Red Lobster on Busch Blvd in Tampa (Lakeland: buying, live in)

[chaseo1]

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

When restaurants "buy local", they are supporting local farmers and/or markets...

Some of the new hipster joints claim this but that is not always the case. Even for the ones that claim it, why would you buy locally $5 tomatoes when you can get them for $2 from a distributor [same exact tomatoes btw], sounds nice on paper and on advertising but rarely happens and doesn't make business sense at all.

[SeaSpur]

Originally Posted by chaseo1

Some of the new hipster joints claim this but that is not always the case. Even for the ones that claim it, why would you buy locally $5 tomatoes when you can get them for $2 from a distributor [same exact tomatoes btw], sounds nice on paper and on advertising but rarely happens and doesn't make business sense at all.

Where is your facts to back these statements up? Yes, sometimes you do pay a little more for produce at a market versus a chain grocery store but sometimes you pay less. Either way, it's never a $5 vs $2 situation and even further...a restaurant will have a deal worked out with the market. Some of them go straight to the farmers (especially in our area for tomatoes)- I know this as a fact.

Even further, sometimes a restaurant pays more because a) they can charge a higher price to recoup their expense and b) sometimes supporting local means you have to spend a little more.

You can buy an American made hammer for $17 bucks or a Chinese made hammer for $6. They both will do the same job for a certain period of time, that is a personal decision...just like this produce situation.

Shame on any business that promotes providing local produce on their menu but does not.

[KPB]

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

Well what were you trying to buy? If you thought you'd get fresh Florida tomatoes in August then you might be the idiot asking the question there.

They get what they can get locally for the climate/region we are in but in order to have a variety they have to haul in other produce from where it's being harvested.

When restaurants "buy local", they are supporting local farmers and/or markets where the dollar trickles down much faster instead of a Winn Dixie/Walmart situation where they may have foreign produce or the dollar barely makes it back into the community where it was purchased.

Ya, some people don't know that you really don't grow veggies here in central or south FL in the summer. Our growing seasons for veggies are completely reversed than north FL season.

Probably thought apples or peaches were grown locally lol, duh.

[chaseo1]

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

Shame on any business that promotes providing local produce on their menu but does not.

If you think this DOESNT happen all over the indie food service industry, then I got some swamp land to sell you

[PhotoProIP]

Originally Posted by GiovanniTheGreat

I bet it was super busy because you know, Red Lobster does take EBT and that especially draws in a certain demographic. You're only supposed to buy groceries with those but they go crazy and use that for a 1 night Red Lobster meal when they could stock up on a lot of stuff they'll have for weeks at a time. Going out to dinner is a treat you usually should fund with your own money out of your own pocket.

I think you are being very rude & ignorant here.

1. You have no idea who those people are. You have no idea why they have those cards instead of a steady paycheck. FYI "employers" are not looking to pay their employees anymore in this country; on the contrary, they reduce staff, and expect them to be superheroes! Shameful. Discrimination of all sorts runs rampant here, education costs insane amounts of money, so to assume "everyone" using those cards is some low life is very rude of you and shows how poorly educated you are.

2. It is none of your business what people spend their money on. To assume that unless someone makes $200,000 a year, they shouldn't be allowed to eat out is worst than being under communism. It is quite insulting. No one chooses to be on welfare; people are forced on welfare because of what the cost of living has become in this country and no one seems to notice!

3. I wouldn't eat at these chains in the first place. I wouldn't eat out here in Tampa at all; "traffic" to get anywhere sucks, and most restaurants are full of stuck up people starring at others eating. No thanks. The portions are out of control too, so I'd be wasting half the money spent. The service is usually awful too, so I rather eat in my own kitchen in the comfort of my own house than spend any dollar amount at any of these chains. They all serve the same exact food with different names...Look at the desserts from Outback vs Chilli's! Shameful.

[Frustrated68]

Did I mention there was a COP there to keep people under control?

[ilikepizza]

Nothing beats the Bay Harbor Lobster Bake. Would even drive to the Busch Blvd location for that item.

[ilikepizza]

Bar Harbor Lobster Bake
Petite Maine lobster tails, split and roasted with shrimp, sea scallops, mussels and tomatoes. Served over linguini in a garlic and white wine broth.

[gypsychic]

LOL - the Red Lobster on Busch has to be one of the lowest eating out experiences around. I am not knocking RL in general, I have eaten at many in the past, including this one, and let's just say - never again!

But frankly, Bonefish Grill is a far superior chain, and prices are about the same for 10 times the taste and quality. They don't have "cheddah biskits" though.

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by GiovanniTheGreat

Red Lobster does take EBT and that especially draws in a certain demographic.

Can you provide a link for proof?

Because, you know, working for Publix for as long as I did, I know that an EBT card wont even ring up for certain foods.