Is Red Lobster going bankrupt?

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Some local restaurants are rallying around former Red Lobster employees who lost their jobs when the seafood chain abruptly closed its doors, including its locations in Western New York .

“My first thought was, oh, we better order more lobsters,” said Al Green, owner of 2 Forks Up seafood restaurant on Campbell Boulevard in Getzville.

But almost as quickly Green began thinking about the Red Lobster employees who suddenly found themselves unemployed.

“Especially when it was done so abruptly,” Green said. “I understand they were pretty busy for Mother’s Day and they operated like they were going to be there and then padlocked the doors, and that’s hard for the employees, and I feel bad for them .”

Green’s Restaurant began messaging on social media to let displaced workers know it had jobs available at its restaurant.

“We have work here and we would like people to come and talk to us,” he said.

At The Poked Yolk, which operates three breakfast restaurants in Western New York, they also thought about Red Lobster workers.

“We help each other…that’s what we’re here to do. So anyone who gets hurt by Red Lobster, we’re here to open our doors to you,” said Chelsea Urena, kitchen manager from the West Seneca site. at 3100 Transit Road.

Green noted that the servers and cooks who worked for Red Lobster could feel right at home at his restaurant with one difference, of course, involving preparing and serving freshly made meals from scratch.

“It helps to know what seafood is, how to cook it, how long to cook it and how to handle it,” he said.

Urena suggested that restaurant workers accustomed to the hustle and bustle of lunch and dinner might enjoy the change of pace at a breakfast restaurant.

“You get out at 2:30 p.m., so you have the rest of the day and evening to yourself,” she said.

Green says there is a labor shortage in the restaurant industry and predicts Red Lobster workers shouldn’t have too much trouble finding jobs if they want to continue in the field.

“We would love to help them and I know other restaurants have contacted them as well,” he said.