Is Olive Garden humankind's most accurate representation of hell?

[cool breeze]

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[Himu]

in before phoenix dark

[Phoenix Dark]

"oh look at me i'm an elitist who has to eat the best food all the time herp a derp"

Guess what, sometimes something good happens to you and you want to celebrate with a family dinner at Olive Garden. They use a bit too much salt but the food is great, the atmosphere is great, and you get all the bread sticks you can eat. If you want to eat one shrimp with runes drawn all over the place fancily with ketchup, go to whatever downtown eatery you prefer and talk about Jonathan Franzen books with your learned associates. As for me I'll go to my favorite restaurant, because when I'm there I'm family.

[Barry Egan]

 

[Great Rumbler]

Olive Garden has pretty good soup. That's about it.

I'd rather hit up the two local joints when I'm in the mood for Italian.

[Trent Dole]

They've got like, infinite breadsticks. Food there is ok but not really worth what they charge.

[Himu]

Olive Gardens suck.

The only chain restaurant people should go to is Dennys. Not only can you expect an adequate meal but you may also get a show too.

waffle house > denny's
ihop > denny's
cracker barrel > denny's

[Mr. Gundam]

While I love their soup, salad and breadsticks in a guilty pleasure sort of way, Olive Garden is shit. They've raised their prices so much in the last ten years that you can go to a locally owned Italian place and get much better food for the exact same price.

But it doesn't even matter since we don't have an Olive Garden in Seattle.

[Great Rumbler]

I can get great Italian food from two different local places for $3-$4 less per person than at Olive Garden. So there's basically no reason to go there.

[Mr. Gundam]

I can get great Italian food from two different local places for $3-$4 less per person than at Olive Garden. So there's basically no reason to go there.

Exactly. The last time I went to an Olive Garden was out in the suburban wasteland known as Pierce County (45 minutes south of Seattle) back in 2004 for a little cousin's high school graduation. I was floored at how expensive they were in comparison to the quality of the food.

[fistfulofmetal]

i've only been to olive garden once to try out the infinite soup and salad and breadstick stuff.

i didn't really like their soup selection beyond the clam chowder. the salad was alright. the breadsticks were bread i guess

[Mr. Gundam]

i've only been to olive garden once to try out the infinite soup and salad and breadstick stuff.

i didn't really like their soup selection beyond the clam chowder. the salad was alright. the breadsticks were bread i guess

Does not compute.

[fistfulofmetal]

you can't have a chain restaurant soup selection without clam chowder. and if there is one then i don't want to eat there.

[Mandark]

Guess what, sometimes something good happens to you and you want to celebrate with a family dinner at Olive Garden.

I nominate this for the newsfeed.

[Human Snorenado]

I can get great Italian food from two different local places for $3-$4 less per person than at Olive Garden. So there's basically no reason to go there.

Pretty much this.  There's a local pasta/pizza place in my podunk mountain town that shits all over Olive Garden- they even have all you can eat pasta for like 7 bucks every Tuesday.  Don't even get me started on actual cities with a wide selection of good Italian places.  For the same price in Atlanta, you can go to a place where they make ALL of the pasta fresh daily and their sauce selection rapes Olive Garden in the face.

Pretty much the only reason to go to Olive Garden is if you're lame.

[Joe Molotov]

Pretty much the only reason to go to Olive Garden is if you're lame.

Or if something good happens to you and you wanna celebrate with your family.

[The Sceneman]

Pretty much the only reason to go to Olive Garden is if you're lame.

Or if something good happens to you and you wanna celebrate with your family.

[Beezy]

If you want to eat one shrimp with runes drawn all over the place fancily with ketchup, go to whatever downtown eatery you prefer and talk about Jonathan Franzen books with your learned associates.

[tiesto]

It's terrible, I can't believe they are even open on Long Island, where you can't throw a stone without hitting a good local Italian restaurant.

[lennedsay]

The last time I ate Olive Garden, I couldn't even finish my food.  So bland and/or completely disgusting all around.

Every Italian place has all you can eat bread. I just prefer restaurants that serve bread from local Italian bakeries rather than reheated frozen shitsticks.

[MrAngryFace]

As someone who likes Dennys I cant really comment- lets just say most major chains should be avoided if you value your heart.

[Himu]

Olive Gardens suck.

