Last night, Sophia and I attended a blogger-meetup, greeting Psychotoddler and Mrs. Balabusta, who were visiting L.A. from snowy Milwaukee. Since the Psychotoddler family is kosher, we met at a kosher Chinese restaurant on Pico Blvd. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be (although note to restaurant: please hire someone who knows how to make sushi. That was NOT sushi, kosher or not). Also attending the event were Dr. Bean, ball-and-chain, Brett of DadTalk, and Anne of Inland Empress.
There were spirited conversations about many things, including integrity and truth-telling when writing blog posts. The group was extremely intelligent, which, of course, made me think about my blog post for that day, which was about a “Cock Shaker.” So, I’m glad to be back here with so many of my other blogger friends who are as dumb and unsophisticated as I am.
Despite my lack of sophistication, the issue of “integrity in blogging” has been weighing on my mind today. You see, in my last post, there were quite a few joking comments about the Olive Garden chain. Although I didn’t say so directly, I insinuated in my post that I didn’t like Olive Garden. The truth is : I’ve never been to Olive Garden. I’m like the movie reviewer who gives the film “three thumbs up,” but never bothered to see the flick.
In all honesty, I just don’t like those chain restaurants — at least the ones that I have actually gone to. To give you a better understanding of my feelings, I’ve created a list of chain restaurants, in order of my hatred of the chain, from least to greatest:
The Cheesecake Factory
Denny’s
Coco’s
El Torito
TGI Friday’s
Chili’s
Souplantation
Bennigan’s
Outback Steakhouse
Fuddrucker’s
Benihana
Applebee’s
Red Lobster
Pizza Hut
Today, I called Sophia.
“Sophia, I’m taking you to lunch.”
“OK, where to?”
“Olive Garden.”
Silence.
I explained how I owed it to my readers to learn the truth about the Olive Garden, especially if I’m ever going to mention it again. So, I picked Sophia up and we drove to Olive Garden near the Del Amo Mall.
We were surprised to find such a long line for such an uninspiring place. Why were so many people here? Los Angeles has tons of excellent REAL restaurants. Maybe we were missing out on something. Maybe people were just suckers for those stupid commercials where the guy brings his authentic Italian mama to Olive Garden, and she loves it. Loves it!
Inside the restaurant, the decor was anything but “authentic.” There were some badly drawn paintings of the Italian countryside on the wall, and few bottles of Chianti were propped up here and there. “Benvenuto!” was written on the wall in the waiting area. The restaurant staff was not very authentic either, more Redondo Beach High School than Tuscany High School.
We were told that there would be a ten minute wait. This seemed a little bull-shitty, since there were seven other families waiting in front of us. Afterwards, another couple was also told that their wait would be “ten minutes.”
“How could this be?” I asked Sophia. “This made no sense. Do they just tell everyone that the wait is ten minutes? And if our wait is ten minutes, and they came after us, shouldn’t their wait be at least eleven minutes?”
Sophia and I were given this large black beeper contraption that was supposed to go crazy with lights and special effects when our table was ready.
Time passed. Twenty minutes. Sophia and I revealed to each other that we spent the morning snacking and neither of us were too hungry. But it was too late to turn back. I had to learn the truth about the elusive Olive Garden.
BRRRINGBRRRRING!
My hand vibrated as if I had just pulled the trigger of a 45 caliber pistol. The beeper was sending us a message: It was TIME for our reconnaissance meal.
Some girl in the Olive Garden uniform, but wearing USC socks (!) took us to our cozy table, nestled comfortably next to a large obnoxious family celebrating some bratty boy’s birthday. Before we even had a chance to open a menu, Miss USC wanted to know if we wanted anything to drink.
“We serve real Italian wine.”
We said we just wanted water. She looked disappointed, as if we had just rejected her from admittance to our sorority.
Sophia and I looked over to the birthday table to check out the food they were eating. Bland pastas, boring pizzas. Nothing looked very exciting. We were also surprised that the menu was more expensive than we expected, considering it was a “family” restaurant.
“It’s cheaper to just go to the real Italian restaurant on Torrance Boulevard.”
“I guess we’re paying for the ambiance.”
We laughed as the family started singing “Happy Birthday” to the bratty boy.
“Since we’re not too hungry, maybe we can share something.”
As I perused the attractive, flowery-designed menu, I noticed something interesting. For six bucks, you can have as much soup as you want, with three different choices of soup. For another six bucks, you can get an unlimited amount of Olive Garden’s special salad.
“Sounds good,” said Sophia. We can get one unlimited soup and one unlimited salad, and we can share it. They even give you unlimited breadsticks. I think I’m beginning to like this place.”
“Sophia, I don’t think you understand. Each unlimited soup and each unlimited salad is for one person only.”
“What do they care if we share it?”
“Because then what’s to stop ten people from coming in here and ordering one unlimited soup and one unlimited salad and just sharing it all together.”
“That’s ridiculous. Besides, it doesn’t say anywhere, “no sharing.”"
“Olive Garden cannot stay in business if everyone shares the same unlimited soup.”
