The successful strategy I employ is to crack crabs until I can't do it anymore and then the group gets a few orders of crab cakes to split....best of both worlds.I said the same exact thing the first time my wife and I went to out with friends/co-workers when we were living on the Eastern Shore. After two hours I order some shrimp so I could feel full at some point.
Also, re: Old Bay....I eat it on popcorn all the time.
My nephew dated a woman named Yu (he lives in Taiwan) and it created all sorts of confusion when they'd come to visit.