I went to Red Lobster and saw why the chain has struggled — and what it could change

This Red Lobster is located right off of a major highway, about a 50-minute drive from the center of Washington, DC.

The restaurant was empty, which wasn’t surprising given that I showed up just after opening time on a weekday. While no one was at the host stand when I walked in, an employee appeared a few seconds afterward and showed me to my table.

Red Lobster’s restaurants have long resembled coastal communities where fishing and lobstering dominate. A 2011 remodel of the restaurant chain’s stores drew inspiration from Bar Harbor, Maine, and added everything from ship lanterns to Adirondack chairs to the restaurants.

Seaside decorations aside, the dining room included a lot of dark wood. It made me feel like I was at a Midwestern supper club in the 1970s.

The edges of the tables and booths were scratched and dinged, too.

The menu offers different specials depending on the day of the week. Monday’s special is endless shrimp, which costs $25, according to the menu I saw.

While I first considered a steak-and-lobster daily special, I had never tried Red Lobster’s shrimp. After my server recommended the Sailor’s Platter, which contains two kinds of shrimp and some flounder, I ordered that.

The four biscuits were complimentary — and very warm.

Besides being warm, you could taste the cheese.

My Sailor’s Platter came with a side. I upgraded mine to Bacon Mac & Cheese for an upcharge.

While tasty, these reminded me of shrimp that I’ve had at Popeyes, Long John Silver’s, and other fast-food chains.

These were my favorite of the two kinds of shrimp.

The flounder was better with some of the tartar sauce.

The Mac & Cheese was creamy, though after a few bites, it was a little too rich for me.

My server noticed I was running low on my first tea and brought me another before I even asked.

With tax and a tip, I paid about $35 for my lunch.

I was full after the platter and had trouble imagining what eating dozens of shrimp here would be like.

These two photographs hung over the booths next to mine.

The Red Lobster that I visited felt worn, dark, and could use a renovation. And while the biscuits were great, the other food was nothing amazing.

On the bright side, the service was fast and friendly — something that can be tough to find even at much more expensive restaurants. (The fact that I showed up at midday on a weekday might have helped.)

Diners are looking for good deals these days thanks to the lingering effects of inflation. Some are even looking to sit-down chains instead of fast-food restaurants due to cost.

If Red Lobster can come up with a more exciting, tasty menu and give their stores a facelift, the chain could be poised to take advantage of that environment.

Do you work at a major restaurant chain and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com