Reason # 1,344 why I hate people...

[Mr.Bill]

So recently I had a birthday, friends gave me a gift card to the Olive Garden.. I really don't like the place, here in NY there's a million mom and pop Italian Restaurants whose food in 10 times better.. Anyway it was a nice gift, and the lunch we had was OK--------

So we're in a booth with about 7 other booths around us and in walks 2 women.. In their 50's.. Miserable looking as hell, pasty white faces, fat, jet black dyed hair.. Pretty much white trash.. They're sitting in the next booth so we can hear, and see everything.. Waitress comes over, the women spit out what they want to drink, and start complaining from the start, and even though this was noon time they insist on dinner menus.. Diner portion means bigger entrees, and unlimited bread sticks and salad.. I hear how they are talking, and complaining so I whisper to my wife 'I'll bet you a beer they either ditch the check, or complain so much they try and get it comped'...

Their entrees come and the one woman doesn't touch hers, but they both eat the other woman's entree.. 5-10 mins later the waitress comes and asks if their food is OK.. They say yes, but the one entree still sits there. Same thing 5 mins. later... They fill up on bread, salad and the one entree so by the time the waitress comes over the 3rd time I can see what's coming.. The woman with the untouched entree says her food was ice cold when it came out and she couldn't eat it..

Manager comes over and comps their check.. And of course they stiff the waitress.. Nice scam.. I really don't care about the Olive Garden, nor any of the franchise restaurants.. But people like these 2 woman piss me off.. I am glad they both looked and seemed so miserable. They deserve being miserable and living miserable lives.

I win a beer..

[Spider]

[eynon81]

[NAB]

Free meal at Olive Garden. Everyone loses.

[Mr.Bill]

The manager' looked like he was 23 years old and had abit of a 'deer in the headlights' look on his face.. I think he was very new.

Anyway I remember way back, I think in the 80's I went to an Olive Garden in Florida. Must have been one of their 1st franchise restaurants, maybe even the 1st.. I don't know.. The food was good, but back then I think they made most of their food right there.. Now as far as I know everything is frozen, they just re-heat their food.. It's pretty sad.

I can see why they're in trouble.. Basically they're serving TV dinners and charging $12-$15 for them.. Their bread and salad are pretty good though.

[Professor]

Isn't that the same company that owns Red Lobster? I don't understand it - New Orleans has some of the best food around. We specialize in seafood, and have our fair share of good Italian places. We have both a Red Lobster and a couple Olive Gardens. And, both are ALWAYS full.

Why go there and spend $15/meal when you can go to a place like Andreas (local restaurant, owner/chef Andrea Apuzzo is from Northern Italy and serves "fish so fresh, it swims up to his door") and eat for about the same money, but have one of the best meals in the city.

[Spider]

Marketing. People are stupid and like familiar names. They saw commercials on TV, and now they want a big pile of microwaved pasta.

Only did the Red Lobster thing once. It was seriously bad.

Olive Garden isn't bad so much as boring. It has achieved the fullest expression of mediocrity. Its just like eating something you got out of the freezer section at Costco. Doesn't seem like actual restaurant food. Just a lot of salted fat and carbs, designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience, offending nobody, challenging nobody, not offering anything interesting.

Its like an NBC sitcom.

[Mr.Bill]

[Winchester]

[NAB]

Good rule of thumb I've learned regarding restaurants: the larger the menu, the worse the restaurant.

Cheesecake Factory may be the worst restaurant that's ever existed.