Want To Embarrass Someone For Their Birthday? Take Them To Joe's Crab Shack

When taking a loved one out for their birthday, it's important to think about the vibe. If you want classy romance, something high-end with a dress code might be the ticket. However, if you want peak embarrassment and humiliation, there's one spot that's bound to deliver: Joe's Crab Shack. The chain now has less than 15 locations in seven states, but all of them like to make birthdays a big deal. 

If you're expecting a top-tier-silly chain restaurant birthday song, well, you'll get it — but it's not the only perk. Depending on your Joe's location, the birthday guest might be asked to don a makeshift costume, and interact with props for the amusement of everyone in the restaurant. They might receive a complimentary dessert for their troubles, but they'll have to suffer through an innuendo-laden birthday singalong, and dancing in public. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but for some, it's the best birthday ever.

People who have survived a Joe's Crab Shack birthday speak about it as both a wonderful and traumatic experience. One former server posted to Reddit, "We had all sorts of props and stuff in the back. Wigs, giant goofy shirts, pompoms, hats, you name it. It was kind of a competition between all the servers about who could do the most elaborate, spectacular, embarrassing birthday song possible." A mortified partygoer recalled their own experience, commenting, "They made me catch a football. Problem was, the server has clearly never thrown a football, and it landed 20 feet from me on someone's table, destroying their entire meal and splashing them."

The severity of your public birthday shaming depends greatly on which Joe's Crab Shack location you visit. In one video from a Texas location, a man threw on silly accessories, then rode a hobby horse around the restaurant while onlookers sang "Happy Birthday." At a Minnesota restaurant, a man was dressed up like a bird and paraded through the restaurant, flapping his Styrofoam "wings." At a Redondo Beach location, one customer was given a sash, clown wig, and wings to wear during the meal. No location does birthdays exactly the same, and that's part of the appeal.

However, that also means you never know what kind of experience you'll get. Each place has different props, with some not having as many as you might see on social media. Not every outpost even offers complimentary cake. Sometimes, servers are simply too busy to commit to an elaborate call-and-response birthday song or dance. Still, if you're a Joe's Crab Shack member, you'll at least get $25 off during your birthday month.

Although festivities vary by location, your best shot at getting a good experience is the same for all restaurants: According to the Joe's Crab Shack website, birthday celebrators should call ahead and make a reservation. Even if the restaurant isn't super busy, this allows the staff to prepare for an impending birthday. Set up a group event if you have lots of party guests, and you might get a few extra birthday perks. Joe's Crab Shack is also one of the chains with great happy hour deals, so you can toast to the best birthday yet.