Olive Garden: Love it or Leave it?

CTcutie
CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
edited November 19 in Chit-Chat
So I just read this little article... I haven't been to OG in years, even though there is one very close to work. The parking lot is usually full, and the last time I attempted to go there, there was no parking, so we ate elsewhere. I remember the salad had like NO olives in it (despite being called the OLIVE garden lol), and the breadsticks were not tasty. at. all...

Do you eat here? Is the food better than a few years ago?? Am I missing out?!

http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/27/investing/olive-garden-darden-earnings/index.html-


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Replies

  • DasItMan91
    DasItMan91 Posts: 5,753 Member
    I was actually planning on going there one of these days.
  • BrettWithPKU
    BrettWithPKU Posts: 575 Member
    edited June 2017
    CTcutie wrote: »
    So I just read this little article... I haven't been to OG in years, even though there is one very close to work. The parking lot is usually full, and the last time I attempted to go there, there was no parking, so we ate elsewhere. I remember the salad had like NO olives in it (despite being called the OLIVE garden lol), and the breadsticks were not tasty. at. all...

    Do you eat here? Is the food better than a few years ago?? Am I missing out?!

    http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/27/investing/olive-garden-darden-earnings/index.html-


    There are definitely olives in the salad. I know because I pick them out.

    I never had a problem with the food. I don't think most people have a problem with the food--how else do you explain the full parking lot? The breadsticks are just OK.

    Edit: My bad; you said "like NO olives"--meaning there are olives but not enough for your taste. If you're a huge olive fan you might be disappointed.

    2nd Edit: If you're a huge garden fan, you'll love the salad. Gardens are OK; I'm more a pepperoncini fan. I wish the salad had more pepperoncini; it's so frustrating when the table has multiple pepperoncini fans, and you have to try to split the one or two sitting atop the salad.
    OK I'm done.
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    Nah... I won't do national chain restaurants
  • SomebodyWakeUpHIcks
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks Posts: 3,836 Member
    It's gets knocked for being a national chain but the food is actually very good.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    Years ago OG was really good but now the quality and taste has gone way down so I don't go there anymore.
  • denversillygoose
    denversillygoose Posts: 708 Member
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »
    It's gets knocked for being a national chain but the food is actually very good.

    Not sure if serious.
  • fitin50s2
    fitin50s2 Posts: 111 Member
    Never liked it. Too many local Italian restaurants where I live that puts OG to shame.
  • SomebodyWakeUpHIcks
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks Posts: 3,836 Member
    @denversillygoose wrote: »
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »
    It's gets knocked for being a national chain but the food is actually very good.

    Not sure if serious.

    Totally serious.
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
    "Love it or leave it?"

    Can I say "both"? Because I want to hate it, I know it isn't authentic, but I can't help myself. I love it. Those stupid oversalty breadsticks and their stupid buttery alfredo - it's just divine once in a while. Maybe it's a guilty pleasure, but I really enjoy it - our youngest LOVES it so we usually eat there once a year for his birthday.
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
    Leave it, tried it once years ago, wasn't impressed enough to back again
  • FireTurtle75
    FireTurtle75 Posts: 2,014 Member
    Their food is pretty bland & not very impressive IMO. Deserts are even more sub par. I've been numerous times on the company dime for business lunches or dinners. Would never drop my own cash on that trash. The only thing I like there are the breadsticks & salad.
  • WandaVaughn
    WandaVaughn Posts: 420 Member
    Love their eggplant Parm. I can make it for myself, but sometimes it's nice for somebody else to cook it. :smile:
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    CTcutie wrote: »
    So I just read this little article... I haven't been to OG in years, even though there is one very close to work. The parking lot is usually full, and the last time I attempted to go there, there was no parking, so we ate elsewhere. I remember the salad had like NO olives in it (despite being called the OLIVE garden lol), and the breadsticks were not tasty. at. all...

    Do you eat here? Is the food better than a few years ago?? Am I missing out?!

    http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/27/investing/olive-garden-darden-earnings/index.html-


    When I was carefree and obese, it was long Mrs.' favorite place to get her favorite dish, which she got every time, "Shrimp Primavera". They changed the recipe and eventually they didn't have any cook who remembered how to make it the old way. Since that point, Mrs.' hasn't had much interest in returning. Since my income went lower a few years ago, we have not been out to eat so regularly. Mrs is still a shrimp only girl, but she finds it elsewhere.

    For the times that we visited OG during my weight-loss efforts of the past 17+ months, I'd choose the grilled salmon, avoid the bread, and have the salad with dressing unused on the side.
  • Carillon_Campanello
    Carillon_Campanello Posts: 726 Member
    In Rhode Island we have 1 Olive garden. It is packed all the time...which is a sad sad statement considering that two of the most densely populated "Italian" cities per capita in the U.S. are in Rhode Island.