“The place is jammed. They’re making a fortune. No one cares if we share the soup. We’re only two people. How much soup and salad can we eat?”
“It’s stealing. It’s like downloading illegal music.”
“You download illegal music all the time.”
“That’s different. “They see you here doing it. No one sees you at home downloading music.”
“Oh, so if they don’t see you stealing it’s not a crime. You’re some “citizen” of the month!”
“I won’t download anymore music. Is that better?”
“I don’t care. Look, if you’re going to be such a stick in the mud, we’ll each get our own unlimited soup.”
“Fine, that’s best.
“But I don’t care what you say. We’re just getting one salad, I can never finish half of it.”
We ordered our meal. The waitress seemed pissed that we were such cheapo customers, and assumed she was going to get a small tip. We each ate three bowls of soup. But I wouldn’t touch the salad, which only made Sophia act like more of a temptress.
“Try it. Just take a bite.”
“No”
“Stop being such a wimp.”
Which was the exact same thing Eve told Adam.
“OK, I’ll try it. Just a second. Wait…. OK..”
I tried the salad. Sophia shook her head in disbelief.
“Did you just wait until the waitress walked away before you ate one tiny piece of lettuce, so she wouldn’t see you eating it?”
“No.”
“Yes you did!”
“Fine. I don’t like to be humiliated. What if she said something. What if a spotlight went on us and voice came on saying: “Look over here everyone. This couple is stealing an unlimited salad because they were too cheap to order two unlimited salads like they were supposed to.”"
“You need help. Serious help. Why don’t you blog about THIS tonight?”
“About what?”
“About how you were afraid of eating the salad because the nineteeen year old waitress might see you and look down at you?”
“I’m not going to do that.”
“Wimp.”
HAPPY NOW, SOPHIA?
By the way, the soup and salad (we never finished out first bowl of salad) at Olive Garden were pretty good.
So, here’s my revised list:
The Cheesecake Factory
Olive Garden
Denny’s
Coco’s
El Torito
TGI Friday’s
Chili’s
Souplantation
Bennigan’s
Outback Steakhouse
Fuddrucker’s
Benihana
Applebee’s
Red Lobster
Pizza Hut
Today on Blogebrity: As the Blog Turns
As a server @ the OG, I’d like to chime in. Depending on location and local demographics, an Olive Garden might just be the finest dining in its vicinity. I’m in Douglasville, GA and the people just love the bread, the salad, the cups and cups of italian dressing, as well as the pounds*I mean* ounces of sauce. Do you feel sick yet? Basically we’re no better or worse than the people we serve and they want comfort high sugar high carb food. They don’t care about real italian dining, just the zuppa tuscana and MORE bread!
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“Sophia and I were given this large black beeper contraption that was supposed to go crazy with lights and special effects when our table was ready.”
Have you never seen this before?? What world do you live in?
By the way, you’re a freaking CHEAP-o!!!!!!!! I’m only 17.
In our small (50,000) midwest town, OG is finer dining. It is not cheap. Our typical bill is $30-40 with NO alcohol. Usually tip 18-20%. We never knew you could get soup and salad for $7. Have to try it some time.
The menu is semi-gourmet. The texture, flavors, and presentation have been well thought out. There are better restaurants in bigger cities, but they are a 40-60 minute drive for us.
Hurray for Olive Garden!!
Work at an OG in California for the past 6 months and let me just say how much i hate customers like you! First your getting Unlimited soup and salad for 6 maybe 7 bucks and your complaining? Yeah your the only one who ever had the idea of Sharing it!? I could care less that you do but the more you eat the more i have to bring refills and yet the bill stays the same cheap ass amount and people dont take into consideration the fact i ran my ass off for their buffet of soup and salad for my 2 dollar 20% tip!! Do you go to buffets and share? Do you get mad that you cant take home buffet food?
it’s your job to serve people and get paid for that! quit complaining about the tip
seriously? You obviously have never worked as a waiter/waitrees. I would like you to carry a tray of 4 soups plus 8 plates: 4 salad 4 bread and put the salad on top of it all and not complain about the $2 tip when you make $2.83/hour
Actually, in California, everyone gets paid at least minimum wage, including waiters/waitresses. So it’s at least $8/hour before tips. Unless you’re in San Francisco, where it’s $9.92. This “disgruntled server” should feel lucky that he/she could get such a decent gig.
