Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. — Restaurant in Destin

My daughter and I made a reservation for my birthday at 7:30. We arrived on time and checked in and was told to stand on the side that someone would come and seat us. We waited then the one who checked us in canto tell us to get in this now long line. We questioned it but my daughter got in line. I sat on a chair in the front of the line where I observed another worker seat someone who wasn't in line. Then inquired with the manager with the process of seating customers. I said we had a7:30 reservation it was almost 8 and we were still waiting. She pointed out they everyone had a reservation. I replied I'm sure but we arrived before all the people in line then she went on a well we gave large parties a small groups. Again I told her but we got there on time before the rest of the groups arrived. I fell at that time she dismissed me and walk away. She spoke to a waitress and voila we were seated. I want to say that's the end of the story but I would be wrong. The worst part was my daughter's order. The kitchen ran out of cooked spinach and I kid you not they sent out her hot fish on top of spring salad. Yes, spring salad and they saw nothing wrong with that. Did not send the waitress out to see if they could sub something else or maybe would like to order something else. No just made the decision for her. They really did not have anything to sub and we waited so long for the order to come out so she ended up eating just the fish. No, we said they're watching them have a entourage of workers ringing a bell going from table to table for the birthday people and singing a knife, happy birthday song but when we reminded them that it was my birthday and they were supposed to treat me the same something went wrong with that. I figured exactly what would happen and that's exactly what happened. He comes three little miso people with a half frozen ice cream sandwich singing in a lamb birthday song and thinking I'm gonna be OK with that well I wouldn't and with everything else that went on, we requested to speak to a manager they didn't want to discount her meal, not my meal, just her meal and say you ate it you gotta pay for, but it was the kitchen's error not ours. Manager came had a long talk that we solved it. They gave us a 20% discount on the meal, then we ask for for my military discount and not gonna tell me I can't get that we get one of the other. The air was on the kitchen entitled to my military discount so I'm sure they was tired of us so they gave a chance to get us out I'm talking about Bad Customer Service throwing the check down on the table walking away, not waiting for us to pay we definitely had to get up and go to the go to the cash register to pay like no tip nothing I'm like I was highly disappointed. I told them y'all messed up my birthday. I wish we had going to Joe's Crab Shack instead, but I told that restaurant never again Will never ever eat at any of the Landru restaurant to include Bubba Gump Shrimp The hype if not what it is be careful they're not very friendly. I don't know they made excuses made excuses. Excuses don't fly. I'm a come back with part two I'm gonna settle down a little bit. I got more to see. I skipped over a lot of stuff. I watched another table with she had to get up and go get her own utensils because they wouldn't bring her any it was horrible horrible service if y'all can run a restaurant clothing down and let it become something else. Oh and by the way, the only reason I gave it a one star because they don't let you get zero star. This was a star experience...