    There are soooo many good Italian mom and pop shops in RI that I feel a little shame for the residents when I go by the Olive Garden and see it so well partaken.
  • MrStabbems
    MrStabbems Posts: 3,110 Member
    I thought you were moving and grew olives. Never heard of the chain myself.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    Carillon_Campanello wrote: »
    In Rhode Island we have 1 Olive garden. It is packed all the time...which is a sad sad statement considering that two of the most densely populated "Italian" cities per capita in the U.S. are in Rhode Island.

    There are soooo many good Italian mom and pop shops in RI that I feel a little shame for the residents when I go by the Olive Garden and see it so well partaken.

    Yeah that is a shame. OG should have been closed down. I love authentic Italian mom and pop restaurants
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited June 2017
    Leave it...pretty low grade "Italian" food IMO. I'm not a big fan of institutionalized franchise chains anyway and prefer mom and pop shops. As franchises go, OG would be pretty far down on my list in terms of quality cuisine...I'd put it right there with Red Lobster in the dungeon of franchise food.
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
    I havent been to olive garden in almost 30 years.
  • CTcutie
    CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
    Carillon_Campanello wrote: »
    In Rhode Island we have 1 Olive garden. It is packed all the time...which is a sad sad statement considering that two of the most densely populated "Italian" cities per capita in the U.S. are in Rhode Island.

    There are soooo many good Italian mom and pop shops in RI that I feel a little shame for the residents when I go by the Olive Garden and see it so well partaken.
    Carillon_Campanello wrote: »
    In Rhode Island we have 1 Olive garden. It is packed all the time...which is a sad sad statement considering that two of the most densely populated "Italian" cities per capita in the U.S. are in Rhode Island.

    There are soooo many good Italian mom and pop shops in RI that I feel a little shame for the residents when I go by the Olive Garden and see it so well partaken.

    Agree! I went to college in RI and live in CT- there are many delicious Italian restaurants & pizza options around! (There is an amazing one tucked into a strip mall across the street from the OG, but very tiny.) I guess the appeal is it's proximity to the mall in my case. And next door to the Dead Lobster, where the biscuits are divine :-)
  • Mike_take2
    Mike_take2 Posts: 2,150 Member
    Hate it! Overpriced, high calorie, and loaded with sodium
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Leave it...pretty low grade "Italian" food IMO. I'm not a big fan of institutionalized franchise chains anyway and prefer mom and pop shops. As franchises go, OG would be pretty far down on my list in terms of quality cuisine...I'd put it right there with Red Lobster in the dungeon of franchise food.

    Whereas Red Lobster is my other guilty pleasure in the category of "bad chain food."

    I love those cheesy garlic biscuits.

    Actually, looking at my posts in this thread, it would seem that free, very salty bread is a weird weakness of mine.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Most of their food is really not healthy in the preparation - I would rather make the same things myself but without all the oily buttery mess.
  • EggToni
    EggToni Posts: 190 Member
    I used to really like their Steak Gorgonzola, and I think their breadsticks are bland. My favorite Italian place is near Disneyland named Marri's. MMmmmmm good.
  • Caporegiem
    Caporegiem Posts: 4,297 Member
    JeepHair77 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Leave it...pretty low grade "Italian" food IMO. I'm not a big fan of institutionalized franchise chains anyway and prefer mom and pop shops. As franchises go, OG would be pretty far down on my list in terms of quality cuisine...I'd put it right there with Red Lobster in the dungeon of franchise food.

    Whereas Red Lobster is my other guilty pleasure in the category of "bad chain food."

    I love those cheesy garlic biscuits.

    Actually, looking at my posts in this thread, it would seem that free, very salty bread is a weird weakness of mine.

    They have pretty good mozzarella sticks too, how did I forget that in the great mozzarella stick debate last week.
  • Carillon_Campanello
    Carillon_Campanello Posts: 726 Member
    Poisonedpawn78 wrote: »
    I havent been to olive garden in almost 30 years.

    20 here...and I had to race home to shat out the garden.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Carillon_Campanello wrote: »
    Poisonedpawn78 wrote: »
    I havent been to olive garden in almost 30 years.

    20 here...and I had to race home to shat out the garden.

    The last time I went to OG I was in the Marines...my buddies and I thought it was "fancy" and would take the girls there...so just over 20 years here too.
  • Sivadee00
    Sivadee00 Posts: 428 Member
    edited June 2017
    I have not been to OG in a long time. I remember once we took a friend there for her birthday. She ate a lot and maybe because the portions were small. Anyway, I remember the bill was astoundingly high. My family and I decided not to return. The breadsticks and Alfredo sauce were the only memorable part of the meal as far as taste goes.
  • beagletracks
    beagletracks Posts: 6,034 Member
    tenor.gif
  • mcafton
    mcafton Posts: 190 Member
    it's ok. not a huge fan. my brother and his wife always want to go there. :/
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