Behind the Scenes: The Truth about Working at Olive Garden

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Employee Benefits at Olive Garden
3. Challenges of Working at Olive Garden
4. The Making of Olive Garden's Food
5. The Famous Olive Garden Breadsticks
6. Working for a Corporate Entity
7. Olive Garden's Culinary Institute in Italy
8. Legal Issues Faced by Olive Garden and Darden
9. Conclusion

Is it Worth Working at Olive Garden?

If You're a fan of Italian food, you've probably heard of Olive Garden. It's one of the most popular Italian chain restaurants in America, known for its unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks. But what's it like to work there? Do the employees feel like they're part of a family, as the company claims? In this article, we'll take a deep dive into what it's like to work at Olive Garden.

Employee Benefits at Olive Garden

Discounted chicken parm may not be the only reason to work at Olive Garden, but it's certainly a perk. According to a Redditor claiming to have worked at Olive Garden as a hostess, employees are eligible for discounts at other restaurants owned by Olive Garden's parent company, Darden Restaurants, like LongHorn Steakhouse and Yard House. Additionally, employees can receive discounts on a multitude of products, including computers, cars, theme parks, hotels, travel, and more.

These benefits help incentivize people to Apply at Olive Garden since the actual monetary compensation and tips aren't exactly life-changing. However, the all-you-can-eat aspect of the soup, salad, and breadsticks meal can make it challenging for servers, especially when serving large groups.

Challenges of Working at Olive Garden

In a Reddit thread, a server with 15 years of experience reported on the unexpected ups and downs of their new job at the pasta chain. They found the soup, salad, breadstick, and drink refills to be absolutely ridiculous, saying they've Never experienced anything like it in any restaurant they've ever worked for.

While some employees enjoy working at Olive Garden because of the people, others have had negative experiences. A TikTok video made by a former Olive Garden worker whose experience dining at her place of employment was forever tainted by 10 years of slinging pasta at the chain went viral, with over 2.5 million views. Many comments on the video were from other former employees confirming that working at the Italian establishment erased any desire they had to eat there as a patron.

The Making of Olive Garden's Food

Because Olive Garden is such a massive chain with over 850 locations across the country, you'd assume that a lot of the meals are pre-packaged and frozen. Surprisingly, a lot of the popular menu items are actually prepared from scratch on-site. Olive Garden makes all of its sauces and pasta in restaurant in bulk and makes a separate batch for lunch and another for dinner. The desserts are the only items that are pre-packaged.

The Famous Olive Garden Breadsticks

Olive Garden is synonymous with breadsticks, and for good reason. They're hot, fluffy, and unlimited. However, they come at a cost. According to a Redditor and former employee who wanted to dish on all the Olive Garden breadstick secrets, every Olive Garden employee has a small scar on their HAND from touching the oven, baking tray, or warmer. But the next time you're shoveling those unlimited breadsticks down your gullet, remember that there was possibly a scar formed in the process of delivering you that basket.

Working for a Corporate Entity

Working for a bigger corporate entity like Olive Garden has its pros and cons. While some might claim that it creates a Sense of being just another number, others will argue that it really all depends on the company and its leadership. A Quora user claiming to be a long-time service industry vet pointed out that while it's not always ideal to be working for a giant corporation as opposed to a small, privately owned establishment, the situation wasn't too bad at Olive Garden. In fact, the Quora member described Darden, Olive Garden's parent company, as "one of the best corporate places to work for."

Olive Garden's Culinary Institute in Italy

There has been much talk over the years regarding Olive Garden claiming to send select chefs to a culinary institute in Italy. According to a Redditor who actually took the trip, it's legit...sort of. The person described the experience as more like a hotel, during the off-season, with a restaurant on-site they would use as a classroom for maybe an hour here or there and talk about spices or fresh produce for a minute before going sightseeing all day. The person went on to say that it was more like a PR stunt than a training course.

Legal Issues Faced by Olive Garden and Darden

Olive Garden and its parent company Darden have faced some legal issues in recent years in regard to how certain employees view the system of compensation and tipping that's in place at the company. The frustrations on this issue usually arise when a person lives in one of the 43 states that allow restaurants to pay below the minimum wage. According to a lawsuit filed by activist group One Fair Wage, the aforementioned allowance by the law sets up an inherently unfair system because the tipping policy at Olive Garden promotes both racial discrimination and sexual harassment.

Conclusion

Working at Olive Garden has its Perks and challenges, like any job. While the employee benefits are a nice incentive, the all-you-can-eat aspect of the soup, salad, and breadsticks meal can make it challenging for servers. However, the food is made from scratch on-site, and the breadsticks are hot and fluffy. Whether or not it's worth it to work at Olive Garden ultimately depends on the individual's experience and perspective.