Stanley Tucci is not a fan of The Olive Garden: ‘I went to that place and I still bear the scars’
Posted by mcfw31
Stanley Tucci is not a fan of The Olive Garden: ‘I went to that place and I still bear the scars’
Posted by mcfw31
46 Comments
I don’t think anyone is going to go to bat for the big old legacy restaurant chains but in this economy it does feel a bit out of touch to shit on it without at least acknowledging that for some families it might be their best option to feed a bunch of folks for cheap
I more than get it. knew that the chain restaurants microwave their meals, but hey at least The Olive Garden had those delicious bread sticks. The last time I went here, my meal came out and I started to eat it and half of my pasta was icy. I haven’t gone there since then.
Support local businesses. Fuck soulless bland restaurant chains.
I haven’t been in years because o don’t know where one is near me but I wouldn’t hesitate to go to one just for the soup and salad 🤷♀️
I went for the first time last year. Tried everyone’s dish in my group of 5. Was so dissapointed. Now when someone recommends me a place, I ask if they like Olive Garden, if they say yes I don’t trust them lol
Fair, but here’s my counterpoint: Olive Garden is camp and that is the main selling point to me.
I‘m Swiss so I live pretty close to Italy, can be there in 3h if I want to. But all this culture around us-chain restaurants from tv shows and social media kinda makes me want to visit an olive garden at some
point. Then again, I just read that entrees are 20$ and then I checked the menu and found this abomination. Wtf, only lasagne is an italian dish, haha.
https://preview.redd.it/t4pka8qe660h1.jpeg?width=1206&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a731a704d102ac6593ea31470dd9e0c23cd048e8
(I do like chicken parm though, but it‘s not italian)
I like what Anthony Bourdain had to say about Olive Garden and the people who enjoy it.
We don’t have one near where I live in Canada. I went to one years ago while visiting the US and it gave me the worst food poisoning I’ve ever experienced.
Olive Garden is objectively awful; but for lots of people the only Italian food that’s accessible. It’s sad, and as someone who grew up in California—- my coastal food privilege was probably one of the first things I became aware of as a kid. The crazy thing is, like other commenters have suggested, it’s not even budget conscious anymore to go to places like this; but for folks who don’t have other options besides Buffalo Wild Wings or Applebee’s and want to be able to go out with their families; I get it. Makes me sad for my brothers and sisters in places without choice and access. Capitalism is such a decided failure in every way, but having worked in food my whole life, this one hits close to home.
Let me paint a picture
1. Servers get paid $2/hr
2. Unlimited bread, salad, soups, and drinks = unlimited refills. Meaning CONSTANT going back and forth, getting new bowls, getting dirty dishes, making salads
3. Many people go to Olive garden on a budget, which is fine, but often don’t tip much. I have to constantly make refills for a 15% tip off a $12 order that requires literally so much time.
I never recommend Olive garden to work.
He’s a foodie and cooks, of course he’s not gonna like it lol
Overly greasy, Americanized Italian food sucks. Unnecessarily big portions too. The bread isn’t even good. Some Americans go to eat to stuff their faces without actually thinking of the actual taste. Hence buffet culture. Italian food in Italy is on a whole other level. They appreciate fresh ingredients and good flavors. We need to be more like that here, or else the food system will never improve.
You’re from New Jersey, Stan. Settle down and take another trip to Italy.
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imagine how much these people laugh at us poor’s when the camera’s aren’t on.
If I had Stanley tucci’s money you sure as shit wouldn’t catch me in a chain restaurant the rest of my damn life
I try not to be elitist, but there is genuinely something about the combination of soullessness, subpar quality, and gluttony of Olive Garden and similar restaurants that makes me judge them and those that choose them consistently.
“Shitty!”
“But bread sticks”
I have no opinion about Olive Garden but he is an insufferable snob and I can’t wait for everyone else to realise it
I’ve eaten at a few Olive Gardens — maybe 5 meals total. At best the food was mid
Isn’t he like a true foodie/chef ? I think he’s movie Big Night 1996 truly proves that
My husband won’t let us eat there. He says it is the worst of all Italian foods, and that “we can cook pasta at home.” Ugh. I used to love it, when I was a kid. But even we were dating, he lived around the corner from one, and we never went, because he always said no.