So when you shoot a 45 caliber handgun your hand simply vibrates? Strange…
OLIVE GARDEN RESTAURANTS CLAIM TO BE ITALIAN STYLE. ALL OF THE DISHES COME WITH SIDE DISHES. WE ORDERED A FISH AND A CHICKEN. THEY BOTH HAD SIDES OF BROCCOLI ON MENU. WE NOTICED CHEAP SPAGETTI AND VEGGIES, AS A SIDE WITH OTHER FISH AND CHICKEN DISHES. WE ASKED TO SWITCH SIDES TO CHEAPER PASTA AND VEG, INSTEAD OF BROCCOLI. WE GOT THE SWITCH AND THEN WERE CHARGED ADDITIONAL,$2.50, FOR EACH SIDE, FOR spagetti, WHICH COSTS LESS THAN broccoli. WE DID NOT GET SERVED THE BROCCOLI, TOO. WENT ELSEWHERE. THEY SHOULD SERVE OLIVE OIL TO DIP THE DRY! BREADSTICKS IN. THEY ALREADY, BRUSH THE TOPS WITH BUTTER AND SALT. WHY WOULD THE, “OLIVE GARDEN”, EVER PUT OUT SOME FLAVORED OLIVE OIL? THEY ALSO, SERVE, NO — MUSTARD, FOR THEIR MEAT,FISH AND CHICKEN DISHES. A SIDE OF TOMATO SAUCE IS – 50 CENTS, TOO. RIDICOULOUS!! THEY DO NOT PUT SPOONS ON THE TABLE. YOU HAVE TO ASK YOUR SERVER FOR A SPOON. SO, NO SOUP SHARING. GO TO A LOCAL DINER. THEY INCLUDE — SOUP, SALAD, ENTREE, PASTA OR POTATO, VEG, AND SOME EVEN HAVE SALAD BARS AND INCLUDE DESSERT, TOO. BUFFETS LET YOU TAKE OUT AND THE WHOLE WEEKDAY LUNCH, AT THE BUFFET IS 7$, PER PERSON, ALL YOU CAN EAT. DINNER IS MORE.SO, WHY WAIT TO FIGHT WITH OLIVE GUARDING?. GO ELSEWHERE.
As a matter of fact, Olive Garden DOEs have spoons on the tables.
yeah take your cheap ass to a local dinner where you belong. We dont want people like you in the olive garden, you dont understand the food any damn way, you dont belong at a place like olive garden and why would we have mustard????????????? It’s italian food not soul food and ofcourse there is not soup sharing this is a business and news flash no buffet lets you take out, yor a laying sob i think you should just learn how to cook.
Olive Garden is a restaurant. Restaurants are businesses, and their whole reason for existence is not to give you every little thing you want for less than $10. If we pay for the tomato sauce, then so do you. The whole idea of a restaurant is to make money. Yes, it’s a fun thing to do, and owners attempt to make it as enjoyable as possible. But it is their JOB. It is their INCOME.
Also, as far as tips go, keep in mind that in most states, waitresses make about $3 per hour and the rest of their income is in tips. Think about how much you make every day. And not to mention that waitresses are expected to wait on people’s every request with joy, which sometimes can be a little frustrating when nothing you do seems to make the customer happy.
As far as the prices, you can see the price of the food when you sit down and open the menu. If you aren’t ready to pay prices that you see or expect that there may be extra costs when you ask for extra things, then maybe you should put down the menu and go elsewhere – try mcdonalds.
I’m sorry that every Olive Garden does not have 20 authentic italian mothers in their kitchen cooking their food for you, but this is AMERICA and it is a chain restaurant. If you are really looking for authentic italian food, GO TO AN AUTHENTIC RESTAURANT.
Christ, people. It’s a restaurant.
I work at the Olive Garden. Every server hates soup salad and breadsticks because we run our asses off and people leave a 3-4 dollar tip which is SHIT! I have never seen so much gluttony until I started working there.
you can’t really know what the staff at Olive Garden goes through until you work there. Like giving accurate quote times for the wait, sometimes tables are getting up faster, other times tables are just sitting there taking their sweet ass time talking about something they could discuss somewhere else instead of taking up that seat, a list of factors come into play. But whatever, they also give free samples of wine, the waiter should’ve done that first.
this goes to “KALI” dude thats so true, servers would be like “oh crap another ‘soup and salad’ and its true man those people generally leave crappy tips even though they’re saving a couple bucks to drop off as a tip!
To be honest with you the moment I saw that Denny’s was one of the least hated chain restaurants I knew this post was going to be bad. It was fairly entertaining but when I read other reviews and watch as many of your “least” hated chains go out of business I begin to wonder what you were thinking. Then again I don’t truly care.
I GUESS YOU SPEAK FOR YOURSELF, MOST NORMAL PEOPLE LOVE OLIVE GARDEN, THAT’S WHY THERE IS ALWAYS A WAIT.IF YOU HAD ACTUALLY ORDERED A DISH INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE CHEAPEST THING ON THE MENU, MAYBE YOU WOULD THINK DIFFERENT. THEY HAVE THE BEST SALAD AND ALFREDO SAUCE IN THE WORLD.
People who like the Olive Garden also like Sarah Palin. It is the dumbing down of society, and simply feeding the obese salt, sugar and fat. Eat at a real Italian place, get some real bread. Get some real lasagna. WTF? The breadsticks are awful. I even worked at one of these shitholes once. Awful, just awful. One saving grace: The Souppa Tuscana. It is decent.
you worked at an olive garden and you dont know that it’s called ZUPPA Toscana? interesting..
there is very much a Souplantation and it very much isnt very good at all
My friends and I have dined here a lot times and in different locations and we have always loved it . I don’t think some the things mentioned here are true.First, it is NEVER so “shocking” to hold the beeper.Next, the staff and waiters are pretty good and take good care of you.Next,this place is definitely not expensive than lot of restaurants even if not cheaper.But yes , I would agree that the Salad is pretty good and overall ,it is a very good restaurant !!!