The only chain restaurant people should go to is Dennys. Not only can you expect an adequate meal but you may also get a show too.

waffle house > denny's
ihop > denny's
cracker barrel > denny's

I ain't never seen shit pop off at an ihop or waffle house.

Never been to cracker barrel but I suspect that it's a place with more good whiteys then the ones that like to brawl.

i'm talking about food

[Van Cruncheon]

Guess what, sometimes something good happens to you and you want to celebrate with a family dinner at Olive Garden.

I nominate this for the newsfeed.

cosign

[drozmight]

Am pretty sure if we ever build a red lobster, olive garden and sizzler in close proximity to one another, we'll have accidentally opened a portal to hell from which will pour countless white-haired ancients.

[MrAngryFace]

If you cant appreciate at least one shitty chain somethings wrong with you imo

[drozmight]

Shari's 

[cool breeze]

don't know if it counts, but I liked Friendly's because of the conehead sundaes

[Oblivion]

Never been to Olive Garden. Course, I shop for jeans at the grocery store.

[Robo]

Shit has and will most definitely pop off at Waffle House.  They're comparable.  Denny's just sort of maintains this uneasy atmosphere of hostility late at night - I dunno what it is, maybe the lighting.  After 2am, it's two biscuits with gravy from Thunderdome.

[Human Snorenado]

Yeah, Denny's is like the classy version of Waffle House.  The last three times I've been in a WH after midnight I've seen some sort of altercation- one fight, one screaming match between an angry couple and one drunk guy who had to be thrown out.  Also, Waffle House is still the only place I've ever been robbed before.

[magus]

News: Guess what, sometimes something good happens to you and you want to celebrate with a family dinner at Olive Garden.

i didn't expect bore to have occult ads

[Eel O'Brian]

"oh look at me i'm an elitist who has to eat the best food all the time herp a derp"

Guess what, sometimes something good happens to you and you want to celebrate with a family dinner at Olive Garden. They use a bit too much salt but the food is great, the atmosphere is great, and you get all the bread sticks you can eat. If you want to eat one shrimp with runes drawn all over the place fancily with ketchup, go to whatever downtown eatery you prefer and talk about Jonathan Franzen books with your learned associates. As for me I'll go to my favorite restaurant, because when I'm there I'm family.

[Eel O'Brian]

all of these places are terrific when you're drunk

[Stoney Mason]

Never been to olive garden. Not because I have anything against them or chain restaurants. Red Lobster is good for instance. Just never been. I think someone brought me some food from there one time though and I didn't like it.

I don't like Denny's. Too many competing type restaurants that have better food.

[lennedsay]

Meh, if we want mediocre seafood, we'll go to Red Lobster. I'm not ashamed. But you will never, ever hear me suggest Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill for Italian. If we want a Red Lobster-esque dining experience eating Italian, we'll go to Pasta House. It's St. Louis' chain that's actually good. You probably wouldn't go there for your 20th wedding anniversary, but it's pretty tasty and they have provel cheese. You can't be an Italian restaurant in St Louis and not have provel cheese, but Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill are disgusting culprits of that. I can honestly say I've been to both in the last decade once each. MG once ever it was so bad.

And I worked at Waffle House when I was 16 for a month. There is drama on the daily, except no one tapes it for YouTube. It's just a way of life for employees and patrons alike. We went yesterday and there was ridiculous shit going down. As a requirement of working there, you have to be insane and related to at least one other employee, and potentially fucking at least two other employees. That bar they have is simply front row seating.

[tiesto]

If you cant appreciate at least one shitty chain somethings wrong with you imo

Yup, even though I'm a big fan of local mom&pop restaurants... I don't mind the occasional Ruby Tuesday (for their sandwiches) or Country Kitchen (for breakfast) or of course one of the numerous diners we have here.

[MrAngryFace]

 

all of these places are terrific when you're drunk

[Mr. Gundam]

You know what's even worse than Olive Garden? The mothafuckin' Cheesecake Factory. There's one in downtown Seattle, and whenever distant relatives come in to the city, they always want to go there. It's crazy overpriced and really bland. Fortunately, we know lots of great places that they end up loving, so I've been able to avoid eating there.

I remember walking by the Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki and seeing a huge line of people down the block waiting to get in. You go to Hawaii, and you end up eating at the fucking Cheesecake Factory? Really?

