Comments on: The Truth About Olive Garden http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/ Neil Kramer is a writer in Los Angeles. Citizen of the Month is his blog. Make yourself at home. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:47:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Jackie http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-228703 Jackie Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:18:45 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-228703 By the way, you're a freaking CHEAP-o!!!!!!!! I'm only 17. By the way, you’re a freaking CHEAP-o!!!!!!!! I’m only 17.

]]> By: Jackie http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-228702 Jackie Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:17:18 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-228702 "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? “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: Citizen of the Month » More Grouchy Rants About Corporations http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-227717 Citizen of the Month » More Grouchy Rants About Corporations Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:24:42 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-227717 [...] “miserly,” “an asshole” and several names unfit to print (here and here).  After complaining to Olive Garden executive offices, I received a phone call from the [...] [...] “miserly,” “an asshole” and several names unfit to print (here and here).  After complaining to Olive Garden executive offices, I received a phone call from the [...]

]]> By: Rean http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-227315 Rean Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:06:00 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-227315 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! 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!

]]> By: Anthony Poluitia http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-223193 Anthony Poluitia Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:31:26 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-223193 Hay you get the all you can eat soup & salad and bread sticks for 5.99 not just the soup or salad. What a clown, get a grip and even a life and a job. Lady your a joke. Hay you get the all you can eat soup & salad and bread sticks for 5.99 not just the soup or salad. What a clown, get a grip and even a life and a job. Lady your a joke.

]]> By: Non-Highlighted Heather http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-223083 Non-Highlighted Heather Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:41:43 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-223083 Ah yes, the old "struck a nerve" deflection. Actually, it's quite the opposite. Because I worked for so long as a server, I treat them like gold, and tip likewise, even if the service was lacking. However, being in the restaurant business, I also know the shitty attitudes of many people who work in the industry. Customer service is a lost art form and one that most businesses are sadly lacking in. I found your post to be a telling reflection on the attitudes of many in the restaurant business. And the way you delivered your message will do anything but cause people to realize (how did you so eloquently put it?) that they suck. If anything, you're just fueling the fire of their high maintenance asshole-y attitude toward servers and managers. If you wish to stand atop a soap box and scold the masses, perhaps you should do it in a manner that might actually be astutely persuasive. Ah yes, the old “struck a nerve” deflection. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Because I worked for so long as a server, I treat them like gold, and tip likewise, even if the service was lacking. However, being in the restaurant business, I also know the shitty attitudes of many people who work in the industry. Customer service is a lost art form and one that most businesses are sadly lacking in. I found your post to be a telling reflection on the attitudes of many in the restaurant business. And the way you delivered your message will do anything but cause people to realize (how did you so eloquently put it?) that they suck. If anything, you’re just fueling the fire of their high maintenance asshole-y attitude toward servers and managers.

If you wish to stand atop a soap box and scold the masses, perhaps you should do it in a manner that might actually be astutely persuasive.

]]> By: bigrollie http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-222925 bigrollie Sat, 22 Mar 2008 02:52:53 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-222925 ahhh yes. that maybe why we have a job. but it doesn't make us like them or excuse ridiculous request from dumb people. true, we deal with it. and i will continue to get paid for doing so. but i hope people read it and look introspectivly and say, "dang, i had no idea i sucked that bad." your particularly venomous response connotes i hit you close to home. maybe you suck. ahhh yes. that maybe why we have a job. but it doesn’t make us like them or excuse ridiculous request from dumb people. true, we deal with it. and i will continue to get paid for doing so. but i hope people read it and look introspectivly and say, “dang, i had no idea i sucked that bad.”

your particularly venomous response connotes i hit you close to home. maybe you suck.

]]> By: Non-Highlighted Heather http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-222881 Non-Highlighted Heather Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:14:48 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-222881 I worked in the restaurant business for years as well. I know all the frustrations that go along with it. But the bottom line to all servers, managers, and cooks is THE CUSTOMERS ARE WHY YOU HAVE A JOB, so treat them well. If you don't like having to actually serve people in a SERVICE ORIENTED business, then shut the fuck up and find another industry that suits your needs better. Yeah, this is an old blog post, but this person annoyed me. I worked in the restaurant business for years as well. I know all the frustrations that go along with it. But the bottom line to all servers, managers, and cooks is THE CUSTOMERS ARE WHY YOU HAVE A JOB, so treat them well. If you don’t like having to actually serve people in a SERVICE ORIENTED business, then shut the fuck up and find another industry that suits your needs better.

Yeah, this is an old blog post, but this person annoyed me.