In Lancaster, Ohio, at OG Most of us got our food, my mother did not get her food until we all finished eating, no apology from restaurant, then the waitress refused to bring big enough box she said they have them but the manager is a jerk and they don’t allow us to bring big boxes, you will have to use multiple small boxes. There are other olive gardens which we will go to from now on, but where a manager is a jerk and even employees tell that to customers I rather not visit. I hope Olive Garden should get a better manager at that location.
You and Sophia are two knuckleheads get a life!!!!!!!!!!! Where do they make people like you????????????????
As a server in a chain restaurant it ruins my night everytime I get guests like you. First you complain that the wait is too long and you’re “starving” because you haven’t eaten, but then you’re not very hungry so you split a meal? You both order waters (the reason she looked so dejected is because we get performance reviews based on our beverage-sale percentages), and order a dish that involves the most work out of the server with the least necessity for you to leave her (and her probably $2-$3 paycheck that usually equals zero because she has to declare all credit card tips) any tip? This article seems to be trying to prove the point that you’re too classy for chain restaurants…sorry to break it to you honey, but you belong nowhere outside of the McDonalds drive-thru.
YES! hit the nail on the head.
You get performance reviews based on your beverage-sale percentages?! So basically, you get punished if someone’s drink of choice is water. Listen, that’s nothing to blame on the customers; something is rotten in the restaurant business if the server gets in trouble because a customer doesn’t want three whiskey sours, or even a Coke.
The rest of your criticism makes sense, but this is ridiculous. Don’t blame the customers for the restaurant’s stupid drinks policy.
This is one of the reasons we should move towards servers earning an actual wage and away from such emphasis on tipping.
Also, yeah, why were you so taken aback by the beeper thing? I feel like you were just looking for things to complain about at points.
I am a server at OG. Olive Garden is great because a lot of the time they’re in locations where they’re the best dining experience around. The unfortunate thing about that is that the diners that it brings in aren’t accustomed to anything that nice. They enjoy themselves because it is so nice. They make asses out of themselves because its so nice. However, when tip time rolls around, they seem to forget all the soup, salad and soda refills they ran the server for. All those paper napkins they got in addition to the fancy green cloth napkin aren’t factored in. All that extra dressing, soup bowls worth, aren’t factored in. Hell, the amount of the check isn’t even factored in there a mojority of the time. I don’t have a clue what these jerks use to figure up the tip. When people try to give you 31 cents as a tip, you pretty much have to roll your eyes and walk away. I’ve worked for OG for 7 years as a server. I NEVER get a paycheck. I owe the IRS every year because I make so much working for OG. (That’s a laugh!) I wait on some of the most ignorant people I’ve ever met in my entire life and it takes everything I have not to be ignorant back sometimes. I am a good server. I don’t care what people say about not tipping. You’re freakin’ cheap and you have no business going to an establishment where someone else is depending on your tip as their source of income. If you have a problem with that then maybe you shouldn’t patronize such an establishment. You’re feeding the corporate machine and raping an innocent of hard earned cash when they could be focussing on customers worthy of their services.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAH ahahahahahah haha. ha.
Oh wait, you were probably serious. OMGLOL.
and “Soup-plantation” is a very accurate description of the OG at lunch time.
Having lived most of my life in Manhattan I was a restaurant snob (and I’m from LI—home to great Italian restaurants) So I was shocked the first time I went to an Olive Garden and liked it. Honestly I think the one here is superior to most Italian restaurants here that people rave about. But I love their salad and on special occasions like the birthday I’ve been celebrating for two weeks get the lunch portion of eggplant parmesan something I would normally never eat though it’s my favorite food
They have the ringing disks in New York now–@ a restaurant on Broadway and 84th for one
Why do you hate Red Lobster so much?
“is because we get performance reviews based on our beverage-sale percentages” explains why they push hard to sell their bad wines. Guess their business is off so they are trying to make up on it with alcohol sales. Trust me, you got nothing to complain about as a server, try being on the other side, I felt like I was being worked with this fine dining experience. The food is corporate sauce in a used BP oil tanker. Delivered with a tank’s hose. Real Italian pasta isn’t. Portions are smaller, pasta just covered with sauce. The suits from corporate that mandated performance reviews based on drink sales need to be replaced. That in itself should tell you something.
We get performance ratings on everything. We get bitched at for not selling enough food, for not selling enough alcohol, and all sorts of other stuff. Plus, if we don’t offer and push all this stuff, when we get secret shopped, we loose our jobs.
About berverage sale % performance review, here I re-found this link.
Now you tell me who should be more ticked off sweetie, you working me, or me.
http://www.stayfreemagazine.org/public/coke.html
I’m looking for places to get the word out that our local Olive Garden restaurant has removed one of the most delicious deserts ever from their menu. I’m talking about the chocolate caramel gelato. If this is true where you dine then please join me in a formal protest of the restaurants until they put it back on their menu. I know this is a small thing but the voice of the customers should be heard and paid attention too.
