Red Lobster — Restaurant in Smyrna

We have been going to this location for 15 years and I rarely have a bad experience but tonight was very bad. Fri Oct 6 2023 East West Connector at Austell road location.

Im not sure what the problem was. Not enough servers or not enough kitchen help or what.

They didnt appear to be that crowded but the wait to get a table was unusually long. There were lots of tables that had not been bussed the host ended up cleaning a both for us.

The waitress spoke to us fairly quickly upon being seated but then took forever to return to take our order. Again a bad sign. I practiced patience where I should have become a lot more firm.

Then the food took way too long to come out...ive never waited this long before here. My husband ordered a salad and soup and an appetizer. The salad and soup took at least 45 min ..the soup was cold. Then his appetizer took at least another 15 min or longer meanwhile i waited and waited and waited for a hamburger.

I ask the waitress if the kitchen was short staffed or something she said no. Time passed I had to ask the now seated at a table waitress to please check on my hamburger and i ask for more tea. She stayed seated at a table and didn't immediately get up.

At that point i went to the bar and ask to speak to the manager. The person that went to get the manager never returned nor did the manager ever show i waited appox 5 -6 min. Then gave up. Went to rest room preparing to just leave. My husband had finished his food and i had given up.

By the time i returned my tea was at the table but no hamburger.

A few min later a different person brought the hamburger i ask why on earth did it take this long to be served. She and the waitress seemed to be aware at this point id ask to speak to the manager....interesting how the grapevine worked with knowledge but didnt really improve the results. To which i replied clearly asking to speak to a manager didnt mean a thing since he never showed up to speak to me. She said he was in the kitchen plating food and they would take some of the charges off for the bill our trouble.

They removed my husbands cold soup and our tea. Husband was never refilled. We paid for the 2 hr hamburger appetizer ceaser salad. Not a proper amount for the rotten experience. But at this point i was just totally regreting that i had not left earlier.

Ive enjoyed Red Lobster for years dont know what the problem was tonight. But i am not at all satisfied by the small amount taken off the bill, for the worst dining experience ive ever had there, the totol disregard by the manager, and terrible waitress. No one seemed very concerned with the way we were treated it sort of seemed normal apparently. I dont plan to return...and its sad that a place I used to always count on as a good experience and great food has sunk so low as to be not worth the trouble.

I wish that i had left when the wait seemed weirdly long but not that crowded i should have heeded the signs and gone elsewhere it was all so...

Super bad. We walked in at 8:20 we had horrible service despite the 2 floor managers being on and we only saw 5 tables present, most in the process of closing out. We hardly saw a server in the entire place except the several hanging out at the bar. Our waitress gave us water after she took 10 min to show up and kept "checking on the (empty) bar" for our wine until our entrees came. No biscuits, nothing to eat. Our meal came 50+ min in and our server finally brought us our appetizer at 40 min, then entrees and drinks, it was the wrong drink for me, I don't even drink red wine. That was somehow corrected in less than a minute even though it took the empty bar over 50 min to pour a vodka sprite and a glass of wine, so I guess she just grabbed the wrong glass. I would be screaming at the bar after 15 min to pour my table a flipping drink while working for tips. I saw the 2 floor managers walking around the restaurant 3 or 4 times with at least 8 dirty tables around JUST us in the quiet, empty restaurant and the managers just stared blankly ahead ignoring the unbussed tables and not helping or even directing anyone at all. As a previous server we were ALWAYS a team and helped expo food and drinks to other servers' tables, helped pre-bus, flagged down another server if someone needed a bill or order, and even wiped down others' tables. We left our server over 20% anyway since NO ONE helped her. But still as a server, I would be belligerent with the management and employees walking by SO many messes. The food was ok, husband said his crab legs were "ehhh". Our server was VERY quick and efficient with our check, that was the fastest service point. As we were leaving at over an hour the tables around us were finally starting to get bussed and cleaned, and now 5 servers were suddenly appearing from the bar area to finish their work and gtfo of there, I saw one of the fat managers (very content), eating in a side dining room, which I know managers eat free shift meals, but SERIOUSLY? Not when you're not taking care of the guests. I know all restaurant service positions come with a TON of crap but this was so unreasonable and it is NOT taking care of business, staff, and especially guests. No guest should have to eye the entire restaurant wondering where staff and ignorant managers are for over an hour to get served. Our drinks took so long my husband actually walked up to the bar to look for them and said they weren't made. Even sadder - there was an lone, older Indian couple that had biscuits but didn't even get served their food until we were boxing our food and they arrived before us so I was stunned. Idk how many times I wanted to approach managers or walk out, I know it's...

I want to give a LOUD LOUD shout out to the evening Managers Keanna and Vincent!! After a 10 hour long hard day at work, and having to deal with Stadium Traffic for the Braves game, I made a conscious decision not to cook. I wanted something good so Red Lobster 🦞 was a good fit. I made my order- to go, and when it appeared, I was a little disappointed with the size of the toppings for my 'Loaded' baked potatoe. I vented out loud (like an angry black woman- no worries, I'm black) and asked for the manager. Keanna, standing, listening attentively the whole time not saying a word, says "I'm the manager". She had already heard my complaint once but listened as I continued on. When I was done, she immediately fixed my issue with a smile and I couldn't do or say anything but give a humble apology and Thank You! That was Excellent Customer Service at its finest. She acted as a true manager should. Not a lot of lip or push back or trying to defend or be puffed up in her position. She was cool, calm, & handled the issue! I was satisfied with my results. While i waited, Vincent just so happen to walk up and asked how I was doing...I just said "better now" (not wanting to eat humble pie again) he wanted to put icing on that Excellent Customer Service and showed me my business is appreciated and we welcome you back and offered a complimentary beverage (he saw i didnt have one with my meal). I accepted! Their customer service was not forced, the gratitude and kindness was innate and I felt what was being projected from them because that is who they are! Red Lobster good for you for picking a couple of winners 🏆 BTW, the 2-go waiter, I wish I'd gotten his name, was a winning selection also. I made sure he felt the love before I left 🤑. Way to go Red...