]]> By: bigrollie http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-222879 bigrollie Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:32:54 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-222879 moreover, does sophistication require you to be cheap? sharing ssb??! really? and some of you people out there that wait excessivly long past your quote time, at some point, it becomes your own fault. if they tell you 20 mins and you dont drop in at the host stand at 25, you're on your own after that. the kids are 16-18 years old. theyve never seen you or do they know you. things that piss off restaraunt people: 1. you expecting them to remember you. 2. coming in and getting a table while waiting for the rest of your party is still coming. like a half hour from now. you selfish ass! you're taking up a table that is making (or not because you're sitting there) money. the waiting area is UP FRONT! 3. getting made because you took a table waiting for your other party to show. all the while, your other party was seated on the other side of the restaurant. if you just would have stayed where you were supposed to, you'd have your party. i know, i know, you told the girl up front you were waiting for a blonde woman with a black shirt on. the stupid birthday song. everyone hates it. including the receipiant. 4. we dont like this table, can we have that one over there? then get pissed when no one greeted you for 15 mins because you sat yourself in a section with no server. if you would have sat where you were taken, you'd be eating by now. i could go on and on...... moreover, does sophistication require you to be cheap? sharing ssb??! really?

and some of you people out there that wait excessivly long past your quote time, at some point, it becomes your own fault. if they tell you 20 mins and you dont drop in at the host stand at 25, you’re on your own after that. the kids are 16-18 years old. theyve never seen you or do they know you.

things that piss off restaraunt people:

1. you expecting them to remember you.
2. coming in and getting a table while waiting for the rest of your party is still coming. like a half hour from now. you selfish ass! you’re taking up a table that is making (or not because you’re sitting there) money. the waiting area is UP FRONT!
3. getting made because you took a table waiting for your other party to show. all the while, your other party was seated on the other side of the restaurant. if you just would have stayed where you were supposed to, you’d have your party. i know, i know, you told the girl up front you were waiting for a blonde woman with a black shirt on.
the stupid birthday song. everyone hates it. including the receipiant.
4. we dont like this table, can we have that one over there? then get pissed when no one greeted you for 15 mins because you sat yourself in a section with no server. if you would have sat where you were taken, you’d be eating by now.
i could go on and on……

]]> By: bigrollie http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/#comment-222878 bigrollie Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:17:01 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/?p=350#comment-222878 As a manager in the restaurant biz, and a former one for OG, i can tell you that wine, for ANY restaurant, is the LOWEST profitable item on a menu. it always amazes me how much people "know" about the restaurant biz. we get emails all the time from chest pounding idiots all that completely expect the world for a 10.00 plate of food. yes you are. i see you. you know who you are too. were creatures of habit. more on that later. SHUT UP AND EAT IT!!! (Gosh it feels good to say that!) anyone one know what the most profitable item is in EVERY restraunt?!!!! come on "know it all's"... if you guessed wine, you're wrong. if you guesses any alcohol, wrong again. if you guessed ANY food item, bzzzzz! If you guessed soda pop, you win a free refill!!!!! thats right sugarpants. soda pop. a bottle of wine holds about 3.5/4 glasses of wine. if you see a bottle of wine on a menu for 30.00, they probably paid 7/10.00 for it. they net 20 bucks and they're paying the bills. but a box of soda is about 48.00. (that could vary depending on where you live.) in a box, which is a syrup concentrate that mixes (actually called "brixing") at the fountain,(...where a person presses the cup against the lever and it pours into glass) holds 500 20oz servings. do the math and you'll find that a glass of soda "costs" .096. now look at your check the next time you go out to eat. you fav place to eat is probably charging you 2/2.25 a glass. so they're making 1000.00 or more on a box of coke! "Oh, well you're not figuring in refills". alas, you still don't know it all. the industry says you'll only have 1.6 glasses of sodypop when you dine. moreover, when you add ice to the 20oz glass, we are really only pouring about 11/12ozs. why do you think your local filling station can sell you a 55gallon drum of soda for .79. so go ahead sugarmuffin take the extra little sip before you top off. *wink wink* no one is looking. no, the truth is, no one cares. they're ripping your head off! alas, why? why? why does your manager want you to sell wine? dumb dumb managers are told those things. the ones who are drones and are forbidden to look at a P&L because they're incompetent and the information will blind them. the pee brain cannot handle it. so, why? because it's about the money! "wait, bigrollie, you just said it wasn't about the money." but it is! get drunk on beer; argue with your buddies about your favortite sports team. get buzzed on liquor; fight, throw up, sleep with people you don't know or your brothers wife (she was always hot) etc. get loopy on the vino; love, peace, happy, my cheeks are fuzzy, everybody sing a song. and my brothers wife is still hot. and he is looking at my wife the same way. why? we are all happy. gosh billy, you're so smart. did you do good in school today? of course you did. hello server guy. i know you forgot the breadstix and that i ordered salmon and you brought me a roast beef sandwich from arby's. but thats ok. i love you. come, sit with us. oh you're closing? ok we'll take the bill. (a fight ensues with all parties grabbing FOR the bill. heck, give us the table next to us as well. we love them.) gosh everybody. i just love you all so much! [i]lets come back to olive garden next week and do it again![/i] no billy, you can only have soda. but you can have as much of it as you like. so folks, you see, it's not about the money they make on the wine as it is the experience. we, as humans, are not only creatures of habit, we like to go where we are happy. no i do not work for og anymore. i left them 5 years ago. yes im tired of all the people that think they know this buisness. yes, wine is probably the LEAST profitable item on any menu. followed closely by steak and specialty seafood like lobster and fish. As a manager in the restaurant biz, and a former one for OG, i can tell you that wine, for ANY restaurant, is the LOWEST profitable item on a menu. it always amazes me how much people “know” about the restaurant biz. we get emails all the time from chest pounding idiots all that completely expect the world for a 10.00 plate of food.

