FAQ – The Lusty Lobster

What are your Hours?

We are open Tuesday – Saturday 10am-3pm
We are closed Sunday & Monday this winter

ORDERING

CAN I PICK UP TODAY? WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR ORDERING? HOW DO I SHIP SOMETHING TO MYSELF OR A RELATIVE?

All cooked, shucked, plattered, and certain specialty items must be ordered by 12pm for same day service. Other more simple orders must be placed online or over the phone at least 30 minutes before planned pickup.
All overnight shipping orders must be placed by 12pm of the day before the planned shipping date.

WHAT STEPS ARE YOU TAKING TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19?

We have heightened our already strict daily cleaning protocols and have added a quarterly surface treatment (MicroPro Shield)
We are sanitizing every touchable surface on a regular basis 4-5 times daily.

SHIPPING

IF I ORDER A PACKAGE TODAY, WHEN WILL IT ARRIVE?

We ship exclusively with FEDEX, via PERISHIP . Your order can be delivered to most domestic areas Tuesday-Saturday. Saturday delivery is only available in certain locations and would incur a surcharge. Please call our store at 732-291-1548 or email customerservice@bestlobster.com to confirm Saturday Delivery availability to your location.

Standard Delivery:

Standard delivery is not available for live lobster packages; only frozen. Packages sent via this method will arrive in 1-2 days and often arrive the next day. Deliveries arrive to residences by 8:00 pm and to businesses by 5:00 pm. Frozen packages should be scheduled to arrive one day prior to preparation to allow thawing time.

Expedited Overnight:

Expedited and Overnight shipping is the method required for ALL LIVE MAINE LOBSTER packages. delivers packages by 3:00 pm to commercial areas and by 8:00 pm to residences the next business day after being shipped.

Priority Overnight:

Priority overnight shipping is the method required for all LIVE MAINE LOBSTER packages shipping to remote areas. FEDEX usually delivers Priority Overnight packages by noon the next business day after being shipped. However, shipping to remote areas may be as late as 8:00 pm. Please call Customer Service at 1-800-548-3562 for more information. Live lobster delivery is not available to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico, though we can ship lobster tails and other frozen items to these areas. Please call for more information.

Ground Delivery:

Ground delivery is offered for a few select items and arrives 1-7 days after being shipped. Arrival days are Monday – Saturday.

Saturday Delivery:

Saturday delivery is available to most city and suburban areas. Deliveries arrive between 8:00 am and 1:30 pm. Please call to confirm if you are unsure whether your location is serviced.

Sunday and Monday Deliveries:

Sunday and Monday deliveries are not available for perishable packages. A Driver Release is put on all packages so that they may be left at the door. If delivering to a multi-unit building, the driver may that require someone be present to receive the package in person, so please plan accordingly. We cannot ship to P.O. boxes

ARE THERE ANY SHIPPING RESTRICTIONS?

Orders shipping to Alaska and Hawaii vary in availability. Please call us first to make sure it is a deliverable location. Due to the extra length of time to deliver, we do not send live lobsters to Alaska and Hawaii, but lobster tails or other frozen packages are available.

DOES LUSTY LOBSTER HAVE GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE?

Yes we do! You can purchase gift cards online in any denomination.
Need it in a “pinch”? We can even send your gift card via email for same day delivery.

WHAT IF NO ONE IS HOME WHEN FEDEX MAKES THE DELIVERY?

All food packages and air letters are shipped via FEDEX. A Driver Release is put on all packages so that they may be left at the door. If delivering to a multi-unit building, the driver may require someone be present to receive the package in person, so please plan accordingly. P.O. Box delivery is only available for Gift Certificates delivered via First Class Mail. FEDEX will not deliver packages to P.O Boxes.

Sunday and Monday deliveries are not available for perishable packages.

HOW DO I BEST CARE FOR LIVE LOBSTERS?

Avoid putting your live lobsters in tap water or ice cubes prior to cooking. Keep them inside the reusable cooler until preparation. Inspect the contents if you wish, but tightly replace the cooler lid immediately. Also avoid placing the cooler near any heat source.

For the best results, cook your live lobsters, fresh seafood, fresh clams, or mussels the day you receive your package. Fresh-caught fish and seafood may be refrigerated for two days, or frozen for later consumption.

HOW DO I COOK A LIVE LOBSTER?

Cooking them is easy! Just grasp the lobster behind the arms and place it headfirst into boiling water. Cover the pot, and when the water returns to a boil, set your timer for 10-15 minutes, depending on size. Consult our live lobster cooking guide for more information on properly preparing and cooking live lobsters.

IS MAINE LOBSTER SUSTAINABLE?

Maine’s lobstermen learned early that unregulated fishing could destroy their livelihood. They began protecting the resource for future generations as early as 1872, when the first law was passed protecting egg-bearing females.
Today, the state’s lobster fishery is a prime example of successful self-regulation. Although the overall catch isn’t limited and the season runs all year, many rules keep the harvest sustainable.
Here are a few:
Maine has minimum and maximum size restrictions to protect both juveniles and the large, healthy breeding stock. Harvesters carry a gauge that measures the lobster from the eye socket to the rear of the body shell (where the tail starts). Specimens measuring less than 3-1/4 inches or more than 5 inches go back in the water.

A female with visible eggs on her tail can’t be kept. Before tossing her back, the harvester notches her tail to identify her as a good breeder. Lobsters with notched tails must be returned to the water even when they’re not showing eggs.
Maine sets a statewide trap limit, and individual lobstering zones have their own trap limits.

New harvesters have to apprentice with veterans to learn the regulated sustainable practices, and only a limited number of new licenses are issued annually.

Harvesting in Maine is by traps only—no diving or dragging allowed. Traps must have escape hatches for small lobsters and a biodegradable hatch in case the trap is lost.

The Maine Lobster Seed Fund, supported by license fees, purchases and returns to the sea those females that extrude eggs after landing.

In addition to these strictly enforced regulations, Maine Lobster has achieved MSC Certification C “The Marine Stewardship Council’s certification will provide the Maine lobster industry with a globally-recognized seal of approval,” said the Governor. “This certification recognizes our longstanding practices of good stewardship and ensures that every lobster caught in Maine waters can be marketed not only as delicious, healthy food, but also as a resource that meets the most stringent international environmental standard for seafood sustainability.” AA L

IS LUSTY LOBSTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

Absolutely! “Like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter. “Pin” us on Pinterest, “Follow” us on Instagram, and, watch helpful videos on the official Lusty Lobster YouTube page!