I'm not even trying to be a snob, as everyone knows places like this aren't good for you. But it's not even good? I genuinely can't remember the last time I even heard of someone talking about going to Olive Garden. Mostly cause you can boil pasta and add a jar of pre-made sauce yourself at home. I am genuinely stunned it was a leader.
Like there are plenty of restaurants that are not good for you that I would at least kinda get. This is a pretty surprising to me.
I bought my wife the pasta maker attachments for her kitchen aid, and a HUGE pot for making sauces on a low simmer all day. There is no comparison to home made food that lifts your soul.
Home made everything, if you're able, 100% of the time.
The only things we eat that we don't make are from the farmers market which were made in someone else's home.
I am trying to remember the last time I went to a restaurant and ate there. Granted I use DashSlop but I haven't had olive garden in who knows how long. We hit the mom and pop places if we can.
Yeah I'm a local joint guy too mostly. But there are at least some chains that I sort of would understand. Lots of people I know like a couple of the top places like Buffalo Wild Wings or Texas roadhouse. Which I get cause for example having a big variety of wings that everyone in a group want is kinda a pain to do at home. But I was surprised Olive Garden. Can't remember the last time anyone mentioned it.
Thanks for the reminder! Texas Roadhouse (founded in Indiana) was the last place we went too. For a chain place it isn't too bad.
Work caters from there every so often. It isn't horrible, but it is crazy overpriced. For what you pay, you could eat at a real Italian restaurant.
I could see that. Pans of pasta with generic sauce options is probably acceptable to most even if no one's favorite. And if you said it did well in the work/informal catering markets I cold get that. It's the having been the leader in total sales for years running that has me stunned.
They have a crazy amount of locations. I'm sure that plays into it. I don't get the appeal either.
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