So, fast forward 15 years, and he goes out of town for work. I tell the kids, “This is our chance, we are going to eat at The Olive Garden!” I was so excited. I told them of unlimited breadsticks. They were so excited.
We got there, and, yes, the bread sticks were great. But everything else sucked. I even got a specialty drink, some sort of lemonade, and it was awful. I tried each of my kids’ plates. Awful. Mine was awful. My youngest got the basic kids chicken nuggets. Those were okay.
You know how hard it is to admit your husband was right about something? Well, I’ll happily do it in this case, because it was that awful and he was so right.
I, too, would prefer authentic food prepared freshly in an Italian kitchen, but unfortunately, I live in the middle of nowhere and I’m not a celebrity with the means to travel to get some. So, I guess it’s the OG Unlimited Soup, Salad and Breadsticks after my kid’s Little League game for me.
IDK – I have a love hate relationship with Olive Garden the way I do with Starbucks. Is it a mass produced shell of what it should be? Yes. Does it get people curious about the origin thus forcing them to branch out? (E.g., gateway drug) Also yes. My biggest gripe is like – spend $5 more and get a better plate of pasta – but I’m also privileged to be able to afford it. TLDR – eat your pasta where you want, but if you want a better experience, learn how to make it yourself or pay for a better experience.
You mean the guy who is partly famous for traveling around Italy and enjoying hand crafted Italian meals is not a fan of the commercialized cookie cutter version?
“To be honest with you Ricky, I’m surprised. “
Not being from the U.S I am intrigued with Olive Garden. I heard they do good salads? Is it really all that bad?
When I was a poor kid I considered The Olive Garden to be fancy, its basically frozen meals. I went a couple of years ago and everything was oversalted, overseasoned and very artificial tasting. We weren’t able to finish our meals.
I don’t go to Olive Garden because it’s authentic, Stanley, I go for the neverending pasta bowl
My daughter wanted to go to the Olive Garden for her 8th bday. She would see the commercials and think the food looked so good. So we indulged her and took her. Her discerning 8 year old palate took a few bites and was like what in the bait and switch is this? She was crushed that it could look one way on tv and taste like hot garbage in real life. To be fair there was a time back in the 90s when it was decent but it’s just flat out terrible now. When you can fuck up endless salad and breadsticks it’s time to call it quits.
idc soup salad and breadsticks lunch special slaps
Well Stanley, when you have lived in the state of Wyoming and your options are Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebees, or Chilis… you learn to enjoy it! (I have always enjoyed Olive Garden. But to be fair, I have the palette of a 6 year old most of the time. And that’s my cross to bear.)
Wrong opinion
I know he’s attractive. I know he’s talented. But he has been really really brand friendly with ai and that’s just not worth my adoration anymore I don’t think. And I get it you’re a foodie but I don’t need another rich person telling me the food I eat is crap.
I went there recently with my mom and omg how is it so popular, it was absolutely foul.😂 It’s like overpriced tv dinner pasta. The soups all tasted like chemicals and the noodles are a joke, salty weird chicken, dry, flavorless spongy bread sticks. Never again
I’m sure it’s just me growing up and eating better food but I _swear_ Olive Garden was good when I was a kid
…went a few years ago and it was awful though, really awful.
I’m a foodie and I fuck with Olive Garden. I like Stanley Tucci and respect his opinion too
Absolute snob.
I’m not gonna defend Olive Garden, I know what it is. But I’ve also never gone there and had a bad meal. I know what I’m getting there.
“Come on, really?” Is exactly how I feel about it 😂
Olive Garden gave me one of my favorite Clone High jokes but I don’t have an opinion on it otherwise because I only went once for a work thing.
Ironically, hating on Olive Garden is just so gauche to me. I’m sorry, sir, but you just don’t get it.
Yeah, no one of Italian descent is lol
As someone that’s never tried Olive Garden, I kinda want to, just to get a feel of what Italian cuisine tastes like to the average american
Nobody goes to OG for authentic Italian food. They go for OG. I’ve eaten in Italy many times but I still love me some olive garden
Bertucci’s >>>>>>>>>>>> olive garden