**VIRAL NEWS SNIPPET:**

VIRAL NEWS SNIPPET:

🚨 CLAIM: Red Lobster in Tallahassee Closed After ‘Endless Shrimp’ Nightmare—Employees Say They Were ‘Begged’ to Stay Away

📱 What’s circulating: A viral TikTok video claims the Red Lobster at 2410 N. Monroe Street in Tallahassee shut its doors indefinitely after staff allegedly walked out mid-service during an “Ultimate Endless Shrimp” promotion. The video, viewed 2.3 million times in under 12 hours, shows a handwritten sign taped to the door reading, “Closed until further notice. Please don’t ask about shrimp.”

🔍 The verdict: PARTLY FALSE … but with a spicy twist.

📍 Fact-check breakdown:

• ✅ Real closure: The Tallahassee location did temporarily close on March 29, 2025, according to county health records, for a “deep cleaning & equipment maintenance” after a grease fire in the kitchen. No shrimp involved.
• ❌ Fake reason: The dramatic “shrimp walkout” narrative is fabricated. Employees confirmed to local news that the sign referencing “shrimp” was a joke written by a fry cook, but the closure was routine—not a mutiny over endless biscuits or cheddar bay mayhem.
• 🤔 The viral twist: The TikTok creator later admitted the video was a “spoof” inspired by Red Lobster’s nationwide shrimp losses, but the clip is being shared as fact on Facebook groups and local forums.

📊 Verdict: 🚫 MISLEADING — The restaurant did close briefly, but the viral “shrimp rebellion” story is completely made up. 🦐🚫