Claim Jumper is also one of those "this is why you're fat" type places.

[Smooth Groove]

What do you guys think of Macaroni Grill? 

If you cant appreciate at least one shitty chain somethings wrong with you imo

Red Robin's is cool.

You know what's even worse than Olive Garden? The mothafuckin' Cheesecake Factory. There's one in downtown Seattle, and whenever distant relatives come in to the city, they always want to go there. Fortunately, we know lots of great places that they end up loving, so I've been able to avoid eating there.

I remember walking by the Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki and seeing a huge line of people down the block waiting to get in. You go to Hawaii, and you end up eating at the fucking Cheesecake Factory? Really?

Agreed.  I've eaten many times at CF and never once was I impressed.  They charge way too much for that quality of food.  I have no idea why they are so popular.  I do give them props for the cheescakes but most people aren't just there for dessert.

[Mr. Gundam]

If you cant appreciate at least one shitty chain somethings wrong with you imo

Red Robin's is cool.

Red Robin is very cool and they're from Seattle. I've been going there since I was a little kid.

[fistfulofmetal]

i really like red lobster. i always get the meal that comes with crab legs, shrimp, and a lobster tail
plus their cheddar biscuits are sublime

[MrAngryFace]

Cheesecake Factory is usually on lists for 'Worst Dishes'.

I'll eat at Olive Garden if someone wants to go- he'll ill eat MOST places if someone honestly wants to go. Such is the burden of someone who doesnt feel like making a choice- you go where they want to and you don't bitch.

[Mandark]

There are almost no restaurants where I won't like at least something on the menu.

But you know what place was straight-up bad?  Shoney's.  I went there for the hot fudge sundae when all the Hot Shoppes went out of business, but goddam.

[cool breeze]

You know what's even worse than Olive Garden? The mothafuckin' Cheesecake Factory. There's one in downtown Seattle, and whenever distant relatives come in to the city, they always want to go there. It's crazy overpriced and really bland. Fortunately, we know lots of great places that they end up loving, so I've been able to avoid eating there.

I remember walking by the Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki and seeing a huge line of people down the block waiting to get in. You go to Hawaii, and you end up eating at the fucking Cheesecake Factory? Really?

yeah, Cheesecake Factory is up there with Olive Garden.  Though I don't think I've seen  Cheesecake Factory commercial before.

There's nothing wrong with Denny's or chains aware or their status.  Olive Garden and Cheesecake Factory are hefty kids wearing t-shirts in the pool.

[Great Rumbler]

You know what's even worse than Olive Garden? The mothafuckin' Cheesecake Factory. There's one in downtown Seattle, and whenever distant relatives come in to the city, they always want to go there. It's crazy overpriced and really bland. Fortunately, we know lots of great places that they end up loving, so I've been able to avoid eating there.

Gotta agree there. I went with five others to Cheesecake Factory a few years back and it cost over $100, just for regular meals! And it wasn't even all that good. Insanity. There are tons of places around that offer far better food at nearly HALF that price. Even if we're just talking about casual dining, like Cheddars [which is pretty awesome].

[Great Rumbler]

Cheddars is horrible.

Cheddars rocks. It's a total guilty pleasure meal though, because I almost always get stuff that's deep-fried and/or covered in cheese.

Are those Italian places you were talking about in Krebs?

Nah, they're in Texas.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1273344/restaurant/Texas/Salis-Pizza-Restaurant-Denison
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1273302/restaurant/Texas/Devollis-Italian-Restaurant-Denison

The latter is the better of the two, though.

Edit: There is another I got to sometimes, it's actually in Oklahoma:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/241/1138865/restaurant/Oklahoma/Roma-Italian-Restaurant-Durant

[MrAngryFace]

Cheddars is horrible.

Cheddars rocks. It's a total guilty pleasure meal though, because I almost always get stuff that's deep-fried and/or covered in cheese.

Are those Italian places you were talking about in Krebs?

Nah, they're in Texas.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1273344/restaurant/Texas/Salis-Pizza-Restaurant-Denison
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1273302/restaurant/Texas/Devollis-Italian-Restaurant-Denison

The latter is the better of the two, though.

