To Go Or Not To Go

[*lee-lee*]

my sister's birthday is this weekend and she wants to go Red Lobster. my boyfriend and i live 2 hours away but have been invited to join the rest of my family for dinner. from some of the old posts i've read on here, it appears Red Lobster is a pretty bad restaurant choice. it would be nice to go since i don't get to see my sister much anymore but i'm worried about getting glutened and having to travel home if i'm feeling crappy.

so, has anyone been to Red Lobster recently? any good experiences? i'm not a huge seafood eater so i'm also troubled about what to eat. i pretty much only like scallops and shrimp and i don't really eat red meat either so steak is out. i hate to travel so far to eat a baked potato and even still have to worry about CC. should we just decline and stay home?

i know it's lame but i'm feeling stressed out about this. i really appreciate the invite and don't want to seem ungrateful if we don't go. part of me just wants to stay home because i'm just not feeling very social these days. my BF and i just moved and i'm not working and he's got a crappy job and we have to pinch every penny we have. we're just kind of down in the dumps lately and don't need any additional reminders of the lousy situation we're in.

hmm, i guess this is more of a vent than an actual question...

[elonwy]

Why don't you guys eat first and then just go hang out with them at the restaurant? That way you get to show up and hang out with the family but don't have to deal with negotiating a unfriendly restaurant. I would never try to eat there personally.

[irish]

Lee-Lee, I have eaten before meeting friends and relatives at restaurants. It worked out fine. I know your family would be disappointed if they did not see you and your boyfriend. Everybody goes thru hard times. If you need someone to talk to please PM me.

Loretta

[hez]

Ditto I would not even try to eat at a Red Lobster! I have eaten a substantial meal before going out with friends and it worked great. Have a drink or glass of wine and enjoy the company. Plus it is cheaper this way!

Hez