[CapeCodder]

I am very happy and proud of my fellow Cape Codders to tell you the Red Lobster lasted only one season in Hyannis, Mass.

I was flabbergasted that some idiot would even contemplate putting a RL on Cape Cod.

However, I must admit the dreaded OG is pretty successful.

O well, one out of two is better than most places.

[BigDog]

As a Massachusetts transplant (I was born and bred there, 18.5 years) I concur that Red Lobster is about the worst "seafood" I've had. The only time I've been there over the last few years was twice, and not necessarily by chioce. The food is tolerated at best, but if given options, it ain't one of them.

As for the Olive Garden, I've noticed changes in their food going more towards the reheat style, and I don't care for it either. Mrs. Big Dog loves their Fettuccini Alfredo, and there is enough there that I enjoy (even though it certainl isn't authentic) that we patronize on occassion.

I love their salad though. Best part about going to OG is the salad, IMHO.

[dougiezerts]

It's the same thing with Outback Steakhouse. They have nothing whatsoever to do with Australia! The American owners just thought that would be a good theme for their restaurants.
That says a lot about our country, doesn't it?

[boosehound]

i had the worst time at og in cape cod mass this past winter with my family. i told them i didnt want to eat there but we were on a small vaca and i didnt have a car so og it was. i got pork tenderloin which i wanted MR. she informed me she wasnt sure if they could cook it that way. when i asked why not she said it has to be cooked to 165, i told her she was wrong and thinking of ground meat. so she said ill see what they tell me and get back to you. that stupid no good *********never got back to me. in fact the pork was probably around 200 degrees. i meen it was so over over cooked no amount of sauce would make it good(plus the dish got no sauce). not to mention the vegtables tasted like nothing if they werent charred and burrned from the grill, the only minor saving grace is that the potatoes had sooooo much rosemarry on them along with enough oil to for an entire table to dip bread into, werent that bad. that is once i got them out of the puddle of oil and seasoned them. i hope i never have to go back to another og for the rest of my life.

[AprilB]

...and it was singularly the WORST food I've had in a long time.

Someone in F&B management forgot to mention hiring someone that knows about preparing Lobster? It was completely inedible. Like trying to chew little chunks of cured silicone.
I spoke to the manager, nothing, wrote to them and absolutely NOTHING!

Outback...well...I haven't had a lot of seriously bad experiences with them. The grill cooks seem to all know how to treat their meat. < > We've traveled a LOT and been to many in several states and it was all pretty good as far as commercial steakhouses go. We've also been comped and whatnot on the rare occasions when something was wrong or they were super busy. The only inconsistency is the bloomin onion. It's hard to do well. I understand that some of the better Outbacks have a prep/fry cook devoted to this one item, and it certainly shows. <considering just about every table orders one>

Conversely LONESTAR is the Outback equivalent in Australia. Lonestar in Oz rocks. Watching little Aussie waitresses trying to line dance is a hoot! They have a version of 'bloomin onion' but don't call it that...I think it's a cactus something or other but wouldn't swear to it in a court of law. Ironically enough Lonestar is also here and HERE it sucks little bits of burned meat.

I have never had a good meal at a Lonestar here. After the 3rd try I stopped going. I'd complain, they would get it right the second time. Hmmmm...

I THINK I went to an OG about 20 years ago but I'm not sure.

(lets you know how impressed I was)


April

[RAS1187]

Out of all the major chain restaurants out there, I consider Darden concepts to be at the top. I eat olive garden knowing that it isn't real italian food the same way I eat taco bell knowing it isn't real mexican food, doesn't change the fact that they are enjoyable when I get a craving.

When I applied for a host position at Red Lobster, I was required to take a basic skills/math test & a seperate personality test. My understanding is that every personality test is sent to their corporate office and reviewed. The corporate office then returns the personality test and informs the restaurant management whether or not they can hire the applicant. Ultimately, I ended up not getting the job due to my age. This is still a far more efficient way of weeding out troublemakers or laziness in the system as opposed to the typical interview process that most restaurants use.

Also, management positions in chain restaurants are supposed to pay really good (or so i hear). I have heard that the KM for the TGIF I used to work at makes $80g/year. Only makes me wonder what the GM is making.

[Stewey]

Hopefully, I am not the only one here who does this. But, every 4 or 5 months or so, I get the hankering for Olive Garden. I know the food will suck and/or the service. But to satisfy my craving, I ignore my mind and follow my gut.

