How many servers/cooks were working? It's not unusual to have tables that are empty. I worked at places that had dining rooms or "stations" that we didn't open until we had a full wait/cook staff. On weekends you have full staff and all the tables open. If you're short handed, and seat people, and can't get to them because you've stretched your staff to thin, you get griped at. "Why did you seat us if you couldn't take care of us"? If you don't seat them they gripe because "they have all those tables open". Call in staff to work, and have them standing around if you're not busy, and you get "bi******".". "Why did I have to come in just to stand around and not make money"?
Don't know how many they had working, but if you have people standing around waiting and empty tables, you ask your wait staff if they can handle it and how much money they want to make. If a place like this at 6 pm on a weekngiht can only staff enough people for that many tables, they need to rethink their business plan. I witnessed several people (bartenders and waiters) standing around the bar talking. You can't make money that way, IMO.
I haven't tried them; I think I'm going to wait and see what is in that location next.
Well, plenty of wait staff and plenty of tables, I guess they just want to ruin their business and reputation.
Looks like if we want to have a good meal with decent service at Longhorn, we will have to make the drive to Huntsville. 
I'll try it eventually, however, that's not the kind of place I'm willing to wait for a table very long.
There should be a requirement for new restaurants in the Shoals to obtain a Certificate of Need prior to construction. In the case of Longhorn Steakhouse I can envision Logan's Roadhouse and Texas Roadhouse objecting to the number of tables and bar-stools Longhorn has proposed. I can further envision the Courts getting involved and possibly the State Legislature as well.
There goes capitalism. Of course, between government regulation and lobbyists, that nightmare could come true.