Edit: There is another I got to sometimes, it's actually in Oklahoma:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/241/1138865/restaurant/Oklahoma/Roma-Italian-Restaurant-Durant

Im a firm believer in a totally bad for you meal ONCE IN A WHILE- helps keep a person honest.

[Barry Egan]

If you cant appreciate at least one shitty chain somethings wrong with you imo

Red Robin's is cool.

Red Robin is very cool and they're from Seattle. I've been going there since I was a little kid.

I kind of adored red robin as a young kid for some reason.  Maybe it was because it was the only restaurant I could remember that had the simpsons beat em up arcade game.  I ended up liking it there so much that I forced my parents to host my birthday there...and than I cried like a bitch when they didn't have a red robin themed cake for me at the end.  I guess my fanaticism for niche corporate brands started young.   

[Mr. Gundam]

If you cant appreciate at least one shitty chain somethings wrong with you imo

Red Robin's is cool.

Red Robin is very cool and they're from Seattle. I've been going there since I was a little kid.

I kind of adored red robin as a young kid for some reason.  Maybe it was because it was the only restaurant I could remember that had the simpsons beat em up arcade game.  I ended up liking it there so much that I forced my parents to host my birthday there...and than I cried like a bitch when they didn't have a red robin themed cake for me at the end.  I guess my fanaticism for niche corporate brands started young.   

Yeah, Red Robin always had great selection of three to four arcade games when I was a kid/teen. There was always a Neo Geo machine along with whatever was the new hotness in coin-munching beat em ups.

The original location was about a mile and a half from my house, but they closed it down about a year ago.  :'(

[Joe Molotov]

I'm not gonna lie, I love going to Red Lobster and getting popcorn shrimp and about a half-dozen cheddar biscuits. At lunch, it's like $6.

[Mr. Gundam]

Never been to Red Lobster, but I did manage to get the direct line to the CEO when I was working for an insurance company during a summer as a graduate student.

[tiesto]

You know what's even worse than Olive Garden? The mothafuckin' Cheesecake Factory. There's one in downtown Seattle, and whenever distant relatives come in to the city, they always want to go there. It's crazy overpriced and really bland. Fortunately, we know lots of great places that they end up loving, so I've been able to avoid eating there.

I remember walking by the Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki and seeing a huge line of people down the block waiting to get in. You go to Hawaii, and you end up eating at the fucking Cheesecake Factory? Really?

Claim Jumper is also one of those "this is why you're fat" type places.

OMG YES, Cheesecake Factory is the most overrated place on the planet... there's usually a 1-2 hour wait (a few years back, when we had only one Cheesecake Factory out in Westbury the wait was 3+ hours!!!), and everybody always tells me how great it is. The food is extremely bland and overpriced, yet people seem to love it because they get a ton of food, the menu is HUGE (but everything is bland apart from the appetizers) and the decor looks faux-fancy (reminds me of something like Atlantis in the Bahamas). I think I'd rather eat there than Olive Garden but that's the Italian in me talking.

Never heard of Claim Jumper... Pacific NW thing?

[etiolate]

You know what's even worse than Olive Garden? The mothafuckin' Cheesecake Factory. There's one in downtown Seattle, and whenever distant relatives come in to the city, they always want to go there. It's crazy overpriced and really bland.

YES. You're basically getting Trader Joe frozen dinners for twice to three times the price. The only off hand ingredients they have in their kitchen is like salt and pepper. My sister once asked if they could make her thai pasta dish spicier and the waiter said "All we can do is open another packet of the sauce."

[Great Rumbler]

But at least it's not as bad as Applebees!

[EmCeeGrammar]

Maf? 
!

[MrAngryFace]

But at least it's not as bad as Applebees!

Truth

[etiolate]

I spent a happy hour at Applebees.

[lennedsay]

They make their own mashed potatoes at Applebees. But they gave me the line about not knowing how to open another package of pasta sauce because the morning person didn't "portion" it out (aka open a big bag and portion the sauce into smaller bags that generally equal one order's worth).

[etiolate]

I fully expect to go into the kitchens of these places and find an old college roommates fumbling with a packet of frozen chicken fingers.

[drozmight]

Thirded on Red Robin.

The supposed owner of the chain called into some place I was working at, and when I asked him to hold he was like: "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!? I STARTED RED FUCKING ROBIN.  PUT ME ON HOLD?  DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!"

Swore I'd never eat there again, but I did a week later.