Leave it to Village Voice Media publications to cause a shitstorm of controversy. First, Miami New Times forever changed how America sees baseball with the reporting of the Biogenesis scandal, now LA Weekly got seafood lovers' panties in a bunch over story speculating that Red Lobster might be closing.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the rumor that Florida-based Darden Restaurants might close Red Lobster's approximately 700 locations rather than sell off the chain, was linked back to an LA Weekly story posted on December 23.
The post apparently went viral, with 69,000 Facebook shares, leading to a widespread panic about the possible loss of restaurants serving cheap shrimp and cheddar biscuits -- even though the LA Weekly story doesn't really state that Red Lobster will close. However, the original headline read something like, "Red Lobster to Close" and set the Twitter world aflame.
So, in the end, boys and girls, Red Lobster will most likely stay around to serve you all-you-can-eat previously-frozen seafood, although not under the Darden umbrella.
Darden spokesperson Rich Jeffers denies any upcoming Red Lobster closings, meaning all those Red Lobster gift cards you got from Santa "Claws" are still safe.
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