobster.com/menu/biscuits-extras/garlic-shrimp-scampi) and the last step to [their off-the-shelf biscuit mix](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91uEKu8RDoL._SY879_.jpg) is brushing the baked biscuits with the included garlic herb mix stirred into melted butter. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/10 "2021-07-01T14:48:31Z")
A waiter at Red Lobster told me it was indeed the Scampi sauce so there is first hand confirmation 🙂 ---
**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:** [July 1, 2021, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/11 "2021-07-01T15:15:18Z")
We went there a few weeks ago. The menu was quite limited, and they didn’t have the usual daily fresh fish. Options were the same type of fish dishes you could get at 99 Restaurant (a chain that doesn’t even specialize in fish). I’m guessing there are supply issues, but there was very little that stood out. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/12 "2021-07-01T15:18:43Z")
> [@dummygladhands71](#): > > now they have a new menu. And it’s a single double-sided sheet of oversized paper I went to IHOP a couple of months ago and they had done the same thing with their menu. Everything on a single sheet of laminated paper. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/13 "2021-07-01T15:19:48Z")
How many chain restaurants have drastically pared back their menus and show no sign of returning to “normal”? Chuy’s is still on a highly restricted menu and has no announced plans to bring back the old one (I got a corporate e-mail telling me that some of their long-time favorites may well be gone for good). I suppose I might try the “new” Red Lobster if that was all that stood between me and starvation. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/14 "2021-07-01T15:57:44Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > I went to IHOP a couple of months ago and they had done the same thing with their menu. I went to IHOP a month or so ago and they no longer had the four syrups on the table, which removes a big part of my reason for going there. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/15 "2021-07-01T16:00:12Z")
I didn’t mind the four syrups being gone from the table; being diabetic, I prefer sugar free. I’ve never seen sugar free syrup in packet form so I didn’t bother asking for any. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/16 "2021-07-01T16:16:56Z")
This used to be a restaurant we’d go to at work (we used to go out to lunch every Friday, rotating restaurants as each person got to pick when it was their “turn”, and Red Lobster would come up in the rotation some), I always thought their biscuits were good and a few of their seafood dishes were good. But it otherwise has always ranked somewhat low for me as a chain restaurant, they exist at a weird quality/price intersection. If it was 20% cheaper, I’d find the food more tolerable, if it was 20% better quality, I’d fine the price tolerable. At its current nexus, it’s too expensive for the quality of food offered. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/17 "2021-07-01T16:25:17Z")
> [@kitap](#): > > but he can down 3 or 4 biscuits like that. Well, that’s just the kid’s table portion. 🙂 I like Dead Lobster, call me silly - but the menu was never that deep (no pun intended) to begin with. Most of it is variations on shrimp, and it sounds like Bubba listing all the kinds. It’s shrimp, people! But I can’t wait to go back. eta: the prices. It may be pricey, but try going to a non-chain seafood restaurant in Arizona. It’s practically twice as much for not-always-that-much-better fish, ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/18 "2021-07-01T16:46:58Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > How many chain restaurants have drastically pared back their menus and show no sign of returning to “normal”? For fast food (which is what I have personal frequent experience with), it varies. Subway seems completely normal. The McDonald’s around where I live and work still have salads on some menu displays, but none of them are actually serving them. The Bojangles Cajun Chicken Filet Sandwich seems to be gone for good (that was my favorite option - I had one literally the day before the lockdowns went into effect where I live - but when I asked about it a few weeks ago, the clerk had no idea what I was talking about). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/19 "2021-07-01T16:51:36Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > They use Bisquick. Given that Red Lobster was owned by General Mills (maker of Bisquick) from the 1970s until 1995 (when it and Olive Garden were spun off to form Darden Restaurants), that actually makes some sense. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2021, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402/20 "2021-07-01T16:55:45Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > I went to IHOP a couple of months ago and they had done the same thing with their menu. Everything on a single sheet of laminated paper. A couple of local restaurants here have gone to a sticker with a QC code on the table. You use your phone to read the menu, which is full-size. Being a techno-peasant, I’ve had to have it explained to me a couple of times. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-lobster-after-covid/945402.md?page=2)