Red Lobster — Restaurant in Maryland

Delonte or what ever the manager name is on Monday evening decided it would be a good idea to chase me outside of the restaurant while I’m with my family to discuss the tip amount left for the server. This is after DELONTE The manager allowed a steak ordered MW to take an hour to come out and come out literally blue rare(I wish I was joking it literally wasn’t cooked for more than 3 mins total but took an hour+ everyone else in my party to finish their food) he then proceeds to tell me “what happen to our agreement”. The agreement DELONTE is referring to is the “agreement” of telling me a flat out lie and saying there’s automatic gratuity at a chain restaurant like red lobster EVEN though they highlighted “tip not included” which I would say isn’t the best move when trying to bully money out of people. Which my response to was “what about the agreement between me and you where I order food and get what I requested in a timely manner? Not to mention he highlighted 22%…high end restaurants automatic gratuity is typically 18%.

Keep in mind, he ran after me and my family telling me I only tipped $20 on a $220 where me the person paying for the meal did not get the food that they ordered correctly nor did I get it in a timely fashion. I guess he couldn’t read the $30 on the tip line and mistook it as a $20. However, the final total said 250(which looks very different than 240), now either he’s very bad at math, or can’t read, none the less, to have the audacity to run out and…tbh im not sure if his intentions? Maybe get an understanding or into an altercation or whatever the case was, was outright just unprofessional and shouldn’t be allowed at any establishment. I wasn’t intimidated by DELONTE scare tactics but imagine if it was your mom, sister, daughter that DELONTE chased out of the restaurant to try an intimidate for a tip. AFTER he not only told you a bold face lie t start off the night, ruined your meal for the night, then came loud AND wrong. Honestly if I didnt feel bad for seeing the server handeling the bar and the party I would’ve went in to change it to zero.

As someone who has worked in the service industry I understand what it’s like to work a big party and get no tip while also you’re other tables suffer from the lack of attention because you’re gandering a big party. Although I’m sure a party of 7 adults with 2 toddlers isn’t the wildest party to have. On a Monday night at 8pm. So I understand why DELONTE as a manager would pull me aside and try to advocate for his server. I respected him a lot for it because I remember the days when I needed some money in my pocket and the my only hope was the shift. And to have a manager try to help out who also was a BROTHER, I believed was going to have a good experience. All for me to be let down by not only DELONTE, but red lobster as a whole.

We weren’t a difficult party, I didn’t even complain when the steak came out rare, I just politely asked it be taken off the check.(and no I didn’t get a steak and shrimp to go home with) we even pre stacked/pre bussed the table for the surfer. We didn’t call her over 200x for little things, food came out all at different times, not one round of refills for the table, like not one…once again I’ve been there, so I know how to not cause too much trouble.

I doubt anyone will even try to resolve this on red lobsters end, but I will be making a formal complaint. Not because I’m that upset at what went down but because if DELONTE ran up on my mom, or my baby sister, or someone else who isn’t capable of sensibly standing up for themselves when need be, what would have happened? What was DELONTE plan when leaving the restaurant to come and “challenge” me about tipping. I’m a big guy and he still had the confidence and audacity to do it to me. What about the people who can’t stick up for themselves? Does red lobster approve of...

Update: Red Lobster Corporate Office Contacted me, Which really surprised me. They wanted to hear about my experience. When I told them what happened, they seemed genuinely surprised. They refunded my money via electronic gift card, including the drinks i had. I went back to the restaurant and had dinner. I did not let on that I was there to reevaluate my experience until after I had my meal. The experience I had was a 180 degree turn from what I had before. The food was great. This time i had a boil bag. I was very surprised that they allowed me to combine two flavors. Many of the Top Boil places do not allow this. This time the food wad great, the drinks were great, the bartender (a different one) was very attentive. I asked for the manager, told him why I was there. He remembered my review and thanked me for letting him know I would provide an update. This was a great experience. I will likely return...

