The Dean Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I've only been to Olive Garden for the soup and salad deal at lunch, but I did learn a trick with seating that may help some of you. If there is a big wait, you can asked to be seated at the bar for a meal. The bartender takes your order and they bring the food right to you. I've done it at 2 or 3 different OG's and it has saved me some 45-minute waiting times. While I don't go to Olive Garden, if there is a bar to sit at and eat (or not), I'm sitting at it. Most of my friends agree. But I have a couple of guys who claim to be "bar guys" who always opt for a table---then make some reason why a table is better "this time". Well there's three of us so someone gets left out of the conversation. (Really? Do you think any of us doesn't know how to have a multi-person conversation at the bar? Been doing it all my life.) And another thing.... Wait how did I get off on this tangent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 While I don't go to Olive Garden, if there is a bar to sit at and eat (or not), I'm sitting at it. Most of my friends agree. But I have a couple of guys who claim to be "bar guys" who always opt for a table---then make some reason why a table is better "this time". Well there's three of us so someone gets left out of the conversation. (Really? Do you think any of us doesn't know how to have a multi-person conversation at the bar? Been doing it all my life.) And another thing.... Wait how did I get off on this tangent? That's the last time I give you my account password! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NDBUFFCUSEFAN Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Me too. That deal is pretty sweet. But then I noticed their soup started being poorer quality and the service was atrocious (severely understaffed), so we stopped going. After this thread, maybe I will give it another try! It's not too hard to make the soup at home, my wife loves it but I hate going to OG so I make it for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Anybody post this yet? http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Investor-details-ways-Olive-Garden-could-improve-5750165.php "...Here are some of Olive Garden's problem, according to Starboard: —Servers are supposed to provide one breadstick per customer, plus one for the table. But restaurants lack "training and discipline" and servers often bring out more than that, leading to waste. —Salad bowls are often overfilled and the lettuce is overdressed, both of which drive up costs. —To get an extended warranty on its pots, Olive Garden no longer salts the water used to boil its pasta. Starboard notes "If you were to google 'how to cook pasta,' the first step of Pasta 101 is to salt the water."..." Read more... Any posters have suggestions? There goes the soup Beerball & JR: "—Soup bases could be purchased from outside suppliers, rather than making them from scratch. The change would also lead to greater product consistency and reduce food safety risks, Starboard says." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 (edited) Anybody post this yet? http://www.sfgate.co...ove-5750165.php "...Here are some of Olive Garden's problem, according to Starboard: —Servers are supposed to provide one breadstick per customer, plus one for the table. But restaurants lack "training and discipline" and servers often bring out more than that, leading to waste. —Salad bowls are often overfilled and the lettuce is overdressed, both of which drive up costs. —To get an extended warranty on its pots, Olive Garden no longer salts the water used to boil its pasta. Starboard notes "If you were to google 'how to cook pasta,' the first step of Pasta 101 is to salt the water."..." Read more... Any posters have suggestions? There goes the soup Beerball & JR: "—Soup bases could be purchased from outside suppliers, rather than making them from scratch. The change would also lead to greater product consistency and reduce food safety risks, Starboard says." Giving out too many of their crappy breadsticks and letting people use too much dressing? Yes, that's the problem with Olive Garden. As for salting the pasta water---well you do need to. But I heard one crazy TV chef suggest you need to make the pasta water "as salty as the ocean". Seriously, you really don't need to salt the water that much. Plus this whack job, salted her sauces so much (along with everything else) by the time she was finished I can't imagine being able to taste anything BUT salt. Edited September 13, 2014 by The Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 One person is blogging about all the pasta they are eating... http://www.allofgarden.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azalin Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 —To get an extended warranty on its pots, Olive Garden no longer salts the water used to boil its pasta. Starboard notes "If you were to google 'how to cook pasta,' the first step of Pasta 101 is to salt the water."..." salt is corrosive to metal, and will damage pots over time if the water is salted while still cold because it sinks to the bottom of the pot and sits there until the water boils. the obvious answer to this is to wait until the water is boiling before adding the salt. that way the salt can't settle to the bottom, and will dissolve very quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 salt is corrosive to metal, and will damage pots over time if the water is salted while still cold because it sinks to the bottom of the pot and sits there until the water boils. the obvious answer to this is to wait until the water is boiling before adding the salt. that way the salt can't settle to the bottom, and will dissolve very quickly. I usually rub the salt into the bottom of the pan with coarse sand paper, THEN fill it with cold water. But I use cast iron pans, so rust isn't an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Paying any amount is too much for all you can eat at Olive Garden. It's simple. I can't eat anything at that sh#thole. Fake Italian food, packed with sugar and frozen, to make sure the meal is as crappy in California as it is in New York! Gotta love consistency. LOL. I ate at an Olive Garden once; pretty horrible. I wouldn't go back if it was free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azalin Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I usually rub the salt into the bottom of the pan with coarse sand paper, THEN fill it with cold water. But I use cast iron pans, so rust isn't an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 (edited) salt is corrosive to metal, and will damage pots over time if the water is salted while still cold because it sinks to the bottom of the pot and sits there until the water boils. the obvious answer to this is to wait until the water is boiling before adding the salt. that way the salt can't settle to the bottom, and will dissolve very quickly. Understood... But they are worried about warranties on pots. Huh? Do they really go through that many pots because of the way they salt the water? What kind of pots are they using? Quality stainless? I understand even that will rot... But come on, this is a problem? Anyway, I wouldn't think that the manufacturer would give that type of warranty (of any kind) to a "commercial" or "industrial" operation. Boy, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel if they are looking for warranty relief on something as basic and essential as their pots and pans! I usually rub the salt into the bottom of the pan with coarse sand paper, THEN fill it with cold water. But I use cast iron pans, so rust isn't an issue. LoL... I was going to mention cast iron, but they have to be a pup to keep clean and maintained/seasoned. Edited October 1, 2014 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maury Ballstein Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 http://myfox8.com/2014/11/03/burlington-man-eating-olive-garden-every-day-twice-a-day-for-seven-weeks/ They would have hit me for an extra 200.00 in side orders of meatballs or sausage. Gotta have some meat with my pasta. This guy is a hero to cheapskates everywhere, congrats on the $1,500 pasta milestone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 http://myfox8.com/20...or-seven-weeks/ They would have hit me for an extra 200.00 in side orders of meatballs or sausage. Gotta have some meat with my pasta. This guy is a hero to cheapskates everywhere, congrats on the $1,500 pasta milestone. It slays me to think 100 pasta meals is actually $1,500 worth of food. It simply isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 It's only worth $100 to the one eating it It slays me to think 100 pasta meals is actually $1,500 worth of food. It simply isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maury Ballstein Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 It slays me to think 100 pasta meals is actually $1,500 worth of food. It simply isn't. Agree, he's gotta be counting the full menu price as opposed to the actual cost. If they have hotter waitresses I could see going a little more. No pasta pass for me, haven't been to Olive Garden in years. Crappy inattentive waitress last time I went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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