It happened again tonight. We went to OG and had a terrible time. We were sat promptly (giving me false hopes of a good time) which was then followed by 1) a lack of bread plates, 2) our entrees being brought out just moments after we started enjoying our soups; and 3) a waiter who forgot about our table.

I never realized how important it is to have a liquid...ANY LIQUID...to drink during a meal. We finished our drinks during the soup, and NO ONE stopped by to see if we needed anything. Until half way through our entrees. But by that time it was too late...no amount of water would help.

Why oh why do I go back...convenience isn't worth this hassle.

Seriously...I have never felt so parched during a meal ever!

[rat]

Olive Garden or Red Lobster = Walmart or K-mart.
IMO Support your local Mom and Pop restaurants as they are quickly becoming extinct by these type of establishments.

[Stephanie Brim]

I stay away from Red Lobster for a reason, but I did enjoy when my boyfriend and I went to Olive Garden in Des Moines. The server was friendly, the service was excellent, the food was really good for what it was, and I loved the salad. I don't go into Olive Garden expecting four-star perfection. In fact, I'd go there again.

I think that in most of these restaurants location makes a big difference. I also tend not to **** an entire chain for an experience had at one establishment. If I did that, I'd never eat at any franchise restaurant.

If you want good food for a decent price, Italian anyway, the Cucina Bravo is a good place to go. They have excellent food (I had the salmon with lobster butter as an entree and chose a lobster bisque soup over a salad as a starter), great service, and prices that are under $30 per person in most cases. In fact, my boyfriend and I are due for our bi-yearly trip.

[oldschool1982]

Never ever been a fan of OG or RL. Just another Mc-King in disguise. Although I do like the other Darden Concept. Bahama Breeze. They seemed to have it on the ball there or atleast trhey did back in 2000-01. They opened a location in Henrietta NY.

I would stop in from time to time for a "5:01 Blues" cure. (worked the 7-5 shift at another place ) Anyhow speaking as an Italian, one of the better places that you could visit and have a great meal is Buca di Beppo. One of my favorite places. The n of course there's Maggiano's. But when it comes right down to it, for me the best Italian food and service is at home.

[RAS1187]

Another thing about chain restaurants that usually gets overlooked is the fact that each individual restaurant is not equal to another one. Each individual restaurant has unique management, cooks, chefs, waiters, etc... that make it somewhat unique when compared to another seemingly identical restaurant.

When I get the craving for Applebees, I drive an extra 20 mins to get to one that so far seems to know what they are doing. I wont eat at the one closest to my house.

[ALynch]

The guy who created the Olive Garden concept for Darden now does restaurant consulting and owns a couple of chains in central Florida. Really amazing guy to talk too, I interviewed with him a while back for an exec position. This guy is a genius when it comes to restaurant operations.

Anyway I wonder if Olive Garden knows there is an ad for them at the bottom of all these posts?

[chris1980]

Firstly, I love red lobster. Their menu and fish is terrible but they have the one thing I love most in the world: Lobster! You can't do lobster wrong. Boil it and throw it on a platter. When I have a hankering for lobster and don't feel like making a trip to the seafood market, this is my stop. I also like their stuffed mushrooms but I was able to duplicate the recipe at home and it tastes much better IMO. Plus lobster comes with a baked potato. I wouldn't have anything else on their menu though. Maybe a shrimp cocktail.

I hate olive garden. I think their food is bland, their salad is unoriginal, and their wine...ugh! The waiters haven't been taught anything about wine and they keep pushing it on you. Plus its always noisy. Its good for cheap food during their pasta specials though.

[AprilB]

Somebody forgot to tell the cook at RL when I went there for my birthday that you can indeed overcook lobster.

Can we say cured silicone boys and girls?



April

Originally Posted by chris1980

Firstly, I love red lobster. Their menu and fish is terrible but they have the one thing I love most in the world: Lobster! You can't do lobster wrong. Boil it and throw it on a platter. When I have a hankering for lobster and don't feel like making a trip to the seafood market, this is my stop. I also like their stuffed mushrooms but I was able to duplicate the recipe at home and it tastes much better IMO. Plus lobster comes with a baked potato. I wouldn't have anything else on their menu though. Maybe a shrimp cocktail.

I hate olive garden. I think their food is bland, their salad is unoriginal, and their wine...ugh! The waiters haven't been taught anything about wine and they keep pushing it on you. Plus its always noisy. Its good for cheap food during their pasta specials though.

[chris1980]

Well I guess you can overcook them (or under?)! But I've never had one at RL that was overcooked.

At RL I figure they have a chart that tells them how long to boil a lobster of a certain weight.