Red Lobster — Restaurant in Aiken County

Today was my VERY FIRST TIME to ever step foot at a red lobster, EVER. I wanted to see what all the hype was about besides the biscuits. I wanted to check out the shrimp fest, possibly the specials they had, atmosphere etc. To my surprise Katelyn(my waitress) said they didn't support shrimp fest..I guess not crab fest either. I came to dine in and noticed immediately how dark the parking lot was. They had alot of parking lot lights out and some were flickering. Bathrooms were so tight that a full sized adult couldn't even walk in the stalls with a small purse without falling over the toilet. Sad but true. I had to wait a bit to get seated. After saying no after being asked multiple times did I want to sit at the bar I nicely stopped answering and asked for a small booth. There was less than 40 people dining and about 6+ waiters walking around that I saw. I just dont get why service was so slow? I spoke with the manager and she and the waiter explained to me why my entree came before my appetizer. I get it. 30 mins after ordering, out came my appetizer and my 1st refill. Again why so slow? Low on cooking staff? I also overheard the manager and staff speak about a customer's car being vandalized (egged). They were parked in the dark and the restaurant had no cameras. Management needs to do better. I understand it's a corporate thing, but managers still have a voice when it comes to safety issues. If not you then who? I won't be visiting again until they fix the issue, because I dont feel safe especially at night. Overall food was ok. Thanks for supporting...

I hesitate to post this, because I don't think the situation can be remedied with this chain, and I feel badly for its employees that are trying to survive in an area with limited employment and an increasing cost of living. What I experienced is more reflective of poor corporate management and a faultering economy than it is likely a lack of effort on the part of the employees. The food was mediocre at best, and I ordered conservatively — all of Red Lobster's prices have increased since the pandemic (as food costs have risen with inflation). I ordered a filet with lobster on top, and the lobster was chewy, rather than tender, and 2/3 of the plate was filled in with broccoli (the cheapest ingredient) and the baked potato was small. There definitely was not enough food to take home, and my Cheddar Bay Biscuits arrived at the end of my meal (I had been looking forward to them, and they only gave me 2!), rather than before the entree was served. That means they are waiting to run out before they put the next batch in, because they cannot predict their sales volume on a given night. When a company starts carefully rationing a bread product, that means they are in trouble. The waitress looked exhausted. I don't want to give the impression of having higher-than-realistic expectations of casual dining, but Red Lobster is not what it was, and as Americans reduce their discretionary spending due to inflation, I don't expect this chain to remain viable. I won't be returning to Red Lobster for...

The staff was absolutely phenomenal! From the front of the house to the back of the house. Candice was our server, AMAZING! And whoever her coworker was, FABULOUS! We decided to celebrate some accomplishments tonight, and it was later in the evening when we decided to go out to eat. Not sure if they closed at 9 or 10, but we were one of the last guests to show up shortly before they closed. Now, I have been on the server end of a table showing up 20 minutes before close, but most of the time I welcomed the extra time to get the extra tip at the end of the night. Tonight, we were Candice's 2nd to last table, other than a party of 10. I can genuinely say that she was attentive, but not hovering, and let us enjoy our feast that we indulged on while she tended to her party and her closing duties.

Can I just add that the hostess, I didn't catch her name, but she engaged in conversation with my 4 year old daughter and asked her to color a picture of a lobster to go on their "Wall o' Lobster" so everyone could see it. My daughter was so proud and carefully colored her lobster. When she finished, she took it to the young lady, who, just like she promised, hung Wrigley's rainbow lobster at the TOP of the "Wall o' Lobster" for all to admire! I just want to thank the Red Lobster staff on Aiken Mall Rd in Aiken, SC for some of the best service I have had! (I am kind of particular because I was a server for a very long time, so it can be little hard to amaze me!) You guys...