First of all you are such a loser, you act like you’ve never been out to a restaurant before, you are so lame!!!
I used to be a server and people like you is the reason I hated my job, first of all the wait for both you and the other party after you was ten minutes because it may come as a shocker to you but they have more than one table so two tables can be ready in ten minutes. The second thing that reassures me that you had never been to a restaurant before is the fact that you don’t know what a pager is helllloooo! In addition, did you expect them to import their servers from Italy, with customers like you I’m surprised they can stay in business, the girl looked disappointed when you asked for water because cheap-os like you order water to save 2 bucks with extra lemon so they can make their own free lemonade. If you had actually ordered from the menu you could provide a review, but instead you ordered soup and salad and you apparently tried all of them. I guess when you go to a buffet you wanna bring a friend along and let them eat from your food? please do the Olive Garden and all other restaurants a favor and stay home, learn how to cook and never go out we don’t want you
I am totally disgusted by the sheer number of people defending this nasty excuse for an Italian restaurant. First off, I now refuse to eat at any place that hands me some electronic device telling me when a table is open. These are not a restaurants, they are factories. You aren’t part of the family, they aren’t happy to see you, and don’t care what you think as long as you don’t enjoy yourself for too long, and you pay the bill. Secondly, these people weren’t there because they were hungry and he made that quite clear. Why on earth would they order more than soup and salad if they were not very hungry? Also, I frequently order water with extra lemon. This has nothing to do with being cheap. In fact, I’ll often order the relatively expensive water so it doesn’t taste like a swimming pool. Some people stop and think about what they put in their bodies and decide that soda/alcohol isn’t the best choice – but then again, neither was going to the Olive Garden. Anyway, you need a little more than a few slices of lemon to make a glass of lemonade. In addition, I know it’s hard to find work these days but anyone who waits tables at degenerate chain restaurant and then gets pissed because all they serve are degenerate customers is foolish. Lastly, anyone who can cook themselves a real nutritious home-made meal knows that the Olive Garden serves little more than cafeteria food. Sorry, but the Olive Garden and all those other dumbed-down excuses for restaurants are trash and in my opinion, only make people fat, sick, depressed and contribute to the growing hatred many feel towards the USA.
Jason said, “These are not a restaurants, they are factories.” Good call I Could not have said it any better. They only care about the doe not peoples helth but if people wanted all you can eat rice cakes thats what the olive garden would sell. This citizen of the mounth guy went into the olive garden knowing he was not going to enjoy himself no matter what this much is clear, you can tell he is far from a open minded professinol. I find it kinda funny you stick up for his bowl of soup tho. Why on earth would they order more than soup and salad you ask, Well do you not think one should try a bit more if planning to “learn the truth” about the place, I know I would but I also try not to be full of sh** all the time. Dont get me wrong Jason I hate the olive garden too and your right you need little more then few slice of lemmon to make lemmonaid. you need to ask for extra extra lemmons and the suger is already on the table for you. Your right again about Serving degenerate customers it comes with the territory thats why thay dont bother me its the so smart Self Righteous people like you that cant understand really simple things that get to me. Oh and that “growing hatred many feel towards the USA” you talked about, mostly due to americans thinking thay are better then others, kinda like how you come off. By the way when did you decide your were done with resturants that uses pagers, rite after you read the story, I remember this one restaruant we took a romantic stroll along the river on a nice summer night as we waited for a table pager to go off, varry handy those things. But I can see how thay just are not good enough for you how offensive, how dare they hand you a small electronic device.
if u don’t like the olive garden or other chain restaurants there is a very simple solution. DON’T GO TO THEM. don’t come in and complain and leave me a shitty tip when you could have cooked your own meal and made it exactly how you want it.
YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU AREN’T FORCED TO DO!
haha exactly this woman spent minutes figuring out what appetizer she wanted, while i explained every one twice, ordered brushetta then told me it she didn’t really like it or tomatoes, and that she would take it home and fix it the way she wanted, good. stay home bitch
I will try to navigate through all the political angles and judge fairly as possible.
From a legal standpoint the business is private and dealing with it is optional. But if they make their services publicly accessible, OG has to tolerate the negative and positive feedback.
In one case it gives people jobs and something to do. In another case, dissatisfaction for services provided.
The true purpose of this business is to sell products. If the OG wants to make a sale they should do everything they can to educate their guests. There are other restaurants and customers aren’t going to yours to worry about how much you make. Though they do have to pay for the necessary services.
I’m pretty sure OG’s have comment boxes. It would be wiser for guests to use them more to help the restaurant enhance its services instead of randomly complaining on cyberspace.
The decor of the restaurant is a personal preference and shouldn’t be factored into judging. If it poses a danger it would be removed.
Conclusion: We have to accept it for what it is. If the customer feels something could be improved the should voice their precise concerns with management. Likewise, we live in an imperfect world – OG employees should expect uncontrollable dissatisfaction by customer’s sometimes.
