A trip to Red Lobster at the Orlando outlet on 5936 International Drive quickly became a disaster for TikTok food content creator The Sample King Eats. There was very little that he actually liked about the outlet; the cleanliness, the taste, and even the service were all below the standards this creator has become accustomed to.
In reality, there are worse things that could happen when you go to a restaurant — and there have been glaring recent examples. But there’s just something inexplicably disappointing when you realize that the restaurant you’re paying your hard-earned money (plus tips) to visit is simply not taking care of you.
He does not recommend that outlet
This particular creator got his seat and turned on his camera during what appeared to be a relatively quiet daytime shift. Right off the bat, the staff asked him to make sure they weren’t part of his video. Which is fair enough. After all, not everyone likes being the main character in a customer complaint, especially when waiters generally create the ambiance of a location but rarely have the power to fix deeper structural issues.
The food creator rated the lobster tails a 0 out of 10. The other aspects didn’t fare much better either. The taste received a 5, the portion size a 1.2, and the value a 4.3. So, generally, he did not have a great experience, and he didn’t shy away from saying so. He ended his post by saying, “I do not recommend anyone try this location.”
To add salt to the wound, as he walked out of the nearly empty restaurant, he said he could see why the place was so empty. In the comments, people were largely on the waiter’s side for not wanting to be filmed. Most said that not everyone is comfortable being recorded, and they didn’t see that request as rude.
However, most users were simply grateful that the review seemed straightforward. One user wrote, “My bf wouldn’t take me to Red Lobster when I was craving seafood and didn’t wanna cook and I’m glad you made this. It undid the fomo and saved us money.” Another user used the opportunity to throw another chain under the bus, writing, “I wouldn’t dare go to Red Lobster for a seafood boil. People have been way over hyping this and LongHorn. LongHorn is mid at best.”
What took most of his audience by surprise, though, was the price. He said he ordered a seafood boil for $46.99 plus tax and ended up only enjoying the appetizer bread. The creator himself complained about it, saying he “had to use his 20% off” voucher. Most people in the comments claimed he would have gotten a better deal if he had just gone to a nearby mom-and-pop restaurant. They also argued the food would have tasted better.
They should go back to the drawing board
Regardless, this is Red Lobster after all — they can survive a few poor reviews. But if Keith Lee has shown the industry anything, it’s that young people really trust TikTok restaurant reviewers. So when they negatively review your outlet, you might be in real trouble.
They definitely need to go back to the drawing board and, if nothing else, at least work on the hygiene of their water glasses.
Published: Jul 9, 2026 07:30 am