Red Lobster - Calgary

As an out of town customer, who frequents Calgary for medical appointments a lot, it's nice to take in some comfort food with a friend/family in a relaxed atmosphere. If you have a chance, introduce yourself to Ash (restaurant manager) and Alyssa (lounge server); they are personal and professional gems! #UltimateEndlessShrimpMonday

We waited several minutes at the host stand. Eventually we were seated. They were out of berries(missing from cocktail) root beer, ice cream and argentine shrimp. We all ordered together but our food was brought out separately. We watched our kids eat. Then they watched us eat. Ordered surf and paid extra for 10oz NY steak and received a sirloin instead. Asked about it twice regarding it being small and the wrong cut. Both times told my sirloin is a 10oz NY. Then there was this entire issue with our gift card that was invalid that they eventually got working. The waiter asked if we wanted the leftovers to take home for our dog. Yeah not going again, thanks but no thanks. The best part was leaving.

Thursday evening three of us headed over to Red Lobster for my husbands 66th birthday celebration. Eldana was an excellent server who was personable, and quick to replace my husbands coke when he was nearly done. My husband added Lobster meat to his crab Alfredo which was excellent. I had the Sesame-Soy Salmon Bowl which I really enjoyed except for the over abundance of edamame. Our son had fish and chips which looked really good but comparing it to previously, not too long ago Fish and Chips in Newfoundland, they were disappointing. We opted not to have them come out with the complimentary dessert and sing Happy Birthday seeing as I had a cake waiting for him at home. There was no reduction in the bill considering this. Eldana got a nice tip and we left stuffed! Considering the total cost of the bill, it is obvious restaurants have increased their prices to try and recoup some of what they lost during Covid lockdowns. We understand but eating out will truly be more of a special event rather than the norm.

We took out our friends for dinner. I had the steak and lobster. I asked for a medium rare steak and it came well done and the lobster was overcooked and was like rubber. My friends lobster all tasted the same. For a seafood house I expected better. My wife’s dinner has prawns in a butter garlic. The butter sauce was overpowering because then it was butter with prawns. The butter was overpowering the prawns. For drinks, if your looking for a good craft beer here forget that one. They had a few big box beers only and nothing that I would enjoy. The desert that we had was the brownie overboard. I would highly recommend it as everyone at out table tried it and was voted the best part of the dinner. The atmosphere was great and I’m glad they followed all COVID protocols that were in place. The staff was good and made the visit. If it was only rated on food I would have given a lower rating.

Our server, Brian (if we recall his name correctly), exhibited several shortcomings that greatly impacted our dining experience. We would like to bring the following issues to your attention: 1. Neglected Drink Refills: Throughout our meal, Brian never proactively offered to refill our drinks, leaving us with empty glasses. We had to request refills multiple times. 2. Lack of Side Dish Inquiry: Brian failed to ask about our side dish preferences, resulting in our meals being served without the accompanying dishes we desired. He did not take the initiative to inquire if we wanted to order any additional items. 3. Careless Handling of Plates and Glasses: Whenever we requested drinks or side dishes, Brian displayed nervous behavior, handling plates and glasses with carelessness and a lack of attention. He did not face our table when interacting with us, simply placing or removing items as he passed by on his way to and from the kitchen. 4. Endless Shrimp Experience: We opted for the endless shrimp option, but Brian did not inform us of the waiting period between orders. Consequently, we had to inquire about the next serving, leading to unnecessary delays of nearly 30 minutes. Moreover, he left the table without adequately acknowledging our requests or actively listening to our concerns. 5. Absence of Biscuits: Throughout the meal, Brian neglected to bring us the signature Red Lobster biscuits that have become a favorite part of our dining experience at your restaurants. 6. Lack of Engagement: Brian demonstrated minimal eye contact and engagement with our table. Despite our efforts to capture his attention, he did not approach us unless prompted multiple times. This lack of engagement made us feel overlooked and undervalued as customers. We were seated at the NE Calgary branch, specifically on July 3, 2023, between 4-6pm (order# 100310). The disappointing experience occurred at the second table from the right, on the bar side. While we have always enjoyed the quality of the food at Red Lobster, this particular visit left us feeling let down by the subpar service provided by Brian. Consequently, we regretfully decided not to leave a gratuity, a departure from our usual practice of recognizing good service.