Summary of Negative Dining Experience at Red Lobster – Lanham, MD

I really wish I could give this place less than one starts... I visited the Red Lobster in Lanham to try their new menu, but unfortunately, the poor service overshadowed everything. Wow the food chain painstakingly revamped their menu it is their service that should have been revamped. While the food was just average, the real issue was inattentive and unprofessional staff. I said at the bar because the bar area was not too crowded and figured I would get better service there. The bartender read at me with a very much I don't care if you're there attitude. After placing my order, I had to remind the bartender about my cheddar biscuits more than once. Something that they are known to serve you supposedly when you are first seated. Bartender recommended the broccoli have my side dish because she said it was well seasoned and even though I was promised broccoli with my crab legs, it never arrived—despite asking twice.

The crab legs themselves were simply steamed with sauce poured over, lacking flavor or care. No flavor penetrated the meat because it was just poured Over The shells. To make matters worse, I ordered my second margarita, the bartender topped off my second drink using leftover margarita from a shaker instead of making a fresh one, yet still tried to charge me for a full drink. Excuse me but you just poured that leftover margarita on top of my glass which was full of water from the melted ice. Only after I was paying my bill did she offer to finally bring the broccoli, far too late to matter.

Overall, this visit reinforced negative feedback I’d previously heard about this location. The Lanham branch continues to deliver subpar service, and management should seriously consider investing in staff training—or taking notes from Chick-fil-A’s customer service model.

Add this on top of the group of people sitting three seats down to my left who continually used gay slurs call my racial slurs, and very foul language may this a very...

I and a friend were invited out to eat and our host suggested Red Lobster. Because we've eaten in Red Lobster many times throughout the years, and in another states, we quickly agreed and thought it be a nice place to eat and visit. Upon our arrival, approx. 4 p.m., we were seated within approximately 10 minutes but then had to wait 10 to 15 minutes just to put in our drink order.🙄 The bartender told us that she had to be our waitress because of the lack of staff.🤔 The bartender was very personable and very friendly but also had another post to not only serve but to oversee. Both of my friends, the host and another friend, ordered lobster, shrimp and fish, I on the other hand ordered steak, potato and coleslaw. By time our meals got there, we had to have the host's meal put into a "To-Go" container, because we were out of time! Not Good!😠 A lady came by and asked us if everything was alright and we stated that we'd been waiting on our meals for quite awhile and now we're pressed for time. She said that she would check on our meals, but then, kept going around to other tables asking if everything was alright!😱 Really!??😳😬 I watched her go to Six Other tables before I lost sight of her! Seriously!??🤪😠 Why even Ask if you're Not going Address any Problems or Needs that arise!?? And I was done with my steak and potato Before they came back and found out that I'm still Waiting for the rest of my meal..... My coleslaw!... Which I ordered at the beginning! I was asked if I'd like something else and I said; "No, I would just like my coleslaw". I'd also ordered my steak medium and it was More Medium-Well and also Very Dry. I believe it was left on the grill to allow for the other meals to be done. (Not a good practice for meals, Especially steaks). Our host was very kind and understanding and Did Not complain, but Had to leave for an appointment. He tried to pay his bill using three Different machines at the tables.... Actually going around to different empty tables to pay! (No One Seeing the Need and Helping!) After his third machine And table, he was able to pay the bill, leaving a Tip! We said our "goodbyes" to him because he had to go and now sat finished our meals without him, Because of the time it took to Get our meals!!😯😢😠 I gave 2 stars because of the friendliness of the bartender that took our orders. Otherwise, it would have been 1 ! Like I said, I've been in many Red Lobsters, in different states..... This one needs some Serious Work and Training from the management on down, and especially the cooks! It's Sad to say.....that we would have had a Better Time and More Time at a Fast Food place and paid One Forth the Price! No Good... Not Good at All! It's also Sad to Say... It will probably be a Long Time before any one of us, Or our Families &/or Friends, will be Dining at a Red Lobster in the near future!!😞 Not a good...