Manhattan residents took to Facebook after an apparent “prank” in which a Red Lobster sign was placed in front of the new McDonald’s location. A picture of the construction site, which is located at Tuttle Creek Boulevard and Kimball, was photographed and posted on Facebook, where Manhattan residents shared their thoughts.
“I wouldn’t mind a Red Lobster,” Manhattan resident Stan Krumm commented on the post. “With another McDonald’s, we would have 3, which is way too many!”
Though many Manhattan residents saw the aftermath of the prank, how the Red Lobster sign got to the new McDonald’s location is unknown.
“I have no idea who put the sign up,” Fire Deputy Chief Ryan Almes said. “When I drove by the other day, I didn’t see it, so I assume it has since been taken down.”
The demand for a Red Lobster in Manhattan has been ongoing, Almes said.
“For many years, when a new restaurant has started to be built or proposed, people often mention that it is [or hoping for] a Red Lobster,” he said. “It dates back to at least when the north end redevelopment started around 2006-07.”
With the chain restaurant closing down many of its locations, including three in Kansas, after filing for bankruptcy in May 2024 and facing continuous financial challenges, it makes the chances of the chain coming to Manhattan unlikely.