Anti-bitch about the Olive Garden

[buddyleebaby]

We went out to eat w/ my sister. Our salad, soup and breadsticks came pretty quickly but we had to wait well over an hour for our meal. The waitress and the manager kept coming over and apologizing, explaining that there had been "a mix-up in the kitchen".
The thing was, while on another day this may have been a bitch, today we really didn't care. Dd was in a good mood, coloring and sipping milk ( and eating breadsticks). Dh, my sis, and I were content to just talk and sip peach iced tea. We figured that s*** happens, nothing we could do about it. It wouldn't make the food come any quicker.
So the food finally does come, and mine at least was VERY good. We ask for the check and due to the wait they didn't charge us for more than half the stuff we ordered. We ended up paying twenty bucks for 3 of the more pricey meals, the kids meal, dessert, and lots of drinks.
Plus, they gave us a big batch of breadsticks to take home. ; )
Made my day.

[DebbieJ]

Wow, that's awesome!

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[Toba]

Those Bellini iced teas are heaven, aren't they? ;)


~Kimberly Anne~

[lisams]

Mmmm, yum! Sounds like even though they made a mistake they made an effort to make up for it. That's wonderful that you were able to enjoy your dinner! I love Olive Garden, I could live on their breadsticks and salad!!

[boolady]

That's good to hear. This happened to us about 2 weeks ago at Ruby Tuesday- we ordered, and my DH got the salad bar too, so I was sitting there talking to him while he ate his salad. Our server was a really nice girl who came up and said that they had screwed up my chicken sandwich and it would be a while, so why didn't I just go get myself a salad for free, or offered us a free appetizer. I really didn't want it, so said no, but she brought us a free dessert after dinner. Like you, on another night, this might have bothered me, but were were content to sit and talk that night. It's nice to hear about GOOD customer service!

[psophia17]

Which OG was this? I love the manager who was at the Times Square location back in 2001 - we went there with a whole bunch of people who travelled to NYC for our wedding, and he remembered us from visit to visit.

We did have one very bad visit, where the waiter didn't refill our drinks, didn't offer a tasting of the house wine, didn't bring the check for a solid hour, and then charged our party of 3 the 18% gratuity (I think he figured my Dutch aunt and cousin wouldn't know better?), but I wrote a letter and got a GC for $100...

I wonder if it was the same manager, b/c he was the best :)

[buddyleebaby]

LOL, no. We were out on the Island.
The last time I went to the one in Times Square they acted like they had never heard my dh's name (which is VERY common) before, and they were all asking each other how to pronounce it. It was so bizarre.

I think the OG must be very good about sending gift cards. A few weeks ago, someone asked in the lounge if everyone could write and ask them to bring the chocolate lasagna back, and I did, and they sent me a ten dollar guft card.
And I had just written something like: please bring back the chocolate lasagna. I really like it."

[psophia17]

Maybe my manager got promoted to the Island...that's probably what happened :P

[Lovingliv]

Yay Alicia, I am glad dinner worked out!

It is also nice to see real customer service.....

Maybe I will try OG up here....I really loved them years ago, and I could make a meal of the bread sticks and salad! Yummy!

So, maybe this makes up for the crappy hospital food when Abigail was born?

[karolyp]

That's why Olive Garden is my FAV place to eat - now you've got me drooling over those breadsticks!!!

[Octobermommy]

I went to Olive Garden last week and the waiter said they changed the supplier of the breadsticks. They were terrible, the waiter said he agreed. They had no taste and we had to ask for some with garlic salt on them which improved the taste a bit. I am going to e-mail them to please change back.

Just thought I would give a heads up, I was very disappointed.