If only zero stars was an option...... We have been going to Bubba Gumps for a while. We have visited Madeira Beach, Navy Pier and now Destin. We had our 11 year old watch the movie before going on vacation and she loved it. She brushed up on her trivia since we told her the servers would ask questions. Our parents said they would treat us to a dinner of our choice for our 15th anniversary. We chose Bubba Gump's. Our party of 6 arrived at 6pm. We got the text saying we were on the wait list at 6:03pm. We were quoted 40 minutes. At 60 minutes, we were told our table was being cleaned. At 80 minutes, we were told it would be just 3-4 more minutes. We got the text that our table was ready at 7:46, a full hour over our quoted time and a total of 1:43 of a wait. We never would have stayed if we knew the wait would be that long, and we couldn't leave, since we would just start our wait over again somewhere else. Maybe that was part of the plan; to lie to us and trap us there. At least 5 other parties had the same thing happen. One was quoted 30 and waited for over 2 hours. On our way to our table, the hostess informed us that another party with the same last name (it's a very common one) took our table. Not sure how that could be possible, since we got a text saying our table was ready. Maybe this other party had the same last name and the same phone number. Strange. Basically, lied to again. We stood in the middle of the dining room watching them bus and clean our table, which took them five minutes. We informed our server that we had waited for almost an hour over what we were told the wait would be, and he took that as his opportunity to try to sell us on the Landry's executive club, since we could get VIP seating priority or something. Wrong time for that. No manager visited, no apology offered. Everyone in the party got a drink from the bar, except for me, and those took 20 minutes. I chose to order the cheapest thing on the menu, if I had been paying I wouldn't have eaten. I ordered a cup of the Shrimp Gumbo as my dinner. I got one refill on my water and it was never refilled again, despite being empty the entire meal. My soup came out as Clam Chowder, and I informed them I ordered the Gumbo. They brought the gumbo and I never saw the check, since my in laws and parents split it. I saw it later, and they charged us for the soup that was incorrectly ordered by the server. Since nobody knew, they paid for it. On our way out, my wife tried to get the bartender's attention to see if he could wash her souvenir cup for her. She was ignored for at least five minutes, despite not one person sitting at the bar. All in all, we were there for 3 hours, on our vacation, on our anniversary, and we overpaid by 6.99 for food we didn't order or eat. No discount offered. No apology offered. Not one single question or reference to Forrest Gump was uttered. Anniversary unacknowledged. My 11 year old daughter was disappointed, so we quizzed her on the way home. I walked through the restaurant several times during our wait and I counted as many tables that were "sat" as tables that were dirty. I almost offered to bus tables to move it along. Also, I submitted all of this to corporate the day I got home and I have not heard anything back. It's been almost a week. I was a server for over 10 years and this is one of the worst experiences I have ever had. Completely unacceptable. DO NOT EAT HERE. You have many options in this area. I will NEVER go to another...

I am extremely disappointed and will never return.

I am writing regarding the appalling experience my family and I had at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Destin, Florida, on July 27th, 2025. As a loyal Landry’s Select Club member for over 20 years, I am both shocked and deeply disappointed by the level of service and lack of professionalism displayed during our visit, and I can say with certainty that this experience has made me reconsider ever setting foot in a Landry’s establishment again.

We arrived at 4:40 PM and were seated promptly by a very kind and helpful host. Unfortunately, that was where the positives ended. It took over 20 minutes before a waitress even acknowledged our table. When she did, I provided our Landry’s Select Club information and placed our drink and appetizer order.

Our drinks did not arrive in a timely manner. The 17-year-old in our party was given a child’s cup, which was not only inappropriate but dismissive. The two drinks from the bar took another 15 minutes to arrive. In total, we waited over 50 minutes for our entrées—and when they finally came, three out of the four meals were cold. The only remotely warm item was the children’s popcorn shrimp and fries.

Upon receiving our food, I requested garlic butter and a spoon, expecting them to arrive shortly. Instead, 10–15 minutes later, the on-duty manager approached with a “VIP Guest” sign and asked how everything was. I expressed our dissatisfaction: the food was cold, and we were still waiting on basic items like garlic butter and a spoon. While the manager did bring garlic butter, it took additional time after that interaction before our waitress returned, at which point I had to ask for the same spoon again.

What happened next was truly the most unprofessional and disappointing part of the evening. After we gave the waitress our card to pay the bill, she walked to the back of the restaurant and loudly complained about our table within earshot of other guests and employees. This was completely unprovoked and entirely inappropriate. We never once raised our voices or made a personal complaint about her—only that our food was cold. This behavior is not only unprofessional, it’s disrespectful and humiliating.

We were finally able to leave by 7:20 PM, having spent nearly three hours in the restaurant, the majority of which was filled with frustration, cold food, ignored requests, and the final insult of being openly gossiped about by our server.

As someone who has proudly supported the Landry’s brand for two decades, I cannot begin to express how heartbreaking this experience was—not just for me, but for my entire family. I expected more. I have dined in Landry’s restaurants all over the country, and this was, by far, the most disorganized, disappointing, and frankly insulting experience I have ever had.

After 20 years of loyalty, I no longer feel valued. This experience was not just poor—it was unacceptable. Unless there is clear accountability taken and significant improvement made, I do not see myself returning to another Bubba Gump or any Landry’s restaurant...