You are an incredibly funny writer — talented, skilled, seasoned, — whatever. You’re great, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I actually just got HIRED working at the OG and thought I’d see what people thought of the place. Glad it was ranked as “2nd to least horrible chain restaurant” on your list. Continue writing, my friend, and I’ll stay tuned.
-Aun Aqui
There is just no respect anymore…
Whether or not you like the Olive Garden, you should still be respectful towards the people working there. They offer wine because they are told to. When you go to say…TGI Friday’s, you are offered drink specials. It is no different.
I’m not even gonna waste my time going on and on about how stupid some of you are.
Put yourselves in their shoes, it’s not as easy as you think. Karma will get you back anyways.
Wow, you idiots who wrote this blog entry are the exact type of elitist snobs that I can’t stand in life. You pretty much convinced yourself you hated the Olive Garden long before you set foot in one, you convinced yourself all the food would be bad, you mentally prepared yourself to HATE it and then you wonder you hated it so much. You’re no better than those annoying hipster teenagers who convince themselves they’re going to hate eating fast food, so they go there and spend their money on it and do nothing but PISS AND MOAN about how it’s so crappy, too salty, too greasy, costs too much, etc. IT’S FUCKING FAST FOOD, THAT’S THE POINT, LOWER QUALITY IS THE TRADE OFF FOR VERY FAST SERVICE.
Likewise, you dipshits went to a chain restaurant, you knew what it was going to be like, you knew it wasn’t INTENDED to compare with high quality local places, you knew it was only a few steps above fast food, etc. And yet you still go there and bitch like spoiled little babies, then you go online and write a scathing review about it. WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT? I bet you book vacations to fucking Utah to bitch about how it’s full of mormons and is too sandy. You’re the kind of morons who go to a slasher movie and bitch that it was too bloody, had too much swearing and was too raunchy with the attractive young girls in the film. Fuck.
And half the people replying to this blog are equally annoying. You Olive Garden employees whining about fucking having to make two or three trips to a table and then you only get a 4 dollar tip? Good waiters get good tips for being engaging and polite to their customers, I was a waiter at fucking Eatin Park and I regularly pulled down 100-200 dollars a night in tips during prime time, I know many waiters who LOVE their jobs because it’s such easy money. Don’t become a waiter if you’re ugly or boring, that’s not the job for people like that, waiting tables is about personal appearance and having a fun personality. A 4 dollar tip for a table is fucking fine, it’s the norm at chain restaurants, you offset tips like this by doing a good job during prime time, that’s the nature of the fucking business, become a telemarketer if you hate waiting. A ton of people in this economy would kill for even a basic busboy job in some areas, be happy you’re employed AT ALL.
And if you fucking hate bringing the soup, salad and bread out, start writing to the big wigs in charge of the Olive Garden company, tell them it should be laid out in a traditional buffet style. If your OG is franchised, your owner can do this without permission from the company. I’ve seen it at franchised OGs before.
All the whining in this blog and the replies is so childish. OH NO, THIS FOOD ISN’T THE KIND OF STUFF I’D GET AT MY FAVORITE EXPENSIVE LOCAL PLACE! OH NO, I REALLY HATE HAVING A JOB IN WHICH I HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MONEY! People are fucking enslaved in some parts of the world and eat gruel and dirty water every day. People are fucking jobless and homeless in the world. Be a little more fucking grateful for your lot in life.
And I’m out. I’ve seen the worst sides of websites like 4chan and they’re fucking saints compared to how spoiled and annoying the people who wrote this blog and replied to it are.
You weren’t a waiter at fuckin Eatin Park. If you had been, you’d know it’s Eat ‘n Park. It’s a blog post, dude. Take a deep breath and have a glass of Olive Garden’s genuine Italian wine.
I’m never going to Olive Garden again becuz ive been up all nite with a horrible stomach ache right after eating there! I tried advil, tums, you name it! It would work for an hour and then the stomach ahce came right back! Ugh I feel horrible, anyway look up anywher on google about Olive Garden making you sick there are tons of blogs on it…btw my mom and sister felt sick after eating there also…
i agree! I feel terribly ill everytime I eat there. I think maybe because the food is so heavy and I’m not used to that. Like crazy stomach is eating itself painful ill
Don’t we all just love people like this who think they are so much better than everyone because they eat at little hippie run restaurants and never step foot into God FORBID an Olive Garden. Whine whine whine is all we hear. How about you make some food at home then and spare us your “enlightening” blogging. Write something worthwhile for a change.
Complain complain complain. Go eat some grass then. Calling a little boy a brat when you know nothing about him or his family. To me YOU sound like a brat, I hate this and I hate that. Stupid hypocrite.
