When Business Insider's Erin McDowell visited Red Lobster's Times Square location in March for the first time since the chain's bankruptcy filing, she came away with an unexpected conclusion: Red Lobster is getting better. The food was tastier, the portions were big, and the chain finally seemed to understand what customers wanted: quality food and menu offerings that felt worth coming back for. Still, the sprawling restaurant felt noticeably quiet for Times Square during the lunch rush, she writes. This week, Red Lobster announced the Times Square flagship will permanently close on June 14. In some ways, the closure highlights a strange reality, McDowell writes: Red Lobster itself appears to be in better shape than the Times Square restaurant that once symbolized the brand's success. Read more about the closure at the link in our bio. Story by Erin McDowell (Credit: Getty Images) #RedLobster #TimesSquare #restaurantclosure #foodindustry