yes you are. i see you. you know who you are too. were creatures of habit. more on that later. SHUT UP AND EAT IT!!! (Gosh it feels good to say that!)

anyone one know what the most profitable item is in EVERY restraunt?!!!! come on “know it all’s”… if you guessed wine, you’re wrong. if you guesses any alcohol, wrong again. if you guessed ANY food item, bzzzzz! If you guessed soda pop, you win a free refill!!!!! thats right sugarpants. soda pop. a bottle of wine holds about 3.5/4 glasses of wine. if you see a bottle of wine on a menu for 30.00, they probably paid 7/10.00 for it. they net 20 bucks and they’re paying the bills. but a box of soda is about 48.00. (that could vary depending on where you live.) in a box, which is a syrup concentrate that mixes (actually called “brixing”) at the fountain,(…where a person presses the cup against the lever and it pours into glass) holds 500 20oz servings. do the math and you’ll find that a glass of soda “costs” .096. now look at your check the next time you go out to eat. you fav place to eat is probably charging you 2/2.25 a glass. so they’re making 1000.00 or more on a box of coke! “Oh, well you’re not figuring in refills”. alas, you still don’t know it all. the industry says you’ll only have 1.6 glasses of sodypop when you dine. moreover, when you add ice to the 20oz glass, we are really only pouring about 11/12ozs.

why do you think your local filling station can sell you a 55gallon drum of soda for .79. so go ahead sugarmuffin take the extra little sip before you top off. *wink wink* no one is looking. no, the truth is, no one cares. they’re ripping your head off!

alas, why? why? why does your manager want you to sell wine? dumb dumb managers are told those things. the ones who are drones and are forbidden to look at a P&L because they’re incompetent and the information will blind them. the pee brain cannot handle it. so, why? because it’s about the money!

“wait, bigrollie, you just said it wasn’t about the money.”

but it is! get drunk on beer; argue with your buddies about your favortite sports team. get buzzed on liquor; fight, throw up, sleep with people you don’t know or your brothers wife (she was always hot) etc. get loopy on the vino; love, peace, happy, my cheeks are fuzzy, everybody sing a song. and my brothers wife is still hot. and he is looking at my wife the same way. why? we are all happy. gosh billy, you’re so smart. did you do good in school today? of course you did. hello server guy. i know you forgot the breadstix and that i ordered salmon and you brought me a roast beef sandwich from arby’s. but thats ok. i love you. come, sit with us. oh you’re closing? ok we’ll take the bill. (a fight ensues with all parties grabbing FOR the bill. heck, give us the table next to us as well. we love them.)

gosh everybody. i just love you all so much! [i]lets come back to olive garden next week and do it again![/i] no billy, you can only have soda. but you can have as much of it as you like.

so folks, you see, it’s not about the money they make on the wine as it is the experience. we, as humans, are not only creatures of habit, we like to go where we are happy.

no i do not work for og anymore. i left them 5 years ago. yes im tired of all the people that think they know this buisness. yes, wine is probably the LEAST profitable item on any menu. followed closely by steak and specialty seafood like lobster and fish.

]]>