I can appreciate the point that all of you servers are making about cheap customers because I also used to be a server as well. One thing I will say to all of you is that if you are not happy with your job then
Its not the point of cheap customers its about the work you put into it I can server a mixed grill nice drinks and get a nice tip only have to visit the table once or twice while the host slam you with tables because people are to impatient and it puts the load on us. What we don’t like is someone ordering a refills and the other says no thanks and when you come back they tell you they change their mind and do this 3 or 4 times. The bill comes to 13 dollars for 2 people and you leave a 2 dollar tip like we worked at a diner and we are left exhausted you think its all about just putting orders in and running food ..no its called do your own salads, make your own bread sometimes, help take out the garbage, prebuss all our table cause our bussers are wusses and plus we have to tip share. ALso you dont get a paycheck its all on tips always own taxes at the end of the year and you don’t even have enough to pay for you health insurance cause you get 2.80 an hour
Why is everyone complaining about customers not leaving a huge tip? I work in customer service myself and I rarely expect a tip and when I do, I am thankful. You shouldn’t get upset because of how customers choose to spend THEIR money because it is THEIR money. Have you stopped to think that maybe the customer isn’t the problem but its the company you work for that isn’t paying you enough? If there is an issue, I’m sure you can find a job elsewhere. Especially with the disgusting attitudes of some of the servers here, one shouldn’t expect a tip if you’re personality demands you get a tip because you filled a bowl with PRE-MADE SALAD and SOUP. Grow up, if you wish for a better job then go to college and get a degree. But if this is something on the side, be thankful you even have a job or people even bother giving you a dollar or two. Tipping isn’t required so get over it. Rant over.
You’re so ignorant. “Tipping isn’t required so get over it”? The mark of ignorant people trying to make themselves feel better. You obviously don’t realize that servers make about $2.13 an hour, and after taxes are taken out, we’re left with nothing. Our income is based solely off how well diners tip. Even though you work in customer service, I bet you get paid hourly in addition. And as for the “go to college part”, have you not considered that most of us are working our way through college? Not everyone is handed thousands of dollars in financial aid or has a rich mommy and daddy to pay for everything. If you were a little more educated or had actually walked a mile in one of our shoes, maybe you wouldn’t be so annoyed. Go eat a McDonalds.
wow, who knew olive garden was such a heated topic? daaaamn…
first of all, people who don’t tip are horse’s asses. complete, utter horse’s asses. making the argument for tipping poorly based on some hypercritical rationalization focusing on the server’s behavior to justify YOUR shittiness is such a BS cop out.
the truth is, people who make the die-hard argument for not tipping are exactly the type of personality who goes to a restaurant looking for reasons not to tip. period. they are hypercritical, HYPOcritical, respsonsibility-shifting jerks with impossible standards and a sadistic streak.
second, no, i am not a server, and no, i have never worked for olive garden. i am just another optimistic restaurant patron who truly loves food, in all forms, and understands that it’s not an easy business. even when the food sucks. which leads me to my third point.
think your meal sucked? try working there. and then even after thinking about that for a while, if you still determine that your service was simply abhorrent and the food unforgivable…you still need to tip 10%. that is because servers pay taxes on your tips whether they receive them or not. and also, because YOU went into a dining establishment where tipping is the norm knowing full well that tipping is the norm. being ok with that going in hungry and then suddenly not being ok with that just because you’re full is a dick move. trying to place blame on the waitress for your dick move is an even bigger dick move.
fourth, i neither like nor dislike olive garden. i love the soup salad and breadstick lunch for $6 but only go for it maybe once a year. and almost never get second helpings of any of it because a big bowl of soup, a side salad, and a couple breadsticks is A LOT OF FOOD.
i’m not really a fan of their dinner fare and tend to think overcooked pasta and giant generic-tasting pasta bakes are really, really, really not worth $15-20. i’m sorry but they are not. i’m totally cool with dropping $25 on a good meal but find OG’s fare not reallly up to that standard. lunch is definitely worth it thought.
fifth…anyone who claims that you need to spend more than $25 to get a fantastic, delicious, or authentic meal, and that spending $25 ON ONE MEAL falls into the realm of “you get what you pay for”, is retarded.i know you’re using that as one of your defense points for OG, but….it’s really no defense at all. it’s a terrible defense. stop using that now k? some of the best meals i’ve ever eaten cost $15 at a lovely, non-chain restaurant. hell, some of my favorite dine-in experiences cost $10 or less and have rave reviews from food critics (du’s grill pdx, what what!).
i’m not saying a good $7 burger compares to a $60 four star restaurant. however if you think that OG tops quality in the $15-25 range that is just sad.
HA! To the person above me. Tipping isn’t required? When you walk into a restaurant and sit your big butt into that chair you better tip or head onto your McDonalds. Servers get paid $2 dollars an hour. You’re probably one of those people who tip $2 on a @20 dollar check. Oh your idiocracy.
i am amazed that so few of the respondents got it. this was total tongue in cheek, sarchastic humor. olive garden is a decent chain restaurant. i enjoy eating there occasionaly and don’t think i’ve ever had a bad meal there. something i can’t say about applebees, tgi fridays, etc. but if i want good italian food i have to go out of town and drive 30 to 90 miles. people get over yourselves and servers forget bitchin about corporate restaurants screwing over its employees. this is america for god’s sake, expect it.
