20 Things Red Lobster Employees Want You To Know Before You Eat There

Yes, the biscuits are amazing. Yes, they know you're obsessed. No, there's no secret ingredient. But they are made fresh several times a day — sometimes as often as every fifteen minutes on busy weekends! There's even a Red Lobster employee whose sole function is to apply that addictive garlic butter.

If cooking from a box doesn't sound like very much fun and there's no Red Lobster in your radius (a true nightmare ...) try baking the copycat version! We cracked the recipe for you, and it turns out they're pretty good. How good? Let's just say we've started calling them Cheddar BAE Biscuits.

Don't feel like getting your hands dirty? As crazy as it sounds, RL severs are sea-soned (had to ...) professionals when it comes to shucking, and according to SenorCappuccino on Reddit, they'll gladly peel yours for you if you need help. Just be sure to leave a nice tip.

According to monkeymoomoo10, most of the fish at Red Lobster starts out frozen. Don't let it scare you, though; it's mostly a product of shipping realities, and the fact that most Red Lobsters aren't coastal.

One IRL RL employee confirmed that yes, kitchen staff do in fact pluck lobsters from the tank out front. If the tank's empty when you walk in, you might want to re-think your order.

Some customers have been known to eat more than 150 shrimp in one sitting during the "Endless Shrimp" festival. And yes, RL will keep on dishing 'em up as long as you keep asking. It's a pretty great deal, too. One diner asked an ex-employee if the Endless Shrimp deal was really that great, and they confirmed, saying if you crunch the numbers, it only takes eating two more shrimp than come with the meal, to get your money's worth.

Although you'll still find the Shrimp Nachos on the menu, certain diners feel they lack a certain je ne sais quoi. But fear not! You can still find RL's signature Lobster Nachos up north of the US border.

That Endless Shrimp promotion might be great for customers, but for employees, it can be kind of a nightmare. One former employee told Reddit, "The problem with Endless Shrimp is that ticket times become so long that it is damn near impossible to turn tables at a high enough volume to make good cash. It's a promotion that most employees loathe."

Another employee said that they prefer Lobsterfest, explaining, "Dishes are delicious, usually healthier, and people are willing to pay for the pricier lobster dishes. From a server's point of view, we love pricier dishes because then generally the tip is better."

Much of their seafood might be frozen, but one former employee swears on Reddit that everything is held at a high standard. The employee said, "RL has some of the highest standards in the seafood industry. Fisherman's highest quality of fish is sometimes referred to as "RL spec" just because RL only takes the best items from the supplier. If a boat is out at sea for seven days, they will layer ice between their catches for the day, so day seven would be on the top and be the freshest. This is the only layer of fish we accept from suppliers."

Have you ever wondered why every table gets an odd number of biscuits, with one extra biscuit, no matter what? A former employee explained on Reddit that it's actually corporate policy to bring one extra biscuit to the table. Another user added, We've been told that the first basket with the extra piece is 'a conversation starter' and that's why we do it."

It's hard to imagine Red Lobster without cheddar bay biscuits, but at one point, this was a reality. A Red Lobster spokesperson told PopSugar that up until the '90s, the chain served hushpuppies with every meal instead. Cheddar Bay Biscuits were introduced in 1992 "under the name 'freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread,' and the current name was coined in 1997."

There aren't any secret menu items on the Red Lobster menu, but one former employee told Reddit users that customers are "able to order items that we have had previously on the menu but that have since been removed, so long as the ingredients have not been removed from our menu."

If you were wondering about the most unhealthy menu item, one former employee explained: "I learned from that 'Worst Drinks in America' submission that you should never have a classic lobsterita on the rocks. It is the equivalent of seven Almond Joy bars or something ridiculous like that."

Red Lobster offers a Fresh Catch Club that is worth becoming part of if you go often. Every time you go, you can earn points towards free rewards. You can get coupons and club-exclusive deals, as well as birthday freebies and notifications for special events.

A Red Lobster spokesperson told PopSugar that the meal they most recommend is, "The Ultimate Feast: Maine tail, steamed wild-caught North American snow crab legs, garlic shrimp, and Walt's Favorite Shrimp. It lets guests try a bit of everything all on one plate."