Is Olive Garden Good Or Bad?

Last updated on April 8th, 2024

It can be difficult to choose where to eat out. You have many options of all kinds but when you are hungry for some comforting Italian food you will most likely choose Olive Garden. 

They serve lunch-size portions for midday and larger portions for dinner of their delicious food. You can have your pick from among all Italian pastas as well as other menu items that are sure to please your taste buds. 

Though not authentic, the restaurant does have a homey atmosphere and good food. Now, for our question, is Olive Garden good or bad?

Olive Garden is a good restaurant because they serve good food and offer good prices and service to their customers.

Sure, Olive Garden isn’t the best Italian restaurant and you can certainly find more authentic food but when you have a hankering for some Chicken and Gnocchi soup or for some delicious breadsticks Olive Garden is a good choice. 

Olive Garden is a good restaurant because of many reasons. Their business always seems to be booming and it’s no wonder once you try one of their warm and garlic-buttered breadsticks. 

It is said that their food is made with fresh ingredients. They do have to prep some food beforehand so you aren’t waiting hours for your food but most is either cooked fresh daily or when you order it. 

Their soup is savory and comforting and their Italian pasta meals are fresh and leave you wanting seconds. Unless you’re too full from the good-sized portions they gave you. 

Olive Garden also serves desserts that are heavenly. 

If you have ever been to Olive Garden, you know how tasty their food is. For a lot of people this is their go-to restaurant. 

However, Olive Garden can be a bad restaurant in some people’s opinion simply because of the fact that they just don’t like it. For others, they may not like it because they simply don’t like Olive Garden’s food and this is okay. Everyone is entitled to their own preferences when it comes to what you eat.

 Not only is the food delicious but the service is good and the prices are reasonable. So back to the question, is Olive Garden good or bad? Something tells me you already know my opinion. 

Why Is Olive Garden Bad?

Okay, I know how this sounds. A little contradictory, right? Well it has been rumored that Olive Garden isn’t as good as some people make it out to be so I do want to discuss why some people feel the restaurant is pretty bad.

Some people feel Olive Garden is bad because of the chain style food, the lack of real Italian cuisine, and the bulk food preparation often done hours ahead of time. 

Depending on your personal Olive Garden experience, you might consider the restaurant to be bad.

I am going to walk through a number of reasons why Olive Garden could be bad according to certain food and restaurant standards. Personally I like the restaurant but these are valid reasons that many people have for not liking the food or restaurant. 

The first reason that some people don’t like Olive Garden is that they don’t really like Italian cuisine. If you do not like Italian food like pasta for instance, Olive Garden would be a bad place for you to eat. 

My dad doesn’t really like pasta dishes so going to Olive Garden is not something he prefers or enjoys. My mom however loves pasta so in turn she also loves Olive Garden. 

Everyone’s taste buds are different and some people just don’t like Italian food. All Olive Garden serves are Italian dishes, so no burgers and fries here! 

Next, maybe you do like Italian food but are used to really authentic dishes. Well, Olive Garden may be bad for you since their food really isn’t authentic. Keep in mind though that the restaurant is Italian-American so the food isn’t going to taste like it just came straight from Italy.

Now, you could pick and choose all day the reasons why Olive Garden isn’t good. Everything from “The menu is confusing!” to “That waiter did a poor job.” Some may even go as far as to say that Olive Garden is bad because their food doesn’t look like it did when it was advertised. 

But, does any? 

Most of the time you may hear that their food wasn’t all that good. Well, like I said before, everyone has a different taste in food and pasta, salad, and soup may just not be your “thing”. If you don’t like Olive Garden, so be it. 

For those of us that do, more of those addicting breadsticks for us!

What Is So Special About Olive Garden?

The casual-dining restaurant chain of Olive Garden started back in 1982. Since opening their first restaurant in Florida, people loved it and the company has quickly grown. What is so special about Olive Garden?

What makes Olive Garden special is that their food is different from traditional burgers and fries by offering a little retreat to Italy and some wonderful food.

Olive Garden is special because of its friendly staff that greet you as soon as you enter the door. You are then walked through a building resembling one from Italy and placed at a comfortable booth or table to await your server. 

When your waiter or waitress arrives, you can order drinks. After returning with the beverages, the server will bring over some breadsticks and salad drenched in their iconic dressing (which you can buy in a bottle as well).

Not a fan of salad? No problem! You can choose one of their four famous soups instead. 

Now to order food, well you can have your choice from among all kinds of pasta from lasagna to fettuccine alfredo. Or if you just want soup you can get the never-ending soup, salad, and breadstick deal. If you want to try all four types of soup, don’t worry! As soon as you’re done with one bowl you can swap it out for another kind. 

After the main course, it’s time for dessert. Olive Garden offers Tiramisu, cakes, and warm Italian doughnuts for that sweet goodness you’re craving.

Why Is Olive Garden The Best Restaurant? 

Many fans of the restaurant say that Olive Garden is good. Some even say it is the best. Why is this Itailan American eatery considered the best restaurant in so many people’s eyes?

Olive Garden serves delicious food and could be the best restaurant according to your own personal preference. 

Breadsticks, salads, soup, and Italian food. Who doesn’t love a restaurant that serves all of these things? Many people choose this restaurant when they are going out to eat. 

Some people may argue that their food is not authentic, which is true. The food has been Americanized but what do you expect from an American Italian restaurant company? 

The food at the famous Olive Garden may not be totally authentic but it is still tasty. Olive Garden has about 900 locations nationwide, oh and did I mention that their breadsticks and salad are unlimited? Yes, and the soup too if you decide to get the never-ending soup, salad, and breadstick deal.

Final Thoughts

Olive Garden can be either good or bad according to what a person likes in a restaurant or what kind of food they like. In general, their food is delicious and tasty. 

Service at Olive Garden is normally pretty good as well as how quickly their food is served. Also, those yummy breadsticks are unlimited as well as their signature salad and soups. 

In the end, Olive Garden is a good restaurant to eat at whether you’re out on a date, or enjoying time with family.