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Wow. Just one side note that most people do not consider is that OG servers have mandatory tip out of 2.25% of total sales. So if your check total is $40 and you leave $5 (this is custom in the midwest) then in all actuality the server gets $4. Here is where it gets fun! If a server gets stiffed or has less than the 2.25% left, then the server has to PAY for the stiff. So if 12% is “good” (maybe for other chains where do not have any refills no salad, breadsticks, or soup) then consider leaving 14.25% next time otherwise your server is getting a 9.75% tip.
Hey, I think I know you. Aren’t you the guy that came to El Pepe’s last week and ate two baskets of the complimentary chips and salsa and then left because you “didn’t like our menu”?
Servers should complain about their tips, especially when they have to claim to the IRS that they’re making a certain amount–regardless of how much gratuity is left. Too, the person who commented before is correct. Servers work very hard. They just do a good job of making it look easy for their guests’ benefit. If you think it’s so easy, I challenge you to try working as a server for one month at any restaurant. Thank God you have a friend like Sophia who can knock some sense into you about doing something like sharing an unlimited salad. Would you do that at a buffet?? (Share a plate?) Name a restaurant that allows you to share any unlimited item they have? If you want a casual dining experience, you can pay for that. It’s a choice people make. For someone who evidently has zero experience in the food & beverage industry, your credibility is far beyond diminished.
Are you guys retarded or just illiterate?? He clearly says that HE is the one that didn’t want to share and that he ends up liking Olive Garden after all. Jesus Christ. And he says the waitress “assumed” she’d get a bad tip… meaning he probably intended to leave her a good one. Which, he may have rethought when she started acting like a bitch.
I love that every server on here is complaining about tipping because they make “2.whatever”/hour. Sorry that you live in a state where tipping is more than your wages, but this writer is clearly in/near Los Angeles, where servers are making a minimum of $8.00/hour. Let’s just put that one away right now. As such, if you aren’t a good server, you don’t deserve to be tipped particularly well. Personally, I tip anywhere from 15-25% based on how good my waiter was, how good the food was, and how big the check is. But when you’re already making minimum wage at least, tipping should absolutely not be a big issue, especially in the current economy.
Like the poster above me said, nowhere does he say that he left a bad tip, he was the one who didn’t want to share food, etc. Stop getting all over this guy for no reason.
The main thing that I wanted to say to all these damn former/current/whatever waiters and waitresses is, if you hate all these customers so much and you complain about your job the entire time and can’t stand that apparently no one leaves a good tip, GET A NEW JOB. If you can’t get a better job for any reason, then stop complaining. You’re making more doing this than plenty of people. I’ve read some people saying that they “make no money after taxes.” Then quit. Look for something else. Apparently you’re completely wasting your time being around obnoxious people and making “no money.” I don’t know how literal you’re being with that statement, since I’ve never worked in the restaurant industry, but clearly you’re not doing the right thing. Hell, work at a fast food place. You’ll at least make minimum wage there. Or move to a less shitty state, where you make more than $2.25/hr or whatever working as a tipped employee. I can’t stand how large of a proportion of comments are from complaining servers. You guys just sound like little babies, as if you aren’t smart enough to do anything else. But hey, maybe you’re not.
I work in the F&B industry as a line cook, servers where I work on busy nights will rake in more than a cooks weekly pay in one night.. Yet for some reason they still complain, over only making $200 in tips. While we’re back in the kitchen sweating our asses off, cooking entire meals faster than most people can can microwave a TV Dinner, earning $9-10 an hour. However I will say the servers work their asses off for the money, and deal with snobby shitty people who complain, bitch, moan, and whine if one thing is not done perfectly for them, of if their blackened 12 0z NY Strip is medium, instead of medium rare, because their server was too damn busy with other tables to get their meal out of the hot window, before said window cooked the steak more.. The restaurant industry is a thankless job, both for front and back of the house staff. As far as Olive Garden is concerned? Its one of the better chains, I would pick it over all the other chain’s in town, I will say Crapplebees has good drunk food though… The Olive Garden I have in my town is great, the food is always consistent, tastes great, and is presented nicely, cooked right and the service has always been quick, and great.. Is it authentic Italian? I think the answer to that is pretty obvious… As far as having to wait for a table, that’s one thing that pisses me off when I go out to eat with someone, they bitch about waiting for a table, and waiting then waiting an hour on their food; when the damn restaurant is packed from the front door to the back door… Its obvious, look around, you’re not the only person in the restaurant… If you want to eat fast, well that’s what fast food joints are for..
If you go to a sit-down restaurant and order just water and obsess over how much things are on the menu…..I’m sorry….you are cheap. Being cheap is for Wal-mart and the dollar menu. People come to sit-down restaurants for something a little better than that and you should know beforehand that it’s going to cost you a little more. Accept it….open your wallet…be nice…tip well(15% is minimum)…say “please” and “thank you”….enjoy your experience. If this isn’t what you have in mind, I promise you there is a nice fast-food chain around to meet your needs.
As for the servers having to “run their asses off” to get refills for drinks, salad, bread, Never-ending-pasta-bowl, etc…. the solution is simple. Don’t be a glutton. Remember it takes 20 minutes from the time you put something in your mouth til the time your stomach acknowledges you’ve eaten it. Relax. Enjoy your time there.