I went to Olive Garden last night for the first time in forever..wow it was bad

[ControlD]

I think OG tastes alright, but I'm pretty sure a gall bladder is required to actually digest whatever they put in their sauce. I don't have one and OG is about the only food I have to avoid these days. Might as well drink a glass of soap water.

 

[Markbnj]

The food is engineered? WTF do you mean?

Exactly what I said. Everything on the menu in those places is developed, taste-tested, test-marketed, focus-grouped, and engineered. How they prepare it at the location is another story.

Personally I think a plate of Italian food at Olive Garden is exactly as good as a steak at Applebees. That is, not very, but designed to appeal to a mass market which apparently doesn't care that much.

 

[Blitzvogel]

Exactly what I said. Everything on the menu in those places is developed, taste-tested, test-marketed, focus-grouped, and engineered. How they prepare it at the location is another story.

Personally I think a plate of Italian food at Olive Garden is exactly as good as a steak at Applebees. That is, not very, but designed to appeal to a mass market which apparently doesn't care that much.

People these days (especially couples and old people) are apt to go out instead of cook. Cooking for two can get old real quick with the grocery shopping, prep work, clean up and possibly monstrous amounts of left overs that never get eaten which can diminish the savings of cooking yourself.

If you're smart, creative, know how to properly buy in bulk, cooking is awesome. My girlfriend and I have a bad habit of building up piles of dishes though lol.

At least decent cooking is still much cheaper than fast food. Unfortunately though, some of the "engineering" ideals have made it into basic goods like pasta, pasta sauce, etc. I'd love to make fresh pasta myself. I need to give it a try........

 

[BoberFett]

I ordered the fetticini alfredo and it tasted like a frozen dinner you could buy for a few bucks at the grocery store, just unbelievably bad.

Clearly you're a gourmand, a master in Italian cuisine.

 

[irishScott]

Meh, the only thing I ever get from Olive Garden is their "make your own appetizer", at which point I get two servings of Calamari and one of chicken fingers. Then add bread sticks.

So it's a fine meal if you just avoid all of the Italian food.

 

[SP33Demon]

Carraba's is actually still decent. Bertucci's is ok for the pizza.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Italian food in general is vastly overrated, so I think the disparity between the good stuff and this fast food junk is not as vast as many want you to believe.

Noted. We have another poster whose opinions on anything to do with food we can immediately dismiss. The list is growing.

 

[lxskllr]

I think I've been to OG twice in my life. It didn't stand out one way or the other. It was generic food. I agree with Markbnj. I generally dislike that kind of restaurant. Rubyappledaybees is a perfect name. It all tastes like the same crap, with different crap nailed to the walls.

 

[KeithTalent]

Noted. We have another poster whose opinions on anything to do with food we can immediately dismiss. The list is growing.

Agreed. A lot of people here have zero clue.

KT

 

[SKORPI0]

Olive Garden copycat recipes :sneaky:

It's been awhile since I've been to one (almost 10 years). Nearest is 1.5 miles. Waiting time to go inside the restaurant was about 30-45 minutes, especially weekends. About the same time to get your order served. Food was nothing to talk about. D:

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Problem isn't so much of it being bad but more of how much they charge for their food being bad.

 

[SAWYER]

I left some feedback on their website and the store manager emailed me and called me, then corporate emailed me and informed me I would be receiving a gift card

 

[KeithTalent]

I left some feedback on their website and the store manager emailed me and called me, then corporate emailed me and informed me I would be receiving a gift card

Nice. Garden Party forthcoming!

KT

 

[SAWYER]

I am trading that sob for another restaurant gc!

 

[SunnyD]

OP went to an American Pasta place expecting authentic Italian food. lulz.

 

[SAWYER]

I didn't say that or expect that

 

[SunnyD]

I didn't say that or expect that

You quite clearly did when you opened your OP with:

I hardly eat Italian but when i do...

and closed it with:

... So people who like chains and Italian, what do you think of OG? ...

 

[preslove]

We had a coupon for $6 off two signature classic meals and it was cold and we wanted to eat close to the grocery store. Jesus christ, their marinara is as bad as store bought sauce and the chicken parm wasn't all that good. I make a much better marinara.

 

[SAWYER]

That is not clearly, and it is Italian just not authentic. 7/10 on the troll though for even getting me to bite

 

[SunnyD]

That is not clearly, and it is Italian just not authentic. 7/10 on the attempted troll though for even getting me to bite

More legit than what you do with your flipsicles in FS/FT.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I made carbonara at home for the first time last night.