Restaurant Review of The Olive Garden Goes Viral

[kleenex]

Red Lobster is more of a Northern 48 states restaurant.

While Captain D'S is more in the south.

 

[Andy M.]

Red Lobster is more of a Northern 48 states restaurant.

While Captain D'S is more in the south.

Other than a few in Ct., there are no RL in the other five New England states, which have been proudly a part of the northern 48 states from the beginning. Looks like they know when to quit.

 

[Addie]

I think there is an Applebees right next to the Olive Garden in South Bay ... yikes!

I have yet to see a Red Lobster around here. I think we were spared mercifully from the bad chains for a long time.

Just hope Golden Corral doesnt show!

There is an Outback in Medford in the Fellsway shopping Center, a Roadhouse Steakhoue in Everett. And several TGIF around. One in the Gateway in Everett. The only chain I have ever been in that I can honestly say I like (not love) is Panera Bread. Applebees is horrible. They are on the outskirts to Boston. One in Malden.

Boston is a foodies mecca. I don't see how a chain restaurant can possibly succeed. I think it must be the same element that frequents McD's that go to these chains and think they are eating "out." Is it the financial income that determines the cliental? Or the convience of the location? Or both?

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

"The Olive Garden hits some kind of middlebrow sweet spot, where people really do like it...but it's also a goofy chain with overblown pretensions toward authenticity.”

The review in question by Marilyn in the Grand Forks paper doesn't say that.

I'm sorry, I may have incorrectly attributed the quote. Rather, the article referenced in the OP said that.

Y'all do realize that the reason that all Olive Gardens have the exact same menu and the exact same food is that there are no chefs in the restaurants? All the food is prepared in one central location and shipped to each restaurant in seal-a-meal bags.

You're joking, right?

It's been a dozen years or two decades since I've gone to one of their restaurants, so I forgot the menu details. Surely they serve more stuff than could come out of seal-a-meal bags. Even taking for granted the bread sticks, etc. could be frozen without too bad a result.

They've got to be using at least some fresh ingredients. The salad stuff of course. But that can't be the only fresh food they serve.

 

[bakechef]

Their sauces are likely shipped in bags. If they have figured out how to grill meat and ship it like that while still having it taste decent, well that would be quite a feat, but I doubt that they have.

They probably get soup bases and add fresh ingredients to them.

Uniformity is really important to chains, and cutting down on labor is also a big deal, it saves them a ton of cash. Every chain does it this way. I don't know why people would think OG would be any different. Imagine every OG having marinara taste very different in each location.

We have local restaurants with multiple locations, but there is always one that is much better than the other.

 

[kleenex]

In Boston it is all about the East Coast Grill

 

[GB]

In Boston it is all about the East Coast Grill

Not for Italian food it is not.

 

[Rocklobster]

I

You're joking, right?

It's been a dozen years or two decades since I've gone to one of their restaurants, so I forgot the menu details. Surely they serve more stuff than could come out of seal-a-meal bags. Even taking for granted the bread sticks, etc. could be frozen without too bad a result.

They've got to be using at least some fresh ingredients. The salad stuff of course. But that can't be the only fresh food they serve.

No. He's not kidding. Everything is designed from start to finish in a lair on a secluded island somewhere off of the coast of Myanamar where all of the other diabolical franchises are. Plotting to eradicate the world of wholesome real food.....Salads in bags, sauces in bags, meats precooked, bread products frozen, cheeses all processed and pre grated. Everything portioned out to the last ounce to assure cost control. Do you know that restaurants can buy tomatoes already sliced in boxes ?

 

[TATTRAT]

Other than a few in Ct., there are no RL in the other five New England states, which have been proudly a part of the northern 48 states from the beginning. Looks like they know when to quit.

That would be like opening, a Famous Daves/Smokey Bones in TX. They know when the market is already cornered.


Red Lobster is to seafood, what OG is to Italian.

 

[jennyema]

In Boston it is all about the East Coast Grill

Yum!

Andy M and I had brunch there once!

 

[Andy M.]

Yum!

Andy M and I had brunch there once!

Ah yes, I remember it well. But never on Hell Night! I need a creamsicle just thinking about it.

 

[kleenex]

Ah yes, I remember it well. But never on Hell Night! I need a creamsicle just thinking about it.

A creamsicle is for wimps

 

[Andy M.]

A creamsicle is for wimps

I don't have issues with spicy foods. I eat them regularly.

However, I have no interest in trying to find out if I can eat the hottest peppers on the planet. So if I'm a wimp OK. That's probably not the only reason.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I don't have issues with spicy foods. I eat them regularly.

However, I have no interest in trying to find out if I can eat the hottest peppers on the planet. So if I'm a wimp OK. That's probably not the only reason.

No, you are